Christmas
December 13 at 8 pm: All Is Bright: Contemplative Music for Christmas
Hosted by Lynne Warfel, All Is Bright: Contemplative Music for Christmas presents one hour of gorgeous, contemplative music related to the Christmas season and its symbolism. This program uses sacred choral music grouped in a way to tell the traditional Christmas story by way of songs about angels, the star, and the manger scene. Featured artists include Cambridge Singers, Cantus, and Chanticleer.
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December 15 at 9 pm: A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico
Celebrate Christmas with the sound of soaring voices. Stile Antico, the award winning choir from London, pays a visit to St. Paul’s church on Harvard Square for a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season by the most acclaimed composers of the renaissance. Hear the group’s luminous blend of voices sing the intricately woven music of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd.
December 19 at 7 pm: Christmas with the Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs
One of the great holiday traditions in America, the choirs of Morehouse and Spelman Colleges — two of the most prestigious historically black institutions in the nation — get together to present a spine-tingling concert program. This presentation features the best works of the last several years. It's a joyous celebration of the schools' tradition of singing excellence, with their trademark mixture of spirituals and carols.
December 20 at 8 pm: A Chanticleer Christmas
This one-hour program of holiday favorites, new and old, will be presented live in concert by Chanticleer, the superb 12-man ensemble known as "an orchestra of voices." Chanticleer is one of the premiere vocal ensembles in the nation. The ensemble has won two Grammys and is a member of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.
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December 22 at 8 pm: A Soulful Christmas
Julie Amacher and Tesfa Wondemagegnehu host this uplifting Christmas special that features Black music and composers. A Soulful Christmas celebrates classical music by Black artists, while exploring Spirituals, Gospel Music, Jazz and other Black musical traditions.
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December 23 at 8 pm: St. Olaf Christmas Festival
The St. Olaf Christmas Festival is a chance for listeners across the country and around the world to participate in one of the nation’s most treasured holiday celebrations. Programming includes sacred choral and instrumental music from many traditions: beloved hymns, classical masterworks, folk songs from around the world, and African-American spirituals.
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December 24 at 9 am: A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
An annual and beloved Christmas tradition, "A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" is an extraordinary and memorable service of word and music from the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, England.
View playlist and more information.
December 24 at 10 pm: A Chanticleer Christmas
This one-hour program of holiday favorites, new and old, will be presented live in concert by Chanticleer, the superb 12-man ensemble known as "an orchestra of voices." Chanticleer is one of the premiere vocal ensembles in the nation. The ensemble has won two Grammys and is a member of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.
View playlist and more information.
December 25 at 11 am; December 26 at 6 pm: From the Archives: A British Christmas
Enjoy music from British composers in this special Christmas episode of From the Archives with Frank Byrne. Hear works by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Arnold Bax, and more.
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December 25 at 8 pm; December 26 at 1 pm: The City Come Again
Since 1982 William Jewell College has partnered with Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral to present The City Come Again as a gift in music and word to Kansas City. Ian Coleman, Chair of the Department of Performing Arts at William Jewell College, hosts this program of seasonal music, poetry, and more.
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Kwanzaa
December 27 and 29 at 8 pm: We Stand on Top of the Mountain: A Kwanzaa Celebration
This Kwanzaa, which runs Dec. 26-Jan. 1, we celebrate African-American culture with composers that have imbued the essence of the Seven Principles in their timeless and joyous music hosted by Jeffrey Yelverton. This program is courtesy of our friends at YourClassicalMPR.
View playlist and more information.New Year's
January 1, 2022 at 10 am: New Year's Day from Vienna LIVE
The ever-popular annual New Year’s Day Concert will be performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Maestro Daniel Barenboim. With this concert it is not only the desire of the Vienna Philharmonic to provide musically definitive interpretations of the masterworks of this genre, but also, as musical ambassadors of Austria, to send people all over the world a New Year's greeting in the spirit of hope, friendship and peace. Hosted by WBUR's Lisa Mullins.
January 1 at 11 am; January 2 at 6 pm: From the Archives: Viennese New Year's at the Ballet
Ring in the New Year with a program of music by Johann Strauss II.
Previously aired programsThanksgiving
November 25 at 8 pm and November 28 at 4 pm: Every Good Thing
Host Andrea Blain and classical music fans from all around the country take some time to give thanks and celebrate one of life's most meaningful gifts: music. It's "Every Good Thing" — an hour of stories and music to celebrate Thanksgiving.
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November 27 at 8 pm and November 28 at 1 pm: Giving Thanks
Giving Thanks sounds the way Thanksgiving feels: inviting, warm, and festive. It’s a contemporary, thoughtful celebration of the spirit of the holiday. Special guests Stanley Tucci and Naomi Shihab Nye join our Thanksgiving table, and music from Eric Whitacre, Bach, Copland and more complete the scene.
View playlist and more information.Hanukkah
November 28 at 7 pm: Candles Burning Brightly
Mindy Ratner hosts this celebration of Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. "Candles Burning Brightly" explores the meaning and traditions of Chanukah, including holiday foods and Sephardic and Ashkenazi music.
