Holiday Programs 2015

Traditional carols, heartwarming and hilarious stories, and new ways to think about the holidays! Here’s the list of special programs coming your way throughout December.

New Year’s Day From Vienna 2016: Ring in the New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic’s beloved annual concert of waltzes and polkas from the Johann Strauss family and its contemporaries, brought to you from the Musikverein in Vienna Philharmonic. Radetsky March, anyone? 2 – 4 PM, Friday January 1, 2016, NPR and Classical Music Service.

The following programs have already aired:

Candles Burning Brightly: An exploration of the food, activities and music that make up Hanukkah celebrations.  8 PM, Monday December 7, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Hanukkah Lights: Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz join you for an hour of stories and memoirs from the Hanukkah season.  8 PM, Monday December 7, NPR News Service.

Chanukah in Story and Song: A celebration the Jewish Festival of Lights, hosted by the late Leonard Nimoy. The program features performances of Israeli music, Ladino songs, Yiddish tunes by The Western Wind. 8 PM, Tuesday December 8, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Inland Folk with Dan Maher adds a dash of holiday spirit to your favorite folk music show – for two weeks in a row! December 12 & 19, 11 AM – 2PM, NPR and Classical Music Service.

The Christmas Revels – In Celebration of the Winter Solstice: The musical ensemble Christmas Revels wraps the Solstice, Christmas, New Year’s and Twelfth Night into a two-hour celebration on NWPR. 8 – 10 PM, Thursday December 17, NPR and Classical Music Service

Joy To The World – A Holiday in Pink: Pink Martini and All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro bring you an hour packed with international, multi-denominational holiday favorites from the traditional to the more obscure. 7 PM, Saturday December 19, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Concierto Christmas Special: Travel the world with Frank Dominguez in English and in Spanish. This episode takes you to Ecuador of the 17th century, Cuba in the 18th Century, 19th Century Uruguay. 2 – 4 PM, Sunday December 20, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Selected Shorts – Peas, Pancakes and Pretensions: Join host Robert Sean Leonard for a food-oriented hour of Selected Shorts. 6 PM, Sunday December 20, NPR News Service.

Hollywood Holiday: Have a White Christmas this year! Celebrate the season with musical favorites from the silver screen. 8 PM, Sunday December 20, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Paul Winter’s Solstice Celebration: Performances in NYC’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine celebrate the warming of the earth and the return of the sun. 9 – 11 PM, Sunday December 20, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Jonathan Winters’ A Christmas Carol: Susan Stamberg hosts a presentation of this Charles Dickens’s holiday classic, with all characters brought to life by the great Jonathan Winters. This is an annual NWPR tradition. 7 PM, Saturday December 19, 2015, NPR News Service, repeat broadcast 9 PM, Thursday December 24, NPR News Service.

A Chanticleer Christmas: Join the beloved San Francisco-based, all-male vocal group Chanticleer for a concert of holiday favorites. 8 PM, Monday December 21, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Christmas with Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs: Korva Coleman hosts a celebration of collegiate singing – the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges come together with a program melding spirituals and carols. 9 PM, Monday December 21, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Advent Voices: A celebration of the sacred and secular music inspired by and written for this month-long season of hope and light. 10 PM, Monday December 21, NPR and Classical Music Service.

St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Hear more than 500 musicians and vocalists come together for a yearly musical celebration from Minnesota – celebrate the Nativity with hymns, vocal and orchestral selections. 8 PM, Tuesday December 22, NPR and Classical Music Service.

In Italia – A Renaissance Christmas from Venice, Naples and Beyond: A tour of Italy and Christmas in the sixteenth-century. Music from Diego Ortiz, Giovanni Bassano and more. 10 PM, Tuesday December 22, NPR and Classical Music Service

Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir: Join this internationally renowned chorus, accompanied by the Orchestra at Temple Square for Christmas favorites. 8 PM, Wednesday December 23, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Light and Gold – The Music of Eric Whitacre: Choral classics for the Christmas season hosted by the composer himself, one of the most popular musicians of our time. Whitacre’s music has been performed throughout the world by millions of amateur and professional musicians alike. This program features performers from across the globe. 9 PM, Wednesday December 23, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Welcome Christmas!: An hour of holiday favorites mixed with new Christmas music, with the ensemble VocalEssence and host John Birge. 10 PM, Wednesday December 23, NPR and Classical Music Service.

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols: the annual Christmas Eve service held in King’s College Chapel, first broadcast in 1928 and is now broadcast to millions of people around the world every year. The service includes carols and readings from the Bible, and every year includes a new, specially commissioned carol. Thursday December 24, NPR and Classical Music Service 10 AM – 12 PM, repeat broadcast 8 – 10 PM.

Tinsel Tales – NPR Christmas Favorites: An annual favorite! Stories on the meaning of Christmas featuring some familiar NPR voices like David Sedaris and John Henry Faulk. 8 PM, Thursday December 24, NPR News Service.

Messiah with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra 2015: Join the PSO and the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh for the Handel oratorio that has become synonymous with the Christmas Season. 10 PM – 12 AM, Thursday December 24, 2015, NPR and Classical Music Service.

Thistle and Shamrock – A Festive Celtic Celebration: Sing, dance and be merry with a special presentation of Thistle and Shamrock. Fiona Ritchie brings carols and festive songs, traditional to modern. 2 PM, Saturday December 26, 2015, NPR and Classical Music Service.

A Seasons Griot 2015: Join host Madafo Lloyd Wilson for a tales, traditions and a celebration of the Kwanzaa season. 7 PM, Saturday December 26, 2015, NPR News Service.