The full schedules of Holiday Programming for 2008 on VPR and VPR Classical.
Holiday Programming on VPR Classical
Download a printable PDF of the schedules
Holiday Programming on VPR
Friday, December 19
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8-9pm – Piano Jazz Christmas with Marian McPartland
Sunday, December 21
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1-4pm – All The Traditions: The Light Show. Robert Resnik marks the transition from darkness to light, on the day of the Winter Solstice.
7:30-8pm – Willem Lange’s "New England Christmas"
8-9pm – Chanukah in Story and Song. A Chanukah celebration by
The Western Wind performing Ladino songs of Spanish Jews, Yiddish
melodies of Eastern Europe and modern Israeli tunes. Hosted by Leonard
Nemoy.
9-10pm – Northern Lights, a Solstice Celebration. Cheryl
Willoughby rings in the Solstice with a celebration of dancing and
music-making to warm the spirit at the darkest time of the year.
10-midnight – A Paul Winter Solstice Concert. From New York’s
Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the Paul Winter Consort welcomes
Eugene Friesen, Paul Sullivan, Brazilian percussionist Cafè, and
"Icarus" double-reed man Paul McCandless. This year’s celebration also
marks the debut of Apache singer John-Carlos Perea. John Schaefer
hosts.
Monday, December 22
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8-9pm – Hanukkah Lights 2008. A perennial NPR favorite, now
well into its second decade. Acclaimed authors explore Hanukkah
traditions in original stories written expressly for Hanukkah Lights.
Hosted by Murray Horwitz and Susan Stamberg.
9-10pm – Happy Joyous Hanukkah. Murray Horwitz hosts a concert with the NY City-based Grammy-award-winning band, the Klezmatics.
Wednesday, December 24: Christmas eve
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7:49am – Willem Lange’s "Favor Johnson" (during Morning Edition, or click here to listen online any time)
10am-Noon – A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. Michael
Barone hosts a live broadcast from the chapel of King’s College in
Cambridge, England, featuring the traditional Festival of Nine Lessons
and Carols service of Biblical readings and music as performed by the
King’s College Choir.
Noon-1pm – Willem Lange’s "A Christmas Carol"
1-2pm – Choirs and Carols: An NPR Christmas. Musicians from
around the world bring their customs and singing traditions to the NPR
performance studios; from Finland and Latvia to Pittsburgh, and Russia!
6-6:30pm – A Car Talk Christmas Carol. This updated version of
the holiday classic features Tom and Ray Magliozzi and a stellar cast
of public radio personalities – including Robert Siegel as Bob
Cratchit!
8-9pm – A Counterpoint Christmas 2008. A treasured Vermont
tradition, Robert DeCormier leads Vermont’s twelve-member choral
ensemble in their annual Christmas concert. Counterpoint sings a wide
selection of international carols celebrating the rich traditions of
the holiday the whole world over.
9-10pm – Christmas Classics. VPR Classical host Joe Goetz shares seasonal favorites.
10pm-12am – Handel’s "Messiah". A special presentation with Walter Parker.
Thursday, December 25 – Christmas
12pm – Christmas with the Philadelphia Singers. Performance by the much-loved Philadelphia Singers of traditional and contemporary holiday music. Hosted by Ed Cunningham.
1pm – Christmas Around the Country. Holiday music-making from
coast to coast…featuring performances from churches to concert halls to
town halls across the nation.
2pm – Christmas with 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 joyous and
inspiring program with their trademark mixture of spirituals and
carols.
6-6:30pm – A New England Christmas with Willem Lange.
Thursday, December 31 – New Year’s Eve
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6-7pm – Capital Steps "Politics Takes a Holiday New Year’s Edition"
8pm-12am – New Year’s Eve Party with George Thomas. Get set to
dance! From swingin’ big bands and funky world music to the to the
sweet zydeco sounds of New Orleans and beyond – George sends the old
year out with a one-of-a-kind musical bang!
12am-5am – Toast of the Nation. Count down to 2009 this New
Year’s Eve live party music from coast-to-coast: from a Sonicbloom in
Boston, to a Pink Martini in Los Angeles, from ribs and Mingus in New
York to black-eyed peas and a licorice stick in New Orleans – it’s an
all-night dance party, with four midnights!
VPR Classical Holiday Programming
Thursday, December 18
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8-9pm – The Rose Ensemble: An Early American Christmas. One of
America’s premiere early music ensemble features Shaker tunes, Acadian
dances, and other Appalachian treasures in their new program.
9-10pm: Carols for Dancing. Ellen Kushner explores connections between familiar holiday music and Renaissance and Medieval dances.
Friday, December 19
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8-9pm – Northern Lights. Join Cheryl Willoughby in a singing, dancing celebration of life, and light…at darkest time of the year.
9-10pm – The Christmas Revels. In Celebration of the Winter
Solstice – Music and the special traditions of the winter holidays:
Christmas, the Solstice, New Year’s and Twelfth Night – with carols,
songs, and folk dances from live Christmas Revels performances around
the country.
Monday, December 22
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8-10pm – Handel’s "Messiah". Walter Parker hosts.
Tuesday, December 23
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8-9pm: A Chanticleer Christmas. Celebrate the mystery and
wonder of Christmas with an elegant blend of traditional carols,
medieval and Renaissance sacred works, and moving spirituals. The San
Francisco based men’s chorus, Chanticleer, is one of the world’s best
male choruses, recognized worldwide for their brilliant technique and
musicality. This year’s program will be recorded live on December 10th
in San Francisco.
9-10pm: Christmas with the Philadelphia Singers. Traditional and contemporary music with the Singers.
Wednesday, December 24 – Christmas Eve
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8-9pm – Conspirare: Christmas at the Carillon. The Austin, TX
choir of 38 voices is America’s best-kept musical secret. They offer a
fresh take on Christmas, blending sacred and secular songs as well as
centuries-old classics and pop standards.
9-10pm – Christmas Classics. Joe Goetz shares seasonal favorites.
Thursday, December 25 – Christmas
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8-9pm – A Vermont Christmas with Counterpoint. Robert DeCormier & Counterpoint.
9-10pm – Echoes of Christmas. The Dale Warland Singers offered
magical performances to listeners across the country for over 30 years.
Drawing upon the extensive archive of their live performances, Dale
Warland and host Brian Newhouse create a very special Christmas musical
treat.
Thursday, January 1 – New Year’s Day
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11am-1pm – New Year’s Day from Vienna 2009. Ring in the New
Year with guest conductor Daniel Barenboim and the Vienna Philharmonic,
live from the beautiful Golden Hall of the Musikverein.
photos by Cheryl Willoughby