Tune in to Classical Minnesota Public Radio for these holiday specials which feature Minnesota touches, including the Minnesota Orchestra's performance of Handel's Messiah, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's performance of Berlioz's Childhood of Christ, and the Hanukkah special Candles Burning Brightly with Classical Minnesota Public Radio hosts Bill Morelock and Mindy Ratner. See below for a full list of our 2012 holiday programming, and be sure to enjoy our online stream of holiday classics, launching November 26.

Seasonal specials are presented on Classical Minnesota Public Radio stations and stream unless noted otherwise.

Past Programs

November 22

9:00 a.m. Thanksgiving: Giving Thanks

A Thanksgiving celebration with John Birge.

5:00 p.m. Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving with Cantus

6:00 p.m. Thanksgiving: Giving Thanks

A Thanksgiving celebration with John Birge.

December 2

3:00 p.m. Christmas: St. Olaf Christmas Festival

One of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations originates at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. More than 500 talented students perform hymns, carols and choral works. Hosted by Alison Young.

December 3

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Roll Credits -- Hollywood Holiday

During the holidays we unpack, dust off and polish up countless traditions. Some are surrounded by festive foods, others involve preparing and decorating for family, friends and homecomings. Many of these special times include classic movies that take us back to wonderful Christmases past. Lynne Warfel shares music that made great films from "A Christmas Carol" to "Polar Express" come alive with the warmth and sparkle of the season.

December 4

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Slavic Wonders with Rose Ensemble

The Rose Ensemble is back again for 2012 with a free one-hour special for the holidays. Slavic Wonders is a stunning celebration of the season featuring some truly brilliant gems from the libraries and monasteries of Krakow, Prague and Moscow. The Rose Ensemble of Minnesota has put together a program of dazzling, passionate music for Christmastime in the great variety and range they're known for. Slavic Wonders is an engaging and curious mixture of chant, carols, and glorious polyphony. You'll hear everything from soaring sopranos lines, to the signature slavic sound of rumbling basses. Hosted by Tom Crann.

December 5

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Echoes of Christmas

Moving selections of choral classics celebrating Christmas. The Dale Warland Singers provided magical performances to listeners across the country for over 30 years and were acclaimed as America's premiere choir. Their signature holiday concert -- beloved by public radio listeners nationwide -- was the annual Echoes of Christmas program. Drawing upon the archive of their live performances, Dale Warland and host Brian Newhouse create a very special Christmas musical treat.

December 6

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Advent Voices

Choral music for Advent with Lynne Warfel.

December 7

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Concordia College -- Today, Heaven Sings

Each of the past few Decembers, vocalists and instrumentalists from Concordia College in Moorhead perform a series of holiday concerts. "Today, Heaven Sings" was recorded in December 2011 and features The Concordia Choir, The Chapel Choir, the Bel Canto singers, Cantabile, Mannerchor and the Concordia Orchestra.

December 10

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Roll Credits -- Hollywood Holiday

During the holidays we unpack, dust off and polish up countless traditions. Some are surrounded by festive foods, others involve preparing and decorating for family, friends and homecomings. Many of these special times include classic movies that take us back to wonderful Christmases past. Lynne Warfel shares music that made great films from "A Christmas Carol" to "Polar Express" come alive with the warmth and sparkle of the season.

December 11

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Welcome Christmas!

The best way to welcome Christmas is Welcome Christmas!, the VocalEssence holiday concert from American Public Media. New for 2012: Bring a Torch! This year's program puts the focus on old French carols, alongside two world premieres in the annual VocalEssence/American Composers Forum Christmas carol contest. The new carols call for the intriguing combination of men's chorus with English horn.

December 12

7:00 p.m. Hanukkah: Candles Burning Brightly

More than two thousand years ago, in the days of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, the religious life of the Jews was brought almost to a halt by the ancient Greeks. But rather than give in to the pressure to assimilate, a band of Jews who practiced their faith in secret returned to their holy city and rededicated the Temple. Their courageous act and its aftermath form the focus of Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. Mindy Ratner and Bill Morelock offer a program which explores the customs and music of the holiday.

December 13

11:00 a.m. Christmas: Cantus at Westminster Presbyterian Church

The nine-voice male vocal ensemble has put together something slightly different this year: there are carols new and old, as usual, but they're interspersing the music with brief, evocative readings that reflect a wide view of the season. Hosted by Brian Newhouse.

