New Year’s Eve Midnight Special
December 31, 2019, 8:00 pm
Rich Warren plays listener requests and welcomes a live audience to Levin Studio to hear four stellar folk performers. An annual WFMT tradition.
Eastern Orthodox Christmas Music with Andrew Patner
December 30, 2019, 10:00 pm
A rebroadcast from WFMT’s late critic-at-large, in which he explores this lesser-known holiday repertory.
Pierné’s Les Enfants