Holiday Specials 2023
2023 WEKU Holiday Programming
Updated Schedule
Fri. Dec. 22 at 8p
Jazz Piano Christmas
Join the Kennedy Center and NPR Music for this annual holiday tradition highlighting jazz pianists and their favorite seasonal music, captured live in concert with a small audience. The all-star lineup includes Patrice Rushen, Gerald Clayton and Eric Reed. Felix Contreras hosts.
Fri. Dec. 22 at 9p
Jazz Classics Christmas Special
Roger Chesser has curated a special 3-hour Christmas presentation of classic jazz.
Sat. Dec 23 at 1p
Jonathan Winters’ A Christmas Carol
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 features Mimi Kennedy.
Fri. Dec. 29 at 9p
Jazz Classics New Year’s Special
Roger Chesser has curated a special 3-hour holiday presentation of classic jazz.
Sun Dec. 31 Midnight-4a
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. The line-up is almost confirmed and will surely be a good time.
Fri Dec 22 at 5p
All Is Bright
Hosted by Lynne Warfel, All Is Bright: Contemplative Music for Christmas presents one hour of gorgeous, contemplative music related to the Christmas season and its symbolism. This program uses sacred choral music grouped in a way to tell the traditional Christmas story by way of songs about angels, the star, and the manger scene. Featured artists include Cambridge Singers, Cantus, and Chanticleer
Sun Dec 24 2-4p
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. One of the world’s foremost choirs of men and boys will present this special and perform in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue, the 500-year-old Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, England.
Sun Dec 24 at 7p
Jazz Classics Christmas Special
Roger Chesser has curated a special 3-hour Christmas presentation of classic jazz.
Mon Dec 25 at 10a
Welcome Christmas
Welcome Christmas is a perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world’s premiere choral groups, conducted by Philip Brunelle. This program presents an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries, including the world premiere of two carols from the annual Christmas Carol Contest.
Mon Dec 25 at 11a
A Chanticleer Christmas
This one-hour program of holiday favorites, new and old, will be presented live in concert by Chanticleer, the superb 12-man ensemble known as "an orchestra of voices." Chanticleer is one of the premiere vocal ensembles in the nation. The ensemble has won two Grammys and is a member of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.
Mon Dec 25 12-2p
St. Olaf Christmas Festival
Programming includes sacred choral and instrumental music from many traditions: beloved hymns, classical masterworks, folk songs from around the world, and African-American spirituals.
Mon Dec 25 at 3p
Hygge Holiday
Join host Elena See for an hour-long program of nostalgic favorites for the winter season. Programming includes favorites from Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Debussy and Blake.
Sun Dec 31 at 7p
Jazz Classics New Year’s Special
Roger Chesser has curated a special 3-hour holiday presentation of classic jazz.
Mon Jan 1 at 2p
New Year's Day From Vienna 2024
The popular annual New Year’s Day Concert will be performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Maestro Daniel Barenboim. With this concert, it is not only the desire of the Vienna Philharmonic to provide musically definitive interpretations of the masterworks of this genre but also, as musical ambassadors of Austria, to send people all over the world a New Year's greeting in the spirit of hope, friendship and peace.
