Holiday Programs 2023
Sunday, December 24th
Radio IQ
Selected Shorts: Unwrapping the Holidays 6p – 7p Host Meg Wolitzer presents three unexpected stories that let us see the holidays’ associations—family, friends, food, gifts, and goodwill—in different ways. Selections from Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Sherrie Flick, and John Cheever will be read by Jayne Atkinson, James Naughton, Adina Verson and Teagle F. Bougere.
Tinsel Tales 2: More NPR Christmas Favorites 7p – 8p
NPR fills millions of homes each holiday with humor, warmth, and a host of festive voices. Continuing with the tradition of 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 Neary.
Tinsel Tales – NPR Christmas Favorites 8p -9p
This year a radio tradition continues - stories 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.
Tinsel Tales 4: 9p – 10p
For many of us, Christmas is about family and traditions. For others it's a stressful or even a sad time. No matter how good or bad your holiday is, it’s quite likely to include music. Tinsel Tales includes stories of the season told thru music with interviews from the NPR Archives. Kenny Rogers, Katie Melua, Sting, Amy Grant and Jon Batiste talk about the power of music at Christmas.
Joy to the World: A Holiday in Pink 10p – 11p
The 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 host Ari Shapiro.
WVTF Music:
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 10a
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols allows you 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, England.
Heifetz Institute Holiday Tour 2p-3p
Holiday music from the Heifetz Ensemble in Residence quintet, recorded live in the WVTF studios earlier this month. The performance is part of the group's holiday tour and includes specially commissioned arrangements.
Thistle & Shamrock “A Child’s Christmas in Wales" 4p – 5p
Cerys Matthews is a 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.
Mark O’Connor’s An Appalachian Christmas 5p – 6p Mark 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 Christmas
All Songs Considered for the Holiday - Bob & Robin In Space 6p – 7p Through a series of unexpected events, Bob and Robin found themselves hurtling through outer space, on an urgent musical mission. They took a rocket ride to the stars and found comfort from a few special guests and friends, including Angel Olsen, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, our favorite spaceman (Dan Deacon, of course), and more.
Mountain Stage Christmas 7p – 8p This special features seasonal songs, old and new, all recorded live over the years on the Mountain Stage. We'll hear performances from Joan Baez, Bruce Cockburn, Odetta, Loudon Wainwright III, Holly Cole, The Roches, Kathy Mattea, Michael Martin Murphey and more.
An Afro Blue Christmas 8p – 9p Join 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 composition—music perfect for the holidays and the spirit of Christmas. Hosted by Michele Norris.
Christmas with Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs 9p – 10p 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 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.
A Winter's Solstice 10p – 11p A winter solstice program, with modern classical sounds for the longest night of the year, chosen especially to compliment the chilly, starry nights of the season.
A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico – 11p – 12a 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. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH.
Monday, December 25th
Radio IQ:
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols - 10a (repeat) Share in a 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, England.
Jonathan Winters’ A Christmas Carol 12p – 1p
An 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.
Tinsel Tales 3 – Even More NPR Christmas Favorites 6p – 7p Listeners tune to NPR for extraordinary Christmas stories that transport you to unexpected places. Baxter Black ponders the meaning of Christmas for Cows, Bailey White sneaks into her neighbor’s yard in search of an elusive hemlock tree; Julie Zickefoose serenades her neighbors on the coldest night of the year.
Tinsel Tales 4: NPR Christmas Stories Told Through Song 7p – 8p (repeat) NPR 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.
New! A Paul Winter Solstice 8p – 9p This year, Solstice Live! warms up the longest night of the year with a taste of the tropics. This one-hour Winter Solstice special brings a starry array of Brazilian guests, including Ivan Lins, Renato Braz, and Luciana Souza, with the Paul Winter Consort at the annual solstice concerts in New York’s Cathedral of St John the Divine. John Schaefer hosts.
Thistle & Shamrock “A Child’s Christmas in Wales" 9p – 10p Cerys Matthews is a 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.
WVTF Music:
St. Olaf Christmas Festival 11a – 1p The St. Olaf Christmas Festival has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. Started in 1912 by F. Melius Christiansen, founder of the St. Olaf College Music Department, the festival includes hymns, carols, choral works and orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity. It features the St. Olaf Choir, the St. Olaf Orchestra, the St. Olaf Cantorei, the St. Olaf Chapel Choir, the Manitou Singers and the Viking Chorus, performing as individual groups and as a massed ensemble.
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 1p – 3p (repeat) 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, England.
Welcome Christmas 3p – 4p There’s no better way to welcome Christmas than Welcome Christmas!, the VocalEssence holiday concert. It’s an hour of joyful, classic holiday music from VocalEssence, one of the world’s premiere choral groups, singing traditional carols and new discoveries.
