Holiday Specials

A Rochester Festival of Lessons and Carols airs Sunday, December 15 at 1:00pm and Tuesday, December 24 at 11:00pm.

One of the most beloved traditions of the holiday season is the Festival of Lessons and Carols, a service made famous at King’s College in Cambridge, England. The Festival tells the Christmas story in words and music, and is presented all over the world in many languages and variations.

Tune in for A Rochester Festival of Lessons and Carols recorded at Third Presbyterian Church in Rochester, New York under the direction of organist/choirmaster Peter DuBois, who is known to public radio listeners across the country as the host of With Heart and Voice.

It’s an a cappella Christmas from England with the King’s Singers, one of the world’s most celebrated vocal ensembles.  In an exclusive New York appearance recorded at The Greene Space, this male sextet — consummate entertainers with a delightfully British wit — perform timeless carols, Christmas classics and new arrangements in their impeccable vocal blend. WQXR’s Jeff Spurgeon hosts

Hosted by WQXR’s Jeff Spurgeon, this program features arrangements of music by Vince Guaraldi and Luther Henderson as well as traditional favorites from "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Frosty the Snowman" and more – timeless classics infused with jazz and lush harmonies.

This service in song and word has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations, and includes hymns, carols, choral works, as well as orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians in five choirs, and the St. Olaf Orchestra from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. Valerie Kahler hosts.

No matter what tradition you observe, winter holidays are celebrated around the world with music.  Bill starts in the 12th century, takes us through medieval Italy, evokes a Mexican Christmas, visits Paris and Polynesia, brings us a taste of jazz and even shares Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors.

New for 2019, "Welcome Christmas!" is a perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles. Join host John Birge for the world premiere of Nico Muhly’s The Faire Starre, a nativity cantata that draws on 1th century metaphysical poets and is set in the unique, eclectic style that has earned Nico Muhly raves from the Metropolitan Opera.

An encore performance of Paul Winter’s Annual Winter Solstice Celebration from St. John the Divine in New York City features special guests Fabiana Cozza, Gary Booker, Theresa Thomason, Paul McCandless, Eugene Freisen and the percussion troupe Forces of Nature.

Director Jonathan Miller leads the virtuoso vocal ensemble Chicago a cappella in an inspiring show of choral music set to Chanukah texts.  The program includes familiar tunes as well as new versions of traditional melodies and original compositions by American and British composers.

Celebrate the season with song! Brian Newhouse hosts this a cappella holiday favorite with the Minnesota based 12-man ensemble known as “an orchestra of voices.”

Host Michael Barone presents this live service of spoken-word and music (choral and organ) broadcast from the chapel of King's College in Cambridge, England. The 30-voice King's College Choir performs the legendary Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols service of Biblical readings, carols and seasonal music.