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2023 Holiday Programming

2023 Holiday Programming

WWFM staff and hosts love sharing the sounds of the season throughout the year. We hope you enjoy all our holiday-themed programming. Please support our hosts' efforts by becoming a member today. 

2023 Holiday Season
(Watch for updates)

Every year, WWFM The Classical Network is pleased to bring you a variety of holiday specials, including many exclusive concert broadcasts featuring our musical partners. We hope that these special programs have become a part of your annual holiday tradition and wish you a joyous and bright holiday season. See below for program details.

(Note: Some of our regular weekend program may be preempted due to these specials.)



Thursday Dec. 7
2 pm: A Chanukah Celebration - Join Chicago a cappella and its music director, Jonathan Miller, for an inspiring and informative show featuring choral music set to Chanukah texts (from the WFMT Radio Network).

Saturday Dec. 9
11 am: A Chanukah Celebration (rebroadcast) - Join Chicago a cappella and its music director, Jonathan Miller, for an inspiring and informative show featuring choral music set to Chanukah texts (from the WFMT Radio Network)..

8 pm: Candles Burning Brightly - 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 (from American Public Media)


Monday Dec. 11
8 pm: What Makes it Great - A Very Jewish Christmas. Host Rob Kapilow surveys the variety of Christmas music created by Jewish composers (rebroadcast Saturday Dec. 16 at 2 pm)

Monday Dec. 18
8 pm: Westminster Choir College’s “An Evening of Readings and Carols.” The choirs of Westminster Choir College of Rider University return to Princeton Chapel for this annual holiday tradition.

Friday Dec. 22
5 pm: “Home for the Holidays” with the New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra. The New Brunswick Chamber Orchestra, now under the leadership of Artistic Director and Conductor Dr. Julia Baumanis, is joined by the Highland Park Community Chorus, Philomusica, and Cantabile for this concert, recorded just last Sunday at the Nicholas Music Center at the Mason Gross School for the Arts on the campus of Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, NJ.

6 pm: B&K Cafe - Holiday edition, with hosts Bill McGlaughlin and Karrin Allyson.

10 pm: Millennium of Music - Host Robert Aubry Davis shares selections from two holiday reissues: the Alfred Deller & Consort “A Minstrel’s Christmas” and Ex Cathedra’s “Baroque Christmas: Sanctus."


Saturday Dec. 23
2 pm: A Wreath of Carols - Eric Plutz performs classic carols on the organ at Princeton University Chapel.

3 pm: Princeton Singers - Artistic Director Steven Sametz leads the ensemble in a “A Rose in Winter.”

5 pm: Classical Guitar Alive - An all-Christmas program of guitar music, old, new and contemporary, with host Tony Morris.

6 pm: Between the Keys - Jed Distler hosts an all-Scarlatti program, featuring music by the 'other' Baroque composer born the same year as Bach and Handel, two heavyweights of the holiday season repetoire.

7:30 pm: Inside Music - George Marriner Maull leads us through Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker in this episode, called “A Holiday Barn Burning.”

8 pm: St. Olaf Christmas Festival - A service in song and word that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival, which takes place at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., 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 American Public Media)

Sunday Dec. 24
10 am: A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from Kings College Cambridge - Enjoy the broadcast of this annual favorite live from Kings College in Cambridge, led by Daniel Hyde. (From American Public Media)

Noon: A Chanticleer Christmas - 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. (From American Public Media)

1 pm: With Heart and Voice - Festive sacred choral and organ music for Christmas.

2 pm: Sounds Choral - Producer David Osenberg hosts this week's episode, sharing holiday music conducted by or composed by the series' regular hosts.

3 pm: Sunday Opera Christmas Edition - Michael Kownacky presents Tchaikovsky's Cherevichki.

7 pm: The Dress Circle with Ted Otten and Michael Kownacky - Songs for Christmas, including Charles Laughton reading from Dickens' Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.

8 pm: Christmas from the Lehigh Valley - Steven Sametz and Hana Cai lead the Lehigh University Choral Arts in Christmas Vespers.


Monday Dec. 25
8 am: A Service of Nine Lessons & Carols from Trinity Church in Princeton - Join us Christmas morning for a broadcast of this set of readings, choral music and congregational singing, along with organ and brass accompaniment.

Noon: Welcome Christmas with VocalEssence - The perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world’s premiere choral groups. An hour of traditional carols and new discoveries. (From American Public Radio)

3 pm: Westminster Choir College’s “An Evening of Readings and Carols.” The choirs of Westminster Choir College of Rider University return to Princeton Chapel for this annual holiday tradition.

6 pm: All is Bright with Lynne Warfel - One hour of gorgeous, contemplative music related to the Christmas season and its symbolism, hosted by Lynne Warfel. (From American Public Media)

8 pm: Bach Choir of Bethlehem - Wind down your Christmas weekend with The Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Bach Festival Orchestra and a dynamic line-up of young soloists is led by the choir's Artistic Director and Conductor, Dr. Christopher Jackson.


Monday Jan. 1
11 am - New Year's Day from Vienna. The Vienna Philharmonic presents its ever popular New Year’s Day concert from the Golden Hall of Vienna’s Musikverein. (From American Public Media)