Enjoy seasonal favorites and a variety of Christmas and Hanukkah programs. Here is a day-by-day guide to all of our special holiday programming for the 2022 season, from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.
Seasonal specials are presented on YourClassical MPR's stations and stream.
Broadcasts
Listen to these programs on YourClassical MPR stations and online at the following times. Linked titles go to more information and on-demand audio (when available) to listen to the program at any time.
This listing will be updated regularly throughout the season with links and audio as they become available, so check back often.
All times are central.
Nov. 23, 6 p.m., and Nov. 24, noon — Every Good Thing: Giving thanks and celebrating the gift of music.
Nov. 23, 7 p.m. & Nov. 24, 10 a.m. — Giving Thanks: A contemporary celebration of spirit of Gratitude.
Dec. 4, 6 p.m. — All Is Bright: An hourlong program of contemplative choral and solo vocal music of the season.
Dec. 3, 7:15 p.m. (live online); Dec. 14 and 22, 7 p.m. (on-air encores) — St. Olaf Christmas Festival: The Northfield college will present one of the nation's most treasured holiday celebrations at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis this year. The event will initially be livestreamed on this website on Dec. 3. Then YourClassical MPR will present it on the later dates as a two-hour special encore on-air, with on-demand audio available here.
Dec. 7, 7 p.m., and Dec. 21, 6 p.m. — Welcome Christmas: A joyful, classic holiday special featuring VocalEssence.
Dec. 9, 8 p.m. — El Mesías (The Messiah): Border CrosSing, led by artistic director Ahmed Anzaldúa, joins the Minnesota Orchestra for a bilingual Spanish-English cross-cultural combination of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah and Navidad Nuestra, a Christmas cantata by Argentinian composer Ariel Ramírez.
Dec. 11, 6 p.m. — A Soulful Christmas: An uplifting holiday special that features Black music and composers.
Dec. 14, 7 p.m. (on-air encore) — St. Olaf Christmas Festival.
Dec. 16, 7 p.m. — A Chanticleer Christmas: Holiday favorites presented live by the superb 12-man ensemble known as "an orchestra of voices."
Dec. 18, 6 p.m., and Dec. 21, noon (encore) — Candles Burning Brightly: A one-hour celebration of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, which runs Dec. 18-26.
Dec. 20, 7 p.m. — Carol Countdown: Listen to the top Christmas songs, as voted by listeners, with hosts John Birge and Lynne Warfel.
Dec. 21, noon — Candles Burning Brightly (encore).
Dec. 21, 6 p.m. — Welcome Christmas (encore).
Dec. 22, 7 p.m. (on-air encore) — St. Olaf Christmas Festival.
Dec. 23, 10 a.m. (encore) — Carol Countdown: Listen to the top Christmas songs, as voted by listeners, with hosts John Birge and Lynne Warfel.
Dec. 24, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. (encore) — A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols: A service of biblical readings, carols and seasonal classical music, from King's College, Cambridge, England (live).
Dec. 25, 5 p.m. (encore) — Carol Countdown: Listen to the top Christmas songs, as voted by listeners, with hosts John Birge and Lynne Warfel.
Jan. 1, noon — Vienna New Year’s Day Special: Usher in the new year with conductor Franz Welser-Most and the famous Vienna Philharmonic.
Jan. 1, 2 p.m. — New Year’s Celebration with the Minnesota Orchestra: Mei-Ann Chen takes the podium to ring in the new year with the orchestra and soloist Awadagin Pratt in this live broadcast from Orchestra Hall.
Online
Enjoy encore presentations of these popular holiday specials from the past now, with on-demand audio.
Christmas at Luther: Sounds of the season, “Awake! And Greet the New Morn,” from the college in Decorah, Iowa.
Christmas With Cantus: A holiday program from the Minnesota-based men's vocal ensemble.
Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square: A celebration featuring a 360-voice choir, a 150-piece orchestra and a 32-member bell choir.
Echoes of Christmas – A Dale Warland Special: A holiday program featuring the legendary choir leader, with host Steve Staruch.
Hollywood Holiday: A musical retrospective of our most-cherished Christmas-themed movies.
Hygge Holiday: Join host Elena See as she plays a mix of wintry and nostalgic classical pieces designed to accompany listeners as they enjoy cozy wintertime activities.
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. Jeffrey Yelverton hosts.
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