The winter holidays are right around the corner, and WFMT has a feast of musical offerings to make the season bright! Peruse below to explore broadcast highlights to honor Christmas, Hanukkah, and the New Year.
From live broadcasts and original recordings of Chicago-area performances to timeless musical classics, celebrate with us at 98.7, WFMT.com, and the WFMT app.
Dec. 10, 10pm: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Telemann, Corelli, and Vivaldi
Featuring Corelli's popular "Christmas" Concerto.
Dec. 12, 10pm: NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
Handel's Messiah
Ton Koopman conducts the NY Phil and vocal soloists Sunhae Im, Andreas Scholl, Jörg Dürmüller, and Detlef Roth, in George Frideric Handel’s Messiah.
Dec. 14, 8pm: Folkstage
Lee Murdock & The Dock Wallopers
The beloved ballad of The Christmas Ship forms the “anchor” for this live holiday concert.
Dec. 14, 9pm: The Midnight Special
Songs to Shop By for the Holidays
Making a list and checking twice? A soundtrack for shopping, wrapping, and remembering.
Dec. 15, 5pm
Music of the Baroque: Bach’s Christmas Oratorio
Dame Jane Glover leads the chorus and orchestra and soloists Gwilym Bowen, Yulia Van Doren, Emily Fons, and Michael Sumuel.
Dec. 17, 10pm: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Baroque Mix
Featuring excerpts from the Brandenburg Concertos, a holiday tradition unto themselves.
Dec. 18, 12pm
Music of the Baroque at the National Museum of Mexican Art
Live from Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.
Dec. 18, 8pm
Music of the Baroque at the National Museum of Mexican Art
An encore broadcast from Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.
Dec. 19, 8pm
Holidays with Cantus
The gentlemen of Cantus share a warm and inviting mix of music for the holidays.
Dec. 19, 10pm: New York Philharmonic
Gilbert and Romanovsky
Featuring excerpts from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker.
Dec. 20, 11pm: Best of Studs Terkel
Christmas Memories
This holiday time capsule — first aired in 1961 — explores voices and memories of childhood Christmases.
Dec. 21, 8pm: Met Opera
Mozart’s The Magic Flute
A family-friendly, English-language holiday presentation.
Dec. 21, 8pm: Sounds Classical
Holiday Music Around the World
Explore how the holidays sound all over the world with music for Christmas and other holidays from Africa, Spain, and the Philippines!
Dec. 21, 9pm: The Midnight Special
Keeping the Lights On
Folk songs to brighten the longest night of the year as winter arrives in earnest.
Dec. 22, 6am: With Heart and Voice
Christmas Music
Choral and organ music to celebrate the arrival of the Christ Child.
Dec. 22, 5pm
Apollo's Fire: Handel's Messiah
Jeannette Sorrell leads a stylish performance recorded live in concert.
Dec. 24, 9am
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Live
A beloved, contemplative, and celebratory Christmas Eve tradition, broadcast live from the Chapel of King’s College in Cambridge, England.
Dec. 24, 5pm
The 2024 St. Olaf Christmas Festival
A cherished holiday tradition dating back to 1912.
Dec. 24, 10pm
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols Encore
An encore presentation of this Christmas Eve tradition.
Dec. 25, 9am
Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker
A full concert performance of the festive ballet by the French National Orchestra.
Dec. 25, 6pm
Miracle of Miracles: Music for Hanukkah
The vocal ensemble Chicago a cappella highlights the creativity and vitality of American Jewish musical traditions.
Dec. 25, 10pm
Music of the Baroque: Bach’s Christmas Oratorio
An encore presentation of the performance led by Dame Jane Glover with soloists Yulia Van Doren, Emily Fons, Gwilym Bowen, Michael Sumuel.
Dec. 26, 10pm: New York Philharmonic
Winter Holiday Playlist
A selection of winter-themed highlights from the New York Philharmonic’s storied discography.
Dec. 28, Noon: Met Opera
Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel
A performance from Christmas Day 1982, with Thomas Fulton conducting Frederica von Stade (Hansel) and Judith Blegen (Gretel).
Dec. 28, 8pm: Folkstage
New Year’s Steve II!
Megon McDonough, Chris Walz, Don Stiernberg, Marc Edelstein and Daniel Nahmod gather at WFMT to share in songs by Steve Goodman and his friends.
Dec. 28, 9pm: The Midnight Special
Kindle a Candle and Start Anew
Songs for endings and beginnings and a tuneful celebration of Hanukkah.
Jan. 1, 10am
Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert 2025
Riccardo Muti leads the famed Vienna Philharmonic's annual New Year’s Day concert, broadcast live around the world.
Jan. 1, 8pm
Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert 2025
An encore presentation of 2025's Riccardo Muti-led New Year’s Day concert.
