Join us for your holiday soundtrack! As always, we are happy to bring you rich and joyful music for the Christmas season from the WHRO FM library, along with special programs from American Public Media, the WFMT Radio Network, and more.

Here are some highlights of what’s in store:

Tuesday, December 17:

Noon – La Nochebuena: A Spanish Renaissance Christmas with the Rose Ensemble
The Twin Cities early music ensemble presents a program that is both rhythmic and regal: Spanish song and dance to celebrate Christmas Eve, La Nochebuena. The Rose Ensemble explores the great variety of music that filled the royal court of Ferdinand and Isabella, and flooded the chapels and streets of Renaissance Spain. Serene choral music from 16th-century masters is balanced with spirited cantigas for solo voice and harp, Spanish-language villancicos from court and countryside, and lively dances for vihuela, harp and percussion.

9 PM – Christmas with the Royal Philharmonic and Ambrosian Singers
Conductor Vaughan Meakins leads England’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ambrosian Singers, and the Tring Park Arts School Choir in a collection of holiday favorites, including music by John Rutter, Howard Blake, and more, along with traditional carols.

Wednesday, December 18:

Noon – Hollywood Holiday from American Public Media
Join Lynne Warfel, host of APM’s Saturday Cinema and Flicks in Five, for a festive one-hour musical retrospective of some of Hollywood's most cherished films inspired by Dickens’ classic character, Ebenezer Scrooge.

9 PM – A Local Touch with Raymond Jones: Holiday Edition
Raymond Jones brings you holiday classics with a Virginia connection, featuring Advent Lessons and Carols from Christ and St Luke’s Church in Norfolk, along with music from Symphonicity, the Adagio Trio, and more. 

Thursday, December 19:

Noon – Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, from American Public Media
The world-renowned Tabernacle Choir continues its tradition of great artistry this holiday season, with touching arrangements of familiar carols, and lesser-known melodies that are fast becoming the new classics. Julie Amacher hosts this annual favorite. Enjoy a warm, nostalgic holiday celebration featuring a choir of 360 voices, a 150-piece orchestra at Temple Square, the 32-member Bells on Temple Square, along with other artists and special guests. A 600-person cast will share a stunningly beautiful mix of carols in various unique arrangements.

9 PM – All is Bright: Contemplative Music for Christmas from American Public Media
Lynne Warfel hosts an hour of gorgeous, contemplative choral music that tells the traditional Christmas story with songs about angels, the star and the manger scene. Featured artists include Cantus, Chanticleer, Cambridge Singers, Bryn Terfel, Emma Kirkby, Jessye Norman, and a variety of choirs.

Friday, December 20:

Noon – Christmas at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh
Travel to Scotland for a beautiful Christmas celebration featuring music by Britten, Buxtehude, Holst, and many more, along with traditional favorites. Organist and Choirmaster Michael Harris leads the Choir of St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh.

9 PM – Hygge Holiday: Cozy Classics from American Public Media
Join host Elena See as she plays a mix of wintry and nostalgic classical pieces to accompany your cozy wintertime activities.

Saturday, December 21:

6 AM – Harmonia: There Were Shepherds
It may be nearing the Christmas season, but don’t pour the hot cocoa just yet! This week on Harmonia, we’re going outside-- not into the snow, but to the pastoral, and probably warm scene of the Nativity.

7 AM – Noon – Holiday Car Tunes

4-6 PM – Holiday Intermezzo

8-11 PM – This Just In with Raymond Jones: Holiday Edition
Enjoy a tour of new classical releases for the Christmas season.

11 PM – Harmonia: There Were Shepherds

Sunday, December 22:

7 AM – Noon – Holiday Musical Brunch

Noon – 1pm – With Heart and Voice: A Christmas Celebration
As we approach Christmas Eve, we’ll begin the festivities with music to celebrate the arrival of the Christ Child on this edition of With Heart and Voice. Tune in as Peter DuBois shares sacred choral and organ treasures of the season.

3 – 4 PM – From the Parlor with Dwight Davis: Christmas Edition

4 – 7 PM – Holiday Sunday Classics

8 – 10 PM – Pipedreams: Holiday Surprises
Enjoy a diverting collection of rare and unusual music for the Christmas festival.

10 PM – Midnight – Holiday Evening Classics 

Monday, December 23:

Noon – Welcome Christmas! from American Public Media
Tune in for this perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world’s premiere choral groups. John Birge hosts an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries, including the world premiere of two carols from the annual Christmas Carol Contest. For 2019, hear the world premiere of Nico Muhly's "The Faire Starre," a nativity cantata that draws on 17th century metaphysical poets and is set in the unique, eclectic style that has earned Nico Muhly raves from the Metropolitan Opera.

9 PM – Music of the Baroque: Brass and Choral Holiday Concert from The WFMT Radio Network
Acclaimed early music ensemble Music of the Baroque presents a holiday concert featuring works of composers like Samuel Scheidt, Giovanni Gabrieli, William Billings, Claudio Monteverdi, and many more. Drawn from diverse cultures and various points in history, conductor William Jon Gray has assembled a program highlighting multifarious holiday traditions around a single unifying principle: whether in the twelfth or nineteenth centuries, in Germany, Italy, Mexico, Russia, the Netherlands, or Spain, music gives voice to the spirit of the season.

Tuesday, December 24: Christmas Eve

10 AM – Noon – A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (Live Broadcast)
An annual and beloved Christmas tradition, “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” is an extraordinary and memorable live service of word and music from the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, England. Share in this live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal music (anthems a cappella and with organ accompaniment, and congregational hymns), presented by one of the world’s foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue.

7-9 PM – St. Olaf Christmas Festival from American Public Media
This service in song and word has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival includes hymns, carols, and choral works, as well as orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs, and the St. Olaf Orchestra. Valerie Kahler shares the sights and sounds of this choral favorite.

Wednesday, December 25: Christmas Day
As always, WHRO-FM will offer joyous and beautiful music for your celebrations throughout the day.
Here are a few highlights:

8 AM – Welcome Christmas!

10 AM – Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square

1 PM – St. Olaf Christmas Festival

7 PM – Hygge Holiday: Cozy Classics

Wednesday, January 1: New Year’s Day

11 AM-1 PM – New Year's Day From Vienna 2020 (Live Broadcast)
The Vienna Philharmonic presents its ever popular annual New Year's Day concert from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna with Boston Symphony Music Director Andris Nelsons conducting. You'll hear your favorite waltzes, polkas and more -- a great way to start off the New Year. Hosted by WBUR's Lisa Mullins.

*program times may be subject to change