2022 HOLIDAY SPECIALS***FRIDAY 12/9***3pm – A Mountain Stage HolidayJoin Mountain Stage host Larry Groce for an hour filled with beautiful music to mark the season. The show features special guests Holly Cole, Joan Baez, Bruce Cockburn, Loudon Wainwright III, The Roches, Kathy Mattea and more. All performances were recorded live on the Mountain Stage. (repeats Sunday 12/25 @6pm)***SATURDAY 12/10***4pm – The Holiday Shuffle 210pm – A World Café HolidayWorld Cafe celebrated 30 years by revisiting special holiday performances from Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Los Lobos, Andrew Bird, The Bird and The Bee, Pink Martini, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and more. Hosted by Raina Douris, this musical gift will provide a full hour of hip holiday cheer. (repeats Sunday 12/25 @7pm)11pm – Juke in the Back – R&B ChristmasThe entire "Juke In The Back" is loaded with the greatest R&B Christmas records from the late 1940s and 1950s. It's the yuletide soul that came before rock n' roll. So grab some 'nog and get groovin'***SUNDAY 12/11***6am – Juke in the Back – R&B ChristmasThe entire "Juke In The Back" is loaded with the greatest R&B Christmas records from the late 1940s and 1950s. It's the yuletide soul that came before rock n' roll. So grab some 'nog and get groovin'3pm – Holiday Jazz with Dee AlexanderWFMT Radio Network Jazz Network host Dee Alexander entertains and enchants with songs and reminiscences of holidays past, in a performance recorded at WFMT’s Fay & Daniel Levin Performance Studio with support from longtime collaborators pianist Miguel de la Cerna, bassist Junius Paul and drummer Yussef Ernie Adams. Holiday favorites abound, including “White Christmas,” “Coventry Carol,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and show-stopping renditions of spirituals inspired by Chicago gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. Chicago radio luminary Richard Steele hosts.***MONDAY 12/12***10am – Winter Holidays Around the WorldWinter holidays are celebrated around the world, and their music is wonderful to hear, regardless of which tradition you observe. Celebrated educator, performer, conductor, and composer and host of the WFMT Radio Network’s Exploring Music Bill McGlaughlin gathers this spirited selection that starts in the 12th century with Nova Stella, medieval Italian Christmas music from Saint Francis of Assisi’s staging of the nativity; jazz pianist Dave Brubeck’s classical composition La Fiesta de la Posada, evoking a Mexican Christmas celebration; and Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols. We will enjoy this time of year in Paris with music from Debussy, and then travel to Polynesia for a traditional hymn, Anau Oia Ea. And then ending with an excerpt from Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors from the original television production.11am – The One Recipe Holiday SpecialJoin host Jesse Sparks for a holiday edition of The Splendid Table’s newest “podbaby,” The One Recipe. Jesse talks to culinary superstars about their “One,” the recipe that signals the holiday has begun! They’ll get into traditions and food with influences from all over the world and leave you with recipes that could jumpstart your own festivities! It’s delicious eating all month long. Guests include chef, YouTube personality and best-selling author Carla Lalli Music; The New York Time’s food writer Eric Kim, author of Korean- American: Food That Tastes Like Home and more to come!11pm – Holiday Jazz with Dee AlexanderWFMT Radio Network Jazz Network host Dee Alexander entertains and enchants with songs and reminiscences of holidays past, in a performance recorded at WFMT’s Fay & Daniel Levin Performance Studio with support from longtime collaborators pianist Miguel de la Cerna, bassist Junius Paul and drummer Yussef Ernie Adams. Holiday favorites abound, including “White Christmas,” “Coventry Carol,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and show-stopping renditions of spirituals inspired by Chicago gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. Chicago radio luminary Richard Steele hosts.