From the spoken word to classical music and jazz, help celebrate the holiday season with an eclectic blend of holiday specials from Valley Public Radio. You’ll hear timeless classics like A Christmas Carol and a complete broadcast of Handel’s Messiah, to contemporary favorites like David Sedaris reading from his Santaland Diaries on Tinsel Tales, and Pink Martini’s “A Holiday In Pink” radio special. There’s also special Hanukkah programming, Paul Winter’s annual Winter Solstice Concert, and New Year’s Day live from Vienna. Mark your calendars for these special broadcasts as we celebrate the holidays. You can find more info on these holiday specials online at KVPR.org.
Tinsel Tales: NPR Christmas Favorites
Thursday December 19, 2019 – 1:06 PM
This program features 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. Hosted by Lynn Neary.
Jazz Piano Christmas 35
Thursday December 19, 2019 – 8:00 PM
Join the Kennedy Center and NPR Music for this annual holiday tradition highlighting jazz pianists and their favorite seasonal music. The line-up will be announced soon. NPR’s Felix Contreras, a longtime Fresno resident, hosts this year’s show.
Tinsel Tales 2: NPR Christmas Favorites
Friday December 20, 2019 – 1:06 PM
NPR 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 Neary.
Tinsel Tales 3 - Even More NPR Christmas Favorites
Saturday December 21, 2019 – 1:00 PM
In 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 Neary.
Paul Winter’s 38th Annual Winter Solstice Celebration
Saturday December 21, 2019– 6:00 PM
Celebrate the return of the sun – and the warming of the heart with Paul Winter's Annual 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 an encore performance of The Paul Winter Consort and the glorious Cathedral Pipe Organ. The performance brings traditional holiday favorites and sounds from around the world with special guests Fabianna Cozza, Gary Booker, Theresa Thomasson, Paul McCandless, Eugene Freisen and the percussion troupe Forces of Nature. WNYC's John Schaefer hosts.
Jazz Night In America: A Holiday Celebration
Saturday December 21, 2019 – 8:00 PM
Jazz Night in America brings you holiday classics from their past five seasons – featuring fresh arrangements and entertaining storytelling recorded live from Rose Theater in New York City. You'll hear the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, plus special guest vocalists Catherine Russell and Kenny Washington. Christian McBride hosts.
A Chanukah Celebration with Chicago a cappella
Sunday December 22, 2019 – 1:00 PM
Join Jonathan Miller, artistic director of Chicago a cappella 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. Such works include "Lo Yisa Goy," a plea for peace by Stacy Garrop; Bob Applebaum's stirring new version of "Haneirot Halalu"; and movements from the majestic "Hallel Suite" by London-based Daniel Tunkel. All selections are performed by Chicago a cappella, the virtuoso vocal ensemble now in its 23rd season. Jonathan Miller provides liturgical and cultural background as part of this unique look inside old and newer choral Chanukah traditions.
Joy To The World – A Holiday in Pink
Sunday December 22, 2019 – 6:00 PM
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’s Ari Shapiro.
Christmas with Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs
Monday December 23, 2019 9:06 AM
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.
Hanukkah Lights 2019
Monday December 23, 2019 1:06 PM
A perennial NPR favorite with all new Hanukkah stories. Authors TBA. Hosted by Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz.
A Choral Christmas With Stile Antico
Monday December 23, 2019 8:00 PM
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. Presented by NPR Music.
Music of the Baroque Brass and Choral Holiday Concert
Tuesday December 24th 9:06 AM
The WFMT Radio Network and Music of the Baroque wants to wish you and yours a joyous holiday season as we offer the Brass and Choral Holiday Concert for your listening pleasure. Hosted by celebrated WFMT host Candice Agree, tune in to the great works of composers like Samuel Scheidt, Giovanni Gabrieli, William Billings, Claudio Monteverdi, and many more. Music makes the holidays come alive, and through the centuries this special time of year inspired composers to new creative heights.
Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker
Tuesday December 24, 2019 1:06 PM
Told by Kevin Kline, the famous ballet by Tchaikovsky, performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra, David Zinman conducting. The text is by Joel Meyerowitz.
Jonathan Winters’ A Christmas Carol
Tuesday December 24, 2019 7:00 PM
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.
A Choral Christmas With Stile Antico
Wednesday December 25, 2019 9:06 AM
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. Presented by NPR Music.
Handel’s Messiah
Wednesday December 25, 2019 1:06 PM
Hear a complete performance of George Frideric Handel's Messiah on Christmas Day on Valley Public Radio. The Cambridge Singers and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; John Rutter, conductor; Joanne Lunn, soprano; Melanie Marshall, mezzo-soprano; James Gilchrist, tenor; Christopher Purves, baritone.
Toast of the Nation
Tuesday December 31, 2019 – 7:00 PM
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. This year we are featuring some of the best jazz collectives playing today. We'll hear the Baltimore Collective recorded live at The Keystone Korner, The Michael Leonhart Orchestra at The Jazz Standard, The SFJAZZ Collective in San Francisco and The Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra in New York City.
New Year's Day From Vienna 2020
Wednesday January 1, 2020 – 8:00 AM
The Vienna Philharmonic presents its ever popular annual New Year's Day concert from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna. You'll hear your favorite waltzes, polkas and more -- a great way to start off the New Year.