Montana Public Radio Holiday Programs 2013
December 23 – Monday
7:30 p.m. Winter Solstice Celebration, from the Cathedral of St John the Divine in NYC
Malian singer AbdoulayeDiabate joins The Paul Winter Consort with Paul McCandless, the Drummers of The Fores of Nature, and Gospel vocalist Theresa Thomason.
December 24 – Tuesday
11:00 a.m. Christmas Eve Freeforms with Michael Marsolek
1:30 p.m. Musician’s Spotlight holiday special hosted by John Floridis
4:00 p.m. The Pea Green Boat Christmas Eve, “Stubby Pringle’s Christmas” will be read
5:00 p.m. All Things Considered and Montana Evening Edition
7:30 p.m. Tinsel Tales: NPR Christmas Favorites
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.
8:30 p.m. A Christmas Carol - Walt Dunlop’s full reading of this Dicken's holiday classic, from the MTPR archive.
10:00 p.m. A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carolsfrom 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 and music.
December 25 – Wednesday
12:00 a.m. A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico
Stile Antico, the award-winning choir from London presents a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season by the most acclaimed composers of the renaissance - Thomas Tallis and William Byrd.
1:00 a.m. Welcome Christmas
An hour of joyful holiday music featuring the Minneapolis-based chorus, VocalEssence, features old favorites, and some new discoveries including the world premieres of two new American carols.
5:00 a.m. Morning Edition, NPR news
7:00 a.m. A Chanticleer Christmas
This program by the 12-voice San Francisco-based men's choir spans the globe and the centuries -- from England in the 1300's to new arrangements of classic contemporary carols.
8:00 a.m. Tallis Scholars – Love is Better Than Wine
The world-renowned choir performs a stunning holiday concert exploring themes of love, redemption, and the Nativity.
9:00 a.m. Handel’s Messiah - From Washington National Cathedral
With its resounding “Hallelujah” chorus, the Christmas portion of Handel’s masterpiece is a holiday tradition. Michael McCarthy directs the Baroque–period orchestra and the Cathedral’s combined boy, girl, and men’s choirs, with guest soloists Gillian Keith, soprano; Julia Mintzer, mezzo-soprano; Rufus Müller, tenor; and Nathan Berg, bass.
10:00 a.m. A Centennial Ceremony of Carols: A Benjamin Britten Holiday Celebration
A celebration of the 100th anniversary of Britten’s birth of through his beloved choral music for the holidays.
11:00 a.m. A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico
Stile Antico, the award-winning choir from London presents a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season by the most acclaimed composers of the renaissance - Thomas Tallis and William Byrd.
11:55 a.m. “A Christmas Memory”, Truman Capote’s classic story read by Gus Chambers – from the MTPR archive
12:30 p.m. BBC World Briefing, news
1:00 p.m. Glad Tidings of Great Joy
From the glorious cathedral chant, Veni Emmanuel, to Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, this program offers some of the most splendid Christmas music ever to come from northern Europe. Two renowned musical institutions band together in this Early-Music tour de force: the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral Indianapolis; and the Early Music Institute of the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University.
2:06 p.m. Tinsel Tales 2
Humor, warmth, and a host of festive voices continues the tradition of NPR’s Tinsel Tales, with this second 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.
3:00 p.m. A Christmas Celtic Sojourn 2013
A celebration of the season with top flight, traditional singers and instrumentalists, including Solas, Steve Holloway and MaeveGilchrist.
5:00 p.m. All Things Considered, NPR news
7:00 p.m. This American Life
8:00 p.m. Thistle & Shamrock Christmas Special
9:00 p.m. St Olaf Christmas Festival
A service in song and word that has become one of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival 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.
11:00 p.m. Welcome Christmas
An hour of joyful holiday music featuring the Minneapolis-based chorus, VocalEssence, features old favorites, and some new discoveries including the world premieres of two new American carols.
December 26 – Thursday
12:00 a.m. Jazz Piano Christmas XXIX
NPR Music brings you another great concert from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Andy Bey, Stanley Cowell, Sullivan Fortner and Michele Rosewoman perform their favorite holiday songs.
1:00 p.m. A Season’s Griot 2013, stories and music in celebration of Kwanzaa
Hosted by acclaimed storyteller Madafo Lloyd Wilson, this annual special captures the tales and traditions of African American and African peoples. This year’s program will celebrate Family with familiar and favorite elements of Griot, and plenty of music. ?
December 31 – Tuesday
7:30 p.m. This American Life
8:30 p.m. Capitol Steps New Year’s Edition of “Politics Takes a Holiday”
9:30 p.m. All In Time
The clock ticks; the moon waxes; the autumn leaves turn crimson. Time is as ubiquitous as it is elusive. Guided by science and science fiction, All In Time traverses the timeless mystery of time itself. An award-winning work of sound art by Sarah Boothroyd.
10:00 p.m. New Year’s Eve with MTPR’s John Myers
January 1, 2014 – Wednesday
9:00 a.m. New Year’s Day Live from Vienna 2013
Get ready to pop the New Year's Day champagne! The Vienna Philharmonic presents its annual salute to the waltz with conductor Daniel Barenboim. Hear the hit tunes of the Strauss family and others -- polkas, gallops and waltzes, live from the Musikverein, in Vienna.
11:00 a.m. Freeforms with Howard Kingston – New music for the new year.
1:00 p.m. Boston Baroque Gala First Day Concert 2014
Champagne, Concertos…and Coffee! Martin Pearlman leads Boston Baroque, a “period-instrument” orchestra in a festive All-Bach New Year’s Day concert live from Sanders Theatre in Harvard Square. Featuring the Brandenburg Concertos No. 3 & No. 4 and the Coffee and Wedding Cantatas.