***TUESDAY 12/13***10am – Apollo’s Fire presents Christmas on Sugarloaf MountainIn this one-hour special, the listener is transported from Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to the folk carols and shape‐note hymns at a toe‐tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia. The people of the Appalachian Mountains welcome Christmas with LOVE, SINGING, DANCING, and PRAYER (repeats Thursday 12/29 @11am)11am – An Afro Blue ChristmasJoin us for a very special holiday concert with Howard University's premiere vocal ensemble Afro Blue and special guest pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Hear the a-cappella group perform a variety of holiday songs including African-American spirituals, jazz and pop tunes, and classical repertoire. The joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions…music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris. (repeats Friday 12/30 @10am)3pm – A Soulful ChristmasA Soulful Christmas is an uplifting, relevant display of Black music in the classical, gospel, spiritual, and jazz-inspired style. This special celebrates the non-idiomatic Black classical music, while exploring non-idiomatic choral traditions. Encore from 2021 (repeats Saturday 12/17 @11pm & Sunday 12/18 @6am)***WEDNESDAY 12/14***10am – Handel & Haydn Society ChristmasCelebrate the season with this hour-long special featuring Christmas choral music from America’s oldest continuously performing ensemble, Boston’s Handel & Haydn Society.11am – Wind & Rhythm: Winds of ChristmasDo you have a favorite Christmas band composition? On this holiday episode of Wind & Rhythm, we discover music composed for, or arranged for, band. We’ll hear Gustav Holst's “In the Bleak Midwinter”, Alfred Reed’s “Russian Christmas Music”, and more, all right here at the gathering place for people who love band music. (repeats Thur 12/29 @10am)3pm – Tinsel Tales – NPR Christmas FavoritesStories from the NPR archives that touch on the meaning of Christmas. David Sedaris, Bailey White, John Henry Faulk -- these and other NPR voices, past and present, tell stories of the season. Hosted by Lynn Neary.***THURSDAY 12/15***10am – Canadian Brass: Christmastime is HereHosted by WQXR’s Jeff Spurgeon, this program features arrangements of music by Vince Guaraldi and Luther Henderson as well as traditional favorites from "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Frosty the Snowman" and more – timeless classics infused with jazz and lush harmonies. The selections on this program are featured on the quintet's latest album, "Christmas Time is Here." (repeats Wed 12/28 @11am)11am – Mark O’Connor’s Appalachian ChristmasMark O’Connor, famous bluegrass fiddler and respected American composer, leads the O’Connor Band and special guest Nancy Ives, principal cellist of the Oregon Symphony, in An Appalachian Christmas3pm – HUNGRY: Julia Child presents “A Dickens Holiday Feast” (30minutes)Julia says, "'A Christmas Carol' is a lovely story to read during the holidays, because it has a happy ending." The actor Peter Donat takes us to Victorian England -- and chef Mary Risley takes us into her modern kitchen to make the figgy pudding.***FRIDAY 12/16***10am – Christmas with Morehouse and Spelman Glee ClubsOne 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 encore 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. Korva Coleman hosts.11am – The Spanish Hour: Spanish Songs for ChristmasTraditional Spanish and Catalan carols, a mass from Mallorca, and a Christmas Tableau by Joaquín Rodrigo.3pm – The Big Tiny Desk Holiday SpecialCelebrate the season with amazing holiday performances from The Tiny Desk Concert series including Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Steve Martin, Hanson, The Polyphonic Spree and more! Hosted by NPR Music frenemies Bob Boilen and Stephen Thompson.11pm – Hot Jazz for a Cool YuleFrom Riverwalk Jazz, it's Hot Jazz for a Cool Yule as Jim Cullum and the Band welcome an all-star cast of legendary jazz players, outstanding vocal artists and one outrageous tap dancer to the stage of The Landing to interpret carols and holiday classics in a jazz band mood. Our Hot Jazz for a Cool Yule Holiday Special captures a bevy of jazz legends in a holiday mood***SATURDAY 12/17***4pm – All Songs Considered for the Holiday ExtravaganzaWe decided to revisit the very first All Songs