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Christmas with Luther College

Tidings of Comfort and Joy is the name of this year's Christmas at Luther concert and more than 600 student-musicians celebrate the joy of Christmas with absolutely breathtaking music, capturing the wonder, awe and excitement of the season. Join Alison Young for an hour of young voices and instrumentalists from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

December 14

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Minnesota Choral Christmas

A program highlighting the rich choral traditions and exquisite ensembles, large and small, throughout the state. Including The Singers, the Bella Voce Young Women's Choir, Kantorei, The National Lutheran Choir, and more.

December 17

7:00 p.m. A Chanticleer Christmas

A Chanticleer Christmas is American Public Media's one-hour celebration of the season as told through the glorious voices of Chanticleer, the 12-voice San Francisco-based men's choir.

8:00 p.m. Christmas: Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra -- Berlioz's The Childhood of Christ

Berlioz's gentle, sublime oratorio tells the story of Christ's birth and the holy family's journey across Egypt. It is a rarely performed masterpiece, one of only a handful of Berlioz works written for chamber orchestra.

December 18

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Slavic Wonders with Rose Ensemble

The Rose Ensemble is back again for 2012 with a free one-hour special for the holidays. Slavic Wonders is a stunning celebration of the season featuring some truly brilliant gems from the libraries and monasteries of Krakow, Prague and Moscow. The Rose Ensemble of Minnesota has put together a program of dazzling, passionate music for Christmastime in the great variety and range they're known for. Slavic Wonders is an engaging and curious mixture of chant, carols, and glorious polyphony. You'll hear everything from soaring sopranos lines, to the signature slavic sound of rumbling basses. Hosted by Tom Crann.

December 19

11:00 a.m. Christmas: St. Olaf Christmas Festival

One of the nation's most cherished holiday celebrations originates at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. More than 500 talented students perform hymns, carols and choral works. Hosted by Alison Young.

6:00 p.m. Christmas: Taste of the Holidays, Vol III

Taste of the Holidays showcases choral and instrumental groups from right in our own backyard. The season comes alive with recordings which were made in the intimacy and spirit of live performances. Hosted by Steve Staruch.

December 20

11:00 a.m. Christmas: Christmas with Luther College

Tidings of Comfort and Joy is the name of this year's Christmas at Luther concert and more than 600 student-musicians celebrate the joy of Christmas with absolutely breathtaking music, capturing the wonder, awe and excitement of the season. Join Alison Young for an hour of young voices and instrumentalists from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Advent Voices

Choral music for Advent with Lynne Warfel.

December 21

11:00 a.m. Christmas: Concordia College -- Today, Heaven Sings

Each of the past few Decembers, vocalists and instrumentalists from Concordia College in Moorhead perform a series of holiday concerts. "Today, Heaven Sings" was recorded in December 2011 and features The Concordia Choir, The Chapel Choir, the Bel Canto singers, Cantabile, Mannerchor and the Concordia Orchestra.

8:00 p.m. Christmas: Handel's Messiah

By the Minnesota Orchestra with MPRs Brian Newhouse.

December 22

4:00 p.m. Christmas: A Chanticleer Christmas

A Chanticleer Christmas is American Public Media's one-hour celebration of the season as told through the glorious voices of Chanticleer, the 12-voice San Francisco-based men's choir. The program spans the globe and the centuries -- from England in the 1300s to new arrangements of classic and contemporary carols.

December 24

9:00 a.m. Christmas: A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

Hosted by Michael Barone, this is a music and spoken-word 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 and music.

11:00 a.m. Christmas: Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is the most popular ballet in the United States. But it took a number of years to become that. In fact, even Tchaikovsky considered it one of his least successful efforts. Join Alison Young on Monday, December 24 at 11:00 a.m. for flying cooks, dancing snowflakes and the sugar plum fairy herself.

5:00 p.m. Christmas: A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

Hosted by Michael Barone, this is a music and spoken-word 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 and music.

December 25

5:00 p.m. Christmas: Welcome Christmas!

The best way to welcome Christmas is Welcome Christmas!, the VocalEssence holiday concert from American Public Media. New for 2012: Bring a Torch! This year's program puts the focus on old French carols, alongside two world premieres in the annual VocalEssence/American Composers Forum Christmas carol contest. The new carols call for the intriguing combination of men's chorus with English horn.

7:00 p.m. Christmas: Echoes of Christmas

Moving selections of choral classics celebrating Christmas. The Dale Warland Singers provided magical performances to listeners across the country for over 30 years and were acclaimed as America's premiere choir. Their signature holiday concert -- beloved by public radio listeners nationwide -- was the annual Echoes of Christmas program. Drawing upon the archive of their live performances, Dale Warland and host Brian Newhouse create a very special Christmas musical treat.

January 1

10:00 a.m. New Year's Day from Vienna