Ideastream Public Media Holiday Programming: December 2024
Tune in for these and many other holiday-themed shows.
Holiday Music Streams
Swingin’ Sounds of the Season
Looking for a soundtrack to your holidays, but tired of the same old holiday tunes? Check out Swingin’ Sounds of the Season for a uniquely swingin' approach to holiday music.
Click the play button below to start the stream. Or, click “All Streams” in the top right corner, then select “Swingin’ Sounds of the Season.”
You can also stream from our free Ideastream Public Media App – available for download in the App store.
Classical Christmas
Have yourself a classical little Christmas! Enjoy the timeless holiday music you love by clicking the play button below, or clicking on "All Streams" in the top right corner, then selecting "Classical Christmas."
You can also stream from our free Ideastream Public Media App – available for download in the App store.
WKSU
Tuesday December 10 at 8 p.m.
Selected Shorts: Holiday Hitches
We love the holidays, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. This seasonal special from SELECTED SHORTS, hosted by Meg Wolitzer, offers three tales about uncommon roads travelled by the celebrants. Writers, including Andy Borowitz, mesh tradition, humor, and family dynamics for the perfect seasonal package.
Tuesday December 17 at 8 p.m.
Living on Earth: Stories for the Solstice
Winter is a time for gathering together and celebrating the rich human tradition of storytelling. Sharing Native stories handed down for thousands of years, as well as much younger stories that appeal to young and old alike, brings us together at the Northern Hemisphere’s darkest time of the year. And this tradition can bring us closer to the creatures we share our Earth with, too.
Tuesday December 24
- 7 p.m. Tinsel Tales: NPR Christmas Favorites
- 8 p.m. Jonathan Winters
- 9 p.m. Jazz Piano Christmas 40
- 10 p.m. All Songs Considered for the Holidays
- 11 p.m. A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico
Wednesday December 25
- 9 a.m. Jonathan Winters’ A Christmas Carol
- 10 a.m. Hanukkah Lights
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tinsel Tales 2-4
- 7 p.m. Hanukkah Lights
- 8 p.m. Chanukah Memories and Melodies
- 9 p.m. The Big Tiny Desk Holiday Special
Tuesday December 31 at 8 p.m. - midnight
Toast of the Nation
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.
Wednesday January 1 at 9 a.m.
Embodied: You 2.0
Self-help has existed in some form since the dawn of human civilization and has grown into a robust industrial complex. But does self-help really make us better people?
Wednesday January 1 at 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
LIVE: New Year’s Day from Vienna 2025
The ever popular annual New Year’s Day Concert will be performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Riccardo Muti in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna.
Wednesday January 1 at 9 p.m.
Season’s Griot 2023
A Season's Griot is public radio's only nationally syndicated Kwanzaa program. Hosted by acclaimed storyteller Madafo Lloyd Wilson, this annual one-hour special captures the tales and traditions of African American and African peoples. The show’s poet laureate, Beverly Fields Burnette, and other members of the Season’s Griot family return with familiar and favorite elements of Griot.
WCLV
Sunday December 8 at 8 p.m.
Three Tales of Christmas with Cantus hosted by Melissa Ousley – Cantus weaves together three holiday stories with time-honored carols and new classics. Blending narration and song, the program features Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Christine Lê’s The Hawai’i Snowman, alongside Mark Twain’s A Letter from Santa Claus, offering an opportunity to reflect on the meaning and joy of the holiday
Sunday December 15 at 8 p.m.
A Handel & Haydn Society Christmas with Cale Wiggins – Celebrate the season with this special featuring Christmas choral music from America’s oldest continuously performing ensemble, Boston’s Handel & Haydn Society. The hour features music from the 15th century to the late 20th; a Christmas for all times.
Wednesday December 18 at 10 p.m.
Carols as Home with the Imani Winds hosted by Toyin Spellman-Diaz
An hour of modern takes on classic Christmas carols, hosted by Imani Winds founding oboist, Toyin Spellman-Diaz. Toyin coaxes intimate stories of Christmas memories from the members of the ensemble, and why these classic carols are still essential today.
Sunday December 22 at 8 p.m.
Welcome Christmas with Bonnie North
The perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. It’s an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries, including the world premiere of three beloved Latvian carols by composer Eriks Esenvalds.
Tuesday December 24 at 8 p.m.
2024 St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Celebrating 150 Years of St. Olaf College with Valerie Kahler
For one and a half centuries, St. Olaf has been a hub of connections, knowledge, and growth. And for more than a century, the St. Olaf Christmas festival has been a cherished part of that history. Join us as we celebrate their legacy.
Tuesday December 24 at 11 p.m.
In Winter's Glow with Steve Seel
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.
Wednesday December 25 at 9 a.m.
Welcome Christmas with Bonnie North
The perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles, conducted by Philip Brunelle and G. Phillip Shoultz. It’s an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries, including the world premiere of three beloved Latvian carols by composer Eriks Esenvalds.
Wednesday December 25 at Noon
The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus at Christmas with Robert Conrad
Two hours of highlights from Cleveland Orchestra Holiday Concerts across the decades. The program features TCO choral directors like Robert Shaw, Gareth Morrell, Robert Page, and Robert Porco and is hosted by long-time Cleveland Orchestra radio host and producer Robert Conrad.
Wednesday December 25 at 2 p.m.
2024 St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Celebrating 150 Years of St. Olaf College with Valerie Kahler
For one and a half centuries, St. Olaf has been a hub of connections, knowledge, and growth. And for more than a century, the St. Olaf Christmas festival has been a cherished part of that history. Join us as we celebrate their legacy.
Wednesday December 25 at 5 p.m.
YourClassical Christmas Favorites with Valerie Kahler and Tom Crann
Listeners at YourClassical.org ranked their favorite holiday tunes. They’ve tallied the results to create a holiday special highlighting the top carols based on your votes.