Considered holiday party from 2012. The guest list for this (trust us!) unforgettable night of music and tall tales included Kishi Bashi, Dan Deacon, Carrie Brownstein and Nellie McKay. We hosted the festivities at a secluded cabin we rented one weekend in a snowy woods. It was a chilly night, but we had a roaring fire, plenty of eggnog, vegan haggis and lots of holiday songs to keep everybody warm!10pm – Tinsel Tales 2: More NPR Christmas FavoritesNPR fills millions of homes each holiday with humor, warmth, and a host of festive voices. Continuing with the tradition of the first Tinsel Tales program, this is another collection of the best and most requested holiday stories. Joy, hope, and childhood memories overflow as NPR voices, past and present, tell stories of the season. Hosted by Lynn Neary11pm – A Soulful ChristmasA Soulful Christmas is an uplifting, relevant display of Black music in the classical, gospel, spiritual, and jazz-inspired style. This special celebrates the non-idiomatic Black classical music, while exploring non-idiomatic choral traditions. Encore from 2021 (repeats Sun 12/18 @6am)***SUNDAY 12/18***6am – A Soulful ChristmasA Soulful Christmas is an uplifting, relevant display of Black music in the classical, gospel, spiritual, and jazz-inspired style. This special celebrates the non-idiomatic Black classical music, while exploring non-idiomatic choral traditions. Encore from 20213pm – Jazz Piano Christmas 38Check out your favorite holiday classics as you’ve never heard them! This year, our annual sell-out event spotlights ferociously talented Japanese musical phenom Hiromi, Mountain Stage’s Bob Thompson, and Bolivian prodigy José André Montaño, chosen as one of the Kennedy Center’s “Next 50” leaders. (repeats Mon 12/19 @11pm)4pm - Jonathan Winters’ A Christmas CarolAn updated version of a public radio tradition hosted by NPR's Susan Stamberg. Master comedian Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of Dickens' holiday classic, with a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations. Also featuring Mimi Kennedy. From NPR and KCRW.9pm – A Celtic ChristmasAn hour-long holiday special featuring Irish storyteller Tomáseen Foley and his charming tale "Parcel from America." The program also features music from guitarist William Coulter, fiddler Deby Benton Grojean, and piper Todd Denman, as well as songs from Moira Smiley.***MONDAY 12/19***10am - Hanukkah Lights 2022This NPR favorite returns with the best of the best Hanukkah Lights stories from the last 30 years. Authors TBA. Hosted by Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz.11am – A Chanukah Celebration with Chicago a cappellaJoin Jonathan Miller, artistic director of Chicago a cappella, the virtuoso vocal ensemble now in its 23rd season, and a longtime champion of Jewish choral music, for an inspiring and informative show featuring choral music set to Chanukah texts. Familiar tunes include "I Have a Little Dreidel" (both in its original Yiddish form and in a neo-funk Hebrew/English setting), a swing version of "S'vivon" by Steve Barnett, and a lively setting of the traditional melody for "Al-Hanissim" ("For the Miracles") by Elliot Levine. Heartfelt original compositions by American and British composers provide added depth of expression to celebrating the holiday. Jonathan Miller provides liturgical and cultural background as part of this unique look inside old and newer choral Chanukah traditions.11pm – Jazz Piano Christmas 38Check out your favorite holiday classics as you’ve never heard them! This year, our annual sell-out event spotlights ferociously talented Japanese musical phenom Hiromi, Mountain Stage’s Bob Thompson, and Bolivian prodigy José André Montaño, chosen as one of the Kennedy Center’s “Next 50” leaders.