Holiday Specials on WMRA:
Monday, December 18 - 8pm
Selected Shorts: Unwrapping The Holidays
Host Meg Wolitzer presents three unexpected stories that let us see the holidays’ associations—family, friends, food, gifts, and goodwill—in different ways. Selections from Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Sherrie Flick, and John Cheever will be read by Jayne Atkinson, James Naughton, Adina Verson and Teagle F. Bougere.
Tuesday, December 19 - 8pm
Tinsel Tales 3: Even More NPR Christmas Favorites
Listeners tune to NPR for extraordinary Christmas stories that transport you to unexpected places. Baxter Black ponders the meaning of Christmas for Cows, Bailey White sneaks into her neighbor’s yard in search of an elusive hemlock tree; Julie Zickefoose serenades her neighbors on the coldest night of the year.
Wednesday, December 20 - 8PM
Tinsel Tales 2: NPR Christmas Favorites
NPR fills millions of homes each holiday with humor, warmth, and a host of festive voices. Continuing with the tradition of 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.
Thursday, December 21 - 8PM
The One Recipe Holiday Special
Join host Jesse Sparks for a holiday edition of The Splendid Table’s newest “podbaby,” The One Recipe. Jesse talks to culinary superstars about their “One,” the recipe that signals the holiday has begun! They’ll get into traditions and food with influences from all over the world and leave you with recipes that could jumpstart your own festivities! It’s delicious eating all month long.
Friday, December 22 - 8PM
Tinsel Tales 1: NPR Christmas Favorites
This year a radio tradition continues - 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.
Saturday, Dec. 22 - Noon
Acoustic Café Holiday Special
WMRA’s Tina Owens will spin holiday favorites from the acoustic folk music world. Join us to hear your favorite holiday music done acoustically.
Monday, Dec. 25 - 8PM
Jonathan Winters' A Christmas Carol
Master comedian Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of Dickens' holiday classic, with a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations.
Holiday Specials on WEMC:
Sunday, Dec 10; Wednesday, Dec 13 - 8AM/8PM
Sing It! - A 20th Century English Christmas (Hosted by Kimberlea Daggy)
English choirs know how to do Christmas. From the world-renowned Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, to the smallest church choir, there’s nothing like the sound of soaring Christmas carols in reverberant spaces. This program explores some of the more recent additions to the Christmas carol pantheon, many of which have become as standard as We Wish You a Merry Christmas!
Monday, December 18 - 7PM
Bob’s Record Shelf - The Christmas Program hosted by WEMC’s Bob Satterwhite
Join WEMC’s Bob Satterwhite for 3 hours of Classical Christmas favorites.
Tuesday, Dec 19; Thursday, Dec 21 - 7PM/1PM
Airplay: Local Holiday Favorites (Hosted by Kimberlea Daggy)
Holiday music performed by ensembles throughout the listening area.
Sunday, Dec 17; Wednesday, Dec 20 - 8AM/8PM
Sing It! The Christmas Story through Carols Old and New
This choral music show tells the Christmas story through a variety of carols, ranging from medieval music to carols written in the last few decades. Each set focuses on a different part of the story, from the angels to Mary and the baby Jesus to the shepherds and how they spread their joyous message.
Sunday, December 24; Wednesday Dec 27 - 8AM/8PM
Sing It! – Little-known unaccompanied choral music for the season.
Sunday, December 24:
12pm
Christmas with Madrigalia 2023
This holiday season, the Rochester, NY chamber choir Madrigalia and their Artistic Director Cary Ratcliff return to public radio for Christmas with Madrigalia. Christmas with Madrigalia celebrates the excitement and joy of the holiday season with traditional carols and anthems from the Medieval era through the 21st century celebrating Winter Solstice, Chanukah, Christmas, and the New Year.
1pm
Welcome Christmas 2023
There’s no better way to welcome Christmas than Welcome Christmas!, the VocalEssence holiday concert. It’s an hour of joyful, classic holiday music from VocalEssence, one of the world’s premiere choral groups, singing traditional carols and new discoveries.
2pm
All Is Bright 2023
All Is Bright, with host Lynne Warfel, offers an hour of gorgeous, contemplative choral music that tells the traditional Christmas story with songs about angels, the star and the manger scene.
3pm
Carols as Home with the Imani Winds
Carols as Home features a modern take 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.
4pm
A Chanticleer Christmas 2023
This unique, one-hour program of holiday music is presented live in concert by Chanticleer. Hear why this superb 12-man ensemble is known as "an orchestra of voices," as they perform holiday classics and new favorites, with choral commentary by host Steve Staruch.
5pm
Your Classical Christmas Favorites
Join us this holiday season as we count down the top Christmas songs as voted by you in a two-hour special from Your Classical.
7pm
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols presents your audience with an opportunity to share in a live, world-wide Christmas Eve broadcast of a service of Biblical readings, carols, and related seasonal Classical music. This special will be presented by one of the world’s foremost choirs of men and boys and performed in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, England.
Monday, Dec. 25:
Holiday Music from Classical 24