Wednesday December 25 at 11 p.m.
All is Bright: Contemplative Music for Christmas with Lynne Warfel
An hour of gorgeous, contemplative choral music that tells the traditional Christmas story with songs about angels, the star and the manger scene. Featured artists include Cantus, Chanticleer, Cambridge Singers, Bryn Terfel, Emma Kirkby, Jessye Norman, and a variety of choirs.
Thursday December 26 at 8 p.m.
Candles Burning Brightly with Mindy Ratner
A delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights! Lots of music from Jewish communities around the world, plus a hilarious lesson on how to prepare a classic Chanukah dish, and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home.
Friday December 27 at 8 p.m.
The Sounds of Kwanzaa with Garrett McQueen
The history of the African American holiday Kwanzaa and its guiding principles, alongside music that highlights the spirit of the celebration. The hour features the compositions of Florence Price, Duke Ellington, Sean O’Loughlin, and special performances by Imani Winds.
Saturday December 28 at 4 p.m.
A Chanukah Celebration with Chicago a cappella
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.
Saturday December 28 at 5 p.m.
The Film Score: Music for the Winter Holidays with Michael Phillips
The film critic of the Chicago Tribune hosts an hour of holiday and wintertime movie music. In addition to standards (“White Christmas” from “Holiday Inn” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from “Meet Me in St. Louis”), it’s an eclectic mix of wintry film scores, from “It Happened in Sun Valley” (from “Sun Valley Serenade”) and Alexandre Desplat’s folk-inspired score for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” to Bernard Herrmann’s bracing sleigh ride composed for the Orson Welles’s “The Magnificent Ambersons.”
Sunday December 29 at 8 p.m.
A Chanticleer Christmas with Steve Staruch
The Grammy-winning men’s chorus brings its signature sound to a centuries-spanning program from Renaissance masterworks to roof-raising spirituals.
Tuesday December 31 at 9 a.m.
In Winter's Glow with Steve Seel
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.
Tuesday December 31 at 4 p.m.
Chanukah Memories and Melodies with Elliott Forrest (WQXR/PRX))
An hour featuring interviews with artists and public personalities about their Chanukah memories, grounded in the music tied to their holiday memories. Guests include cellist Alisa Weilerstein, Broadway actress Tovah Feldshuh, Sephardic music expert and flutist Daphna Mor, musician and Yiddish musicologist Henry Sapoznik, poet, musician and author Aaron Dworkin, and Eric Jacobsen, artistic director of The Knights.
Tuesday December 31 at 5 p.m.
Carols, Customs and Candlelight: A Celtic Christmas Celebration with Andrea Blain
The Celtic lands of Northwestern Europe— places like Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany—have an especially rich musical heritage. This hour explores music and customs that have roots in ancient winter celebrations and traditional Christmas festivals. The music features ensembles and soloists like Apollo’s Fire and Bryn Terfel, and traditional instruments like harp, fiddle and mandolin.
Tuesday December 31 at 6 p.m.
Itzhak Perlman’s Chanukah Radio Party
Join the superstar violinist as he tells the story of the Jewish festival of lights and shares his favorite recordings for the holiday – some serious, some silly. This engaging hour includes numbers from Itzhak Perlman’s radio-addicted childhood in Israel; evocative songs in Yiddish and Ladino; classical music that revolves around the Maccabee heroes of the story; and Chanukah gems by American folk singers. The master storyteller also regales you with jokes and memories, plus tales of three classic Chanukah symbols: the menorah, the latke, and, of course, the dreidel.
Tuesday December 31 at 8 p.m.
New Year’s Gala: The Cleveland Orchestra & Franz Welser-Möst with Robert Conrad
Three hours of famous waltzes and polkas from Old Vienna, including Tales from the Vienna Woods and the Emperor Waltz, symphonies by Austrians Mozart and Schubert, Brahms‘ Haydn Variations & Academic Festival Overture...recorded not in the Golden Hall of Viennas Musikverein but in Mandel Concert Hall at the Severance Music Center!
Tuesday December 31 at 11 p.m.
Apollo’s Fire Presents Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain: An Irish-Appalachian Celebration
Recorded live in concert in the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Gartner Auditorium, Apollo’s Fire explores the history of Appalachia’s Irish and Scottish roots through music. It’s a lively celebration complete with fiddlers, medieval harp, hammered dulcimer, bagpipes, singers, and children’s voices, all led by artistic director Jeannette Sorrell.
Wednesday January 1 at 2 p.m.
Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker’ with Sam Petrey
The holiday ballet par excellence with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra led by Antal Dorati. There’s much more to The Nutcracker than its famous Suite!
Wednesday January 1 at 7 p.m.
New Year's Day from Vienna 2025 with Lisa Mullins – Vienna Philharmonic, Riccardo Muti, conductor
A same-day broadcast of the program aired in over 90 countries and followed by millions of television viewers around the world.
WVIZ
Monday December 23
10 p.m. Mary Berry’s Ultimate Christmas
Tuesday December 24
7:30 p.m. Too Hot to Handel – The Gospel Messiah
9 p.m. Navidad: A Concordia Christmas
10 p.m. Crane Candlelight Concert
Wednesday December 25
7:30 p.m. Christmas on the Danube
8 p.m. Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2024
10 p.m. Real Rail Adventures: Swiss Winter Magic
Thursday December 26
7:30 p.m. Karamu: Feast for the 7th Day
8 p.m. The Black Church
Tuesday December 31 starting at 8 p.m.
Next at the Kennedy Center: A New Year’s Eve Celebration
Wednesday January 1
7 – 10:30 a.m. London’s New Year’s Day Parade
8 p.m. Great Performances: From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2025