***TUESDAY 12/20***10am – Candles Burning BrightlyA delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights! Lots of music from Jewish communities around the world, plus a hilarious lesson on how to prepare a classic Chanukah dish, and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home11am – Itzhak Perlman’s Chanukah Radio PartyItzhak Perlman invites you to his Chanukah Radio Party. Join the superstar violinist as he tells the story of the Jewish festival of lights and shares his favorite recordings for the holiday – some serious, some silly. We’ll hear numbers from Perlman’s radio-addicted childhood in Israel; evocative songs in Yiddish and Ladino; classical music that revolves around the Maccabee heroes of the story; and Chanukah gems by American folk singers. The master storyteller also regales you with jokes and memories, plus tales of three classic Chanukah symbols: the menorah, the latke, and, of course, the dreidel. A good time for the whole family, at Itzhak Perlman’s Chanukah Radio Party!3pm – A Paul Winter SolsticeCelebrate the return of the sun - and the warming of the heart with Paul Winter's Winter Solstice Celebration. On the darkest night of the year, we head back to New York's Cathedral of St. John the Divine to hear a performance of The Paul Winter Consort and the glorious Cathedral Pipe Organ. John Schaefer hosts.11pm – A Paul Winter Solstice (rpt)Celebrate the return of the sun - and the warming of the heart with Paul Winter's Winter Solstice Celebration. On the darkest night of the year, we head back to New York's Cathedral of St. John the Divine to hear a performance of The Paul Winter Consort and the glorious Cathedral Pipe Organ. John Schaefer hosts.***WEDNESDAY 12/21***10am – The Ballad of the Brown King and Other Music for Christmas by Black ComposersDr. Louise Toppin, a noted performer and scholar who specializes in the concert repertoire of African American composers, presents the world premiere recording of Margaret Bonds’s The Ballad of the Brown King. With a libretto by Langston Hughes, this Christmas cantata which focuses on Balthazar, the dark-skinned king who journeyed to Bethlehem to witness the birth of Jesus Christ, is beautifully interpreted by New York City-based The Dessoff Choirs and Orchestra, soloists soprano Laquita Mitchell, mezzo-soprano Lucia Bradford and tenor Noah Stewart, led by Malcolm J. Merriweather. The special will also include music for the season selected by Dr. Toppin. (repeats Friday 12/30 @11am)11am – Festivo AltLatino with CantigasNPR Music’s Alt.Latino presents the 2014 edition of Festivo Alt.Latino -- a special holiday concert featuring the 20 piece choral ensemble Choral Cantigas. This musical performance also includes stories about holiday traditions and cultures. Hear a traditional Peruvian Christmas carol, folk music from Brazil, Spain, and Mexico plus Parrandas from Venezuela and Puerto Rico. The many rich styles of Latino choral music will unite listeners through the joyful and trans-formative power of music. Hosted by Felix Contreras.3pm – The Film Score: Music for the Winter HolidaysChicago Tribune film critic Michael Phillips is your host for The Film Score: Music for the Winter Holidays, an hour-long special devoted to holiday and wintertime movie music. In addition to beloved standards (“White Christmas” from “Holiday Inn” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from “Meet Me in St. Louis”), Michael shares an eclectic mix of wintry film scores, ranging from “It Happened in Sun Valley” (from “Sun Valley Serenade”) to Alexandre Desplat’s folk-inspired score for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” to Bernard Herrmann’s bracing sleigh ride accompaniment composed for the Orson Welles drama “The Magnificent Ambersons.” Bundle up and enjoy The Film Score: Music for the Winter Holidays!***THURSDAY 12/22***10am – All Is BrightAll Is Bright is an hour of 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. (Encore from 2018)11am - A Mexican Christmas with Newberry Consort & EnsAmble Ad-HocThe Newberry Consort and EnsAmble Ad-Hoc present A Mexican Christmas, 17th century traditional music for worship and celebration. The collection features pieces commonly heard in both liturgical service and in the streets, and evoke the solemnity and fanfare heard in Mexico City’s convents and plazas, with jubilant vocals and lively strings, guitars, and percussion. Organ, harp, bassoon, and a variety of Mexican traditional instruments bring this exuberant and diverse music to life. Soprano Ellen Hargis, Director Emerita of The Newberry Consort, and soprano Francy Acosta, Director of EnsAmble Ad-Hoc, are your hosts.3pm – Selected Shorts: Holidays with MomGuest host Meg