The 2008 Holiday Season at WHQR
Handel & His Messiah
This holiday season take an extraordinary opportunity to think about and appreciate the great texts and unparalleled orchestrations of Handel’s Messiah. Catch a fresh glimpse of the wondrous Christmas story as seen through one of the most inspired pieces of music ever written.
Every weekday at 12:50pm, John Milligan hosts a program of readings and music … … from stories such as why gentlemen couldn’t wear swords and the ladies were asked not to come with hoops to the opening night of the Messiah to why the king stood up for the Hallelujah Chorus together with excerpts from the oratorio; Handel & His Messiah will be an inspiration to all the family this holiday season.
Join John Milligan for Handel & His Messiah every weekday at 12:50
Wednesday December 10
1:00pm Welcome Christmas!
A perennial broadcast favorite featuring the Minneapolis-based ensemble, Vocal Esssence. An all-American program spotlighting 20th-century African-American composers Undine Smith Moore and R. Nathaniel Dett; and 21st-century masters Morton Lauridsen and Stephen Paulus. Recognized internationally as one of America's premier choral arts organizations, VocalEssence is led by the visionary Philip Brunelle. Hosted by John Birge.
Thursday December 11
8:00pm Magnificat
American broadcast debut of a period-style performance of Mendelssohn's "Magnificat," featuring the Yale Schola Cantorum with director Simon Carrington.
Sunday December 14
6:00pm Homemade Holiday Shorts
Homemade Holiday Shorts returns this year with a homespun southern theme and an exciting slate of guests and stories. For one evening each December, friends of WHQR gather in our gallery and around their radios at home, to listen to holiday stories read live by a panel of entertaining guests. We also treat you to some terrific holiday music and, of course, good food, good wine and holiday cheer. For many, this special event has become the opening celebration of their holiday season. This year, we are thrilled to have Nan Graham, Clyde Edgerton and Annie Gray Johnson writers reading their own stories. (See WHQR Home Page for more details)
Monday December 15
1:00pm A Choral Christmas Card
A coast-to-coast sampler of the country’s best choirs in carols for the season. We visit choral towns across the U.S. including Kansas City, Austin, Santa Fe, Boston and elsewhere and hear songs from hundreds of years past and beautiful selections of our own time. What better way to greet Christmas than with voices raised in song? Host: Valerie Kahler
Wednesday December 17
1:00pm Christmas With Madrigalia
A holiday concert featuring music by Corelli and Charpentier.
8:00pm Cantus: All is Calm
An uplifting musical drama about the surprising 1914 World War I Christmas Truce. Cantus, one of America's most accomplished male choirs, and Theater Latté Da have created a profoundly moving new work of musical radio theater. Using the diary entries of soldiers and beautiful new arrangements of Christmas favorites, All is Calm tells both sides of the story, as men who had been trying to kill each other in the fields of France, spontaneously put down their guns, walked across no-man's land, and sang together. All is Calm is by Peter Rothstein with musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. Host: Julie Amacher
Thursday December 18
8:00pm The Christmas Revels : In Celebration of the Winter Solstice 2008
A musical celebration of the winter holidays — Christmas, the Solstice, New Year's and Twelfth Night — featuring traditional carols, songs, and folk dance tunes from live Christmas Revels performances around the country.
Friday December 19
1:00pm Christmas Around the Country
The best of classical holiday music from coast to coast taking you from churches to concert halls to auditoriums to town halls all across the nation in search of performances that express the best of the holiday season. Lisa Simeone hosts.
This is an all-classical music special.
10:00pm Jazz Piano Christmas XIX
This year, we’ll hear lots of Latin Jazz onstage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. This ever popular program will include original interpretations of holiday favorites performed in concert by established jazz stars and talented newcomers. As always, both the artists and audience are sure to have a good time. This year’s exciting lineup includes Brazilian pianist and singer, Eliane Elias; Afro-Cuban jazz pianist and composer, Arturo O’Farrill; prolific pianist and composer of Latin and world music, Rebeca Mauleón; and New Orlean’s own premier modern jazz pianist, Ellis Marsalis. Felix Contreas hosts.
Saturday December 20
8:00pm The Pleasures of Winter
A "best of" program of diverse music for winter and the holiday season, hosted by Jay Ungar & Molly Mason.
9:00pm Soup to Nuts Christmas Special hosted by WHQR’s George Scheibner
Sunday December 21
7:00pm Tinsel Tales
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.