All is Bright 4pm – 5pm All Is Bright, with host Lynne Warfel, offers an hour of gorgeous, contemplative choral music that tells the traditional Christmas story with songs about angels, the star and the manger scene. Updated for 2023.
Your Classical Christmas Favorites 5p-7p Join us this holiday season as we count down the top Christmas songs as voted by you in a two-hour special.
This is Christmas with the Imani Winds 7p- 8p Enjoy music and conversation with the pathbreaking ensemble Imani Winds. Hosted by Scott Blankenship, this lively hour spotlights music from their album This Christmas with Imani Winds, woven with the stories behind their unique and inspiring take on music of the season.
New! Jazz Piano Christmas 39 - 8p – 9p Your favorite holiday classics as you’ve never heard them! The Kennedy Center and NPR present A Jazz Piano Christmas, the annual sell-out event featuring jazz-infused renditions of the season’s most-loved music. This year, we spotlight remarkable pianist, vocalist, and actress Melvis Santa—whose eclectic Afro-Cuban style has made her one of the most electrifying artists on the scene—in addition to internationally acclaimed Cuban composer and jazz pianist Alfredo Rodriguez. Hosted by Felix Contreras.
Joy to the World – A Holiday in Pink 9p – 10p
The 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 host Ari Shapiro.
Friday, December 29th
Radio IQ:
WVTF 50th Anniversary Special 3p – 4p Repeat of broadcast from the Jefferson Center with Mary Louise Kelly and Beth Macy,
Saturday, December 30th
Radio IQ:
WVTF 50th Anniversary Special 7p – 8p 50th anniversary broadcast from the Performance Studio of the People’s Pharmacy with Joe and Terry Graedon.
Sunday, December 31st
Radio IQ:
Get Your Money Life in Order 7p – 8p From Marketplace, listen as host Reema Khrais helps listeners get their financial life together in time for the new year. She’ll unpack some practical tips, share a personal money story that is sure to captivate, and interview a financial therapist to get some useful tips for understanding our relationships with money. This hour will make listeners laugh, gasp, and think about money in a whole new way.
2023 Remembered from The Current 8p – 10p Join The Current in honoring the life, music, and legacy of artists we lost this year with 2023 Remembered from The Current. This two-hour musical tribute is a celebration of all sounds - from indie to influential - and the perfect way for music lovers to unite in paying homage to the artists who have shaped music history.
The Big Tiny Desk Holiday Special 10p – 11p
Celebrate 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.
A World Cafe Holiday 11p – 1a World 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.
WVTF Music:
The Big Tiny Desk Holiday Special 6p – 7p
Celebrate 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.
New! A Paul Winter Solstice 7p – 8p This year, Solstice Live! warms up the longest night of the year with a taste of the tropics. This one-hour Winter Solstice special brings a starry array of Brazilian guests, including Ivan Lins, Renato Braz, and Luciana Souza, with the Paul Winter Consort at the annual solstice concerts in New York’s Cathedral of St John the Divine. John Schaefer hosts.
New! Toast of the Nation 8p – 12 a An 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. Hosted by Christian McBride.
Monday, January 1st
Radio IQ:
Get Your Money Life in Order 6p – 7p From Marketplace, listen as host Reema Khrais helps listeners get their financial life together in time for the new year. She’ll unpack some practical tips, share a personal money story that is sure to captivate, and interview a financial therapist to get some useful tips for understanding our relationships with money. This hour will make listeners laugh, gasp, and think about money in a whole new way.
WVTF 50th Anniversary Special 7p – 8p 50th anniversary broadcast from the Performance Studio of the People’s Pharmacy with Joe and Terry Graedon.
WVTF Music:
New! New Year's Day From Vienna 2024 11a – 1p The ever popular annual New Year’s Day Concert will be performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Christian Thielemann. 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.
MN Orchestra New Year's Celebration 1p – 3p Ring in the new year with the Minnesota Orchestra! The program opens with Bernstein’s animated Overture to Candide. Awadagin Pratt performs the Minnesota premiere of Jessie Montgomery’s Rounds for Piano and Orchestra, a work written for him. A New Year’s celebration wouldn’t be complete without adventure and passion, and the Orchestra brings that in multitudes in Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s beloved Scheherazade. Encore of 2022 live performance.
Heifetz Institute Holiday Tour 6p-7p
Holiday music from the Heifetz Ensemble in Residence quintet, recorded live in the WVTF studios earlier this month. The performance is part of the group's holiday tour and includes specially commissioned arrangements.
The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the Winter Solstice 2023 7p – 9p This is a brand-new musical celebration of the winter holidays – Advent, Chanukah, the Solstice, Christmas, Dongzhi, New Year’s and Twelfth Night/Epiphany. Enjoy traditional carols, wassails, hymns, ballads, children’s game-songs, and folk dance-tunes excerpted from live Christmas Revels stage productions presented around the country.