Wolitzer presents our holiday show--two stories about being home for the holidays and how you can count on your Mom to be there for you—and possibly to complicate things***FRIDAY 12/23***10am – Music of the Baroque presents O Magnum Mysterium: The Brass & Choral Holiday Concert (2 hours)Music makes the holidays come alive, and through the centuries this special time of year inspired composers to new creative heights. Drawn from diverse cultures and various points in history, Music of the Baroque Conductor Andrew Megill has assembled a program inspired by O Magnum Mysterium, an ancient chant sung at midnight on Christmas in the medieval church. This concert, recorded in 2021, features the debut of Music of the Baroque’s new Chorus Director Andrew Megill. Hosted by celebrated WFMT host Candice Agree, tune in to the great works of composers like Tomás Luis de Victoria, Giovanni Gabrieli, Roland de Lassus, Hans Leo Hassler, Diego José de Salazar, and many more.3pm - The Thistle & Shamrock Presents ‘A Child’s Christmas In Wales'Cerys Matthews is Welsh musician and patron of the Dylan Thomas Society. In this program, originally broadcast in 2015, she narrates excerpts from the Dylan Thomas holiday classic, set to music that she created and recorded with her collaborator Mason Neely. One reviewer wrote: "Dylan’s words are so deliciously descriptive to begin with, and Matthews’ lilting Welsh accent, and deep understanding of the culture illuminates them further. Her love of Dylan’s poetry shines throughout, and serves to make it accessible to a wide audience." Hosted by Fiona Ritchie.11pm – A Night Studio ChristmasHost Hans Ahlstrom brings you sounds of the season from the Public Radio 90 jazz library, including Kat Edmonson, Ann Hampton Calloway, Houston Person, the Yellowjackets and more.***SATURDAY 12/24***10am – A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (2 hours)A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols presents your audience with an opportunity to share in a ‘live,’ world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world’s foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, England4pm – Tinsel Tales 4: NPR Christmas Stories Told Through SongNPR revisits interviews with musicians about their Christmas albums. Some, like Katie Melua and Sting, celebrate tradition and winter mystery in their Christmas songs. Others, like Kenny Rogers and Amy Grant, find spirituality and stability in holiday music. Jon Batiste and Anthony Hamilton bring new energy to old favorites on their Christmas albums. Hosted by Lynn Neary. (repeats Wednesday 12/28 @3pm)10pm – Sound Spectrum ChristmasHoliday music from Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Loreena McKennitt, Al Jarreau, Al Di Meola, Anne Dudly and more.11pm – A Very Blues ChristmasSounds of the season from some of the blues greats… including B.B. King, Bobby Womack, Bessie Smith, Solomon Burke, and Chuck Berry.***SUNDAY 12/25***6am – Welcome ChristmasThere’s no better way to welcome Christmas than Welcome Christmas!, the VocalEssence holiday concert conducted by Philip Brunelle. It’s an hour of joyful, classic holiday music from VocalEssence, one of the world’s premiere choral groups, singing traditional carols and new discoveries7am – St Olaf Christmas Festival (2 hours)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.9am – A Chanticleer ChristmasThis 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.10am - A Choral Christmas With Stile AnticoCelebrate 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. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH. Presented by NPR Music. (repeats Wednesday 12/28 @10am)1pm – Tinsel Tales 3: Even More NPR Christmas FavoritesIn keeping with a well-loved NPR holiday tradition, hear the third collection of extraordinary Christmas stories that will transport you to unexpected places. Audie Cornish, Ken Harbaugh, Nina Totenberg and other voices from NPR's past and present tell stories of the season in this hour-long special. Some tales are funny; some are touching; some are insightful or irreverent or nostalgic or surprising. You might recognize them from our broadcast archives — or you might fall in love with them for the first time. Hosted by Lynn