8:00pm A Paul Winter Solstice Concert
The holiday tradition continues with Paul Winter's Winter Solstice Celebration. The extraordinary acoustics of New York's Cathedral of St. John the Divine highlight the music of the Winter Consort with Eugene Friesen, Paul Sullivan and Brazilian percussionist Cafè leading us through the longest night of the year, with singer/guitarist Renato Braz and "Icarus" double-reed man Paul McCandless. This year's celebration debuts Apache singer John-Carlos Perea and musical performances from the 2008 Grammy winning CD Crestone. John Schaefer hosts
Monday December 22
1:00pm Chanukah in Story & Song
A returning Chanukah favorite, a celebration by The Western Wind performing Ladino songs of Spanish Jews, Yiddish melodies of Eastern Europe and modern Israeli tunes. Leonard Nimoy is host
8:00pm Hanukkah Lights 2008
A perennial 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.
9:00pm Happy Joyous Hannukah
Features a concert from NYC-based 2006 Grammy-award-winning band, the Klezmatics. Hosted by Murray Horwitz.
Tuesday December 23
1:00pm Christmas With The Philadelphia Singers 2008
A performance of traditional and contemporary holiday music by the much-loved Philadelphia Singers.
7:00pm Tinsel Tales
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.
8:00pm Choirs & Carols: An NPR Christmas
Hear musicians from around the world in NPR's performance studio as they share special holiday moments. Join host Lisa Simeone for ancient harmonies from Trio Medieval, traditional carols from the Riga Dom Boys Choir, and a rarely heard Christmas song by Sibelius, straight from Finland's YL Choir. The Pittsburgh Brass unpacks a pair of 500-pound bells to ring in the holiday, and the members of Trio Voronezh tune up a balalaika or two.
Wednesday December 24
10:00am A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
The legendary music and spoken-word broadcast from the chapel of King’s College in Cambridge, England. Since 1928, this service of Biblical readings with choral and organ selections has been broadcast live by the BBC. It is now a treasured worldwide Christmas Eve tradition. Michael Barone, host.
7:00pm Jonathan Winters' A Christmas Carol
An updated version of a public radio tradition hosted by NPR's Lisa Simeone. Master comedian Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of Dickens' holiday classic, with a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations.
Thursday December 25
9:00am Echoes of Christmas
Moving selections of choral classics celebrating Christmas. The Dale Warland Singers provided magical performances to listeners across the country for over 30 years and were acclaimed as America’s premiere choir. Their signature holiday concert—beloved by public radio listeners nationwide—was the annual Echoes of Christmas program. Drawing upon the archive of their live performances, Dale Warland and host Brian Newhouse create a very special Christmas musical treat.
10:00am The Rose Ensemble: An Early American Christmas
Gorgeous Shaker Tunes, Kentucky Harmonies, and Acadian dances done by one of America’s premiere early-music ensembles. Since it began in 1996, The Rose Ensemble has surprised and delighted audiences with performances of music from centuries past. Their 2008 Christmas program highlights the treasures of Appalachia. Host: Gillian Martin
1:00pm A Harpist’s Christmas with Yolanda Kondonassis
America’s premiere harpist celebrates the season with treasures of Christmas harp music. Yolanda has custom-created this program spotlighting her heavenly instrument alone and with Joshua Smith, flute and Cynthia Phelps, viola—two of America’s top professionals. Host: Fred Child
2:00pm St. Olaf Christmas Festival
A service in song and word that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday celebrations. Tickets to the event, which takes place at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, are always gone months in advance. The festival—now in its 134th year—includes hymns, carols, choral works, and orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians who are members of five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra. Host: Alison Young
Friday December 26
1:00pm Songs of Joy & Peace
A holiday party featuring Yo-Yo Ma in collaboration with his favorite musicians from around the world, including James Taylor, Diana Krall, Dave Brubeck, among others.
8:00pm A Season’s Griot
WHQR’s celebrated production for Kwanzaa - a celebration in story and song, this year featuring "Stories from the Neighborhood," hosted by Madafo Lloyd Wilson.
9:00pm 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 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.
Saturday December 27 10:00am 
Sunday December 28 10:00am
A Prairie Home Companion airs at 1:00pm
Wednesday December 31
8:00pm – 5:00am Toast of the Nation
Count down to 2009 this New Year's Eve with live jazz on Toast of the Nation. Party with live 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-eyes peas and a licorice stick in New Orleans, Toast of the Nation presents live music with four midnights!
Thursday January 1, 2009
11:00am New Year's Day from Vienna 2009
Join us on New Year's Day 2009, for a sparkling celebration, live from the Golden Hall at the Musikverein in Vienna. The Vienna Philharmonic presents its annual New Year’s Day from Vienna, including your favorite waltzes and polkas, and so much more, all conducted by Argentinean-Israeli pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim.