Neary3pm - Jazz Night In America: A Holiday CelebrationThis year's Jazz Night in America holiday special will feature drummer Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O; a ruckus band recorded at Jazz at Lincoln Center that flip seasonal songs on their head while inserting humor and joyful swing. and new takes on classics in this special episode. Christian McBride hosts. (repeats 12/30 @11pm)4pm – A Swingin’ Holiday Jazz Party with Wynton MarsalisWynton Marsalis hosts an hour of holiday jazz favorites by Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Gregory Porter, René Marie, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. (repeats Monday 12/26 @11pm)6pm – A Mountain Stage HolidayJoin Mountain Stage host Larry Groce for an hour filled with beautiful music to mark the season. The show features special guests Holly Cole, Joan Baez, Bruce Cockburn, Loudon Wainwright III, The Roches, Kathy Mattea and more. All performances were recorded live on the Mountain Stage.7pm – A World Café HolidayWorld Cafe celebrated 30 years by revisiting special holiday performances from Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Los Lobos, Andrew Bird, The Bird and The Bee, Pink Martini, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and more. Hosted by Raina Douris, this musical gift will provide a full hour of hip holiday cheer.9pm – The Red Jacket Jamboree: Christmas in the Keweenaw10pm – Peace on Earth: A Holiday Folk Tour with Judy CollinsJudy Collins hosts the second in a series of hour-long specials for the holidays. The program features musical takes on the holiday season from folk artists from across the country.***MONDAY 12/26***10am – St Olaf Christmas Festival (2 hours)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.11pm – A Swingin’ Holiday Jazz Party with Wynton MarsalisWynton Marsalis hosts an hour of holiday jazz favorites by Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Gregory Porter, René Marie, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.***TUESDAY 12/27***10am – The Spanish Hour: Spanish Renaissance ChristmasThe Spanish Siglo de Oro -- Golden Age -- witnessed an astonishing musical flowering. Enjoyworks for the nativity by the greatest of Spain's composers from teh 16th century: Tomás Luis de Victoria, Francisco Guerrero, Alonso Lobo, Cristóbal de Morales, and Mateo Flecha "the Elder."11am - Winter Holidays Around the WorldWinter holidays are celebrated around the world, and their music is wonderful to hear, regardless of which tradition you observe. Celebrated educator, performer, conductor, and composer and host of the WFMT Radio Network’s Exploring Music Bill McGlaughlin gathers this spirited selection that starts in the 12th century with Nova Stella, medieval Italian Christmas music from Saint Francis of Assisi’s staging of the nativity; jazz pianist Dave Brubeck’s classical composition La Fiesta de la Posada, evoking a Mexican Christmas celebration; and Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols. We will enjoy this time of year in Paris with music from Debussy, and then travel to Polynesia for a traditional hymn, Anau Oia Ea. And then ending with an excerpt from Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors from the original television production.3pm – A Very Blues ChristmasWith host Hans Ahlstrom***WEDNESDAY 12/28***10am - A Choral Christmas With Stile AnticoCelebrate 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. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH. Presented by NPR Music.11am - Canadian Brass: Christmastime is HereHosted by WQXR’s Jeff Spurgeon, this program features arrangements of music by Vince Guaraldi and Luther Henderson as well as traditional favorites from "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Frosty the Snowman" and more – timeless classics infused with jazz and lush harmonies. The selections on this program are featured on the quintet's latest album, "Christmas Time is Here." 3pm - Tinsel Tales 4: NPR Christmas Stories Told Through SongNPR revisits interviews with musicians about their Christmas albums. Some, like Katie Melua and Sting, celebrate tradition and winter mystery in their Christmas songs. Others, like Kenny Rogers and Amy Grant, find spirituality and stability in holiday music. Jon Batiste and Anthony Hamilton bring new energy to old favorites on their Christmas albums. Hosted by Lynn Neary.***THURSDAY 12/29***10am – Wind & Rhythm: Winds of ChristmasDo you have a favorite Christmas band composition? On this holiday episode of Wind & Rhythm, we discover music composed for, or arranged for, band. We’ll hear Gustav Holst's “In the Bleak Midwinter”, Alfred Reed’s “Russian Christmas Music”, and more, all right here at the gathering place for people who love band music.11am – Apollo’s Fire presents Christmas on Sugarloaf MountainIn this one-hour special, the listener is transported from Christmas Eve in medieval Scotland to the folk carols and shape‐note hymns at a toe‐tapping Christmas gathering in Virginia. The people of the Appalachian Mountains welcome Christmas with LOVE, SINGING, DANCING, and PRAYER***FRIDAY 12/30***10am – An Afro Blue ChristmasJoin us for a very special holiday concert with Howard University's premiere vocal ensemble Afro Blue and special guest pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Hear the a-cappella group perform a variety of holiday songs including African-American spirituals, jazz and pop tunes, and classical repertoire. The joyous celebration includes one of a kind arrangements on traditional holiday songs plus new compositions…music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris.11am – The Ballad of the Brown King and Other Music for Christmas by Black ComposersDr. Louise Toppin, a noted performer and scholar who specializes in the concert repertoire of African American composers, presents the world premiere recording of Margaret Bonds’s The Ballad of the Brown King. With a libretto by Langston Hughes, this Christmas cantata which focuses on Balthazar, the dark-skinned king who journeyed to Bethlehem to witness the birth of Jesus Christ, is beautifully interpreted by New York City-based The Dessoff Choirs and Orchestra, soloists soprano Laquita Mitchell, mezzo-soprano Lucia Bradford and tenor Noah Stewart, led by Malcolm J. Merriweather. The special will also include music for the season selected by Dr. Toppin.3pm - Joy To The World – A Holiday in PinkThe internationally acclaimed “little orchestra" Pink Martini bedecks the airwaves with festive holiday songs from across the globe. From timeless classics to rarely heard gems, hear a multi-denominational, multi-cultural jubilee, overflowing with enough holiday spirit to warm your entire family. Hosted by All Things Considered’s Ari Shapiro.11pm - Jazz Night In America: A Holiday CelebrationThis year's Jazz Night in America holiday special will feature drummer Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O; a ruckus band recorded at Jazz at Lincoln Center that flip seasonal songs on their head while inserting humor and joyful swing. and new takes on classics in this special episode. Christian McBride hosts.***SATURDAY 12/31***4pm - The Film Score: Music for the Winter HolidaysChicago Tribune film critic Michael Phillips is your host for The Film Score: Music for the Winter Holidays, an hour-long special devoted to holiday and wintertime movie music. In addition to beloved standards (“White Christmas” from “Holiday Inn” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from “Meet Me in St. Louis”), Michael shares an eclectic mix of wintry film scores, ranging from “It Happened in Sun Valley” (from “Sun Valley Serenade”) to Alexandre Desplat’s folk-inspired score for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” to Bernard Herrmann’s bracing sleigh ride accompaniment composed for the Orson Welles drama “The Magnificent Ambersons.” Bundle up and enjoy The Film Score: Music for the Winter Holidays!10pm - Toast of the NationAn NPR tradition every New Year's Eve since the 1970s, Toast of the Nation is the perfect audio complement for the occasion. It's festive jazz you can party to, all night long. Hear sets from Ibrahim Maalouf, Lizz Wright, Ranky Tanky and Chucho Valdés.***SUNDAY 1/1***11am - New Year's Day From Vienna 2022 (2 hours)The ever popular annual New Year’s Day Concert will be performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Franz Welser-Most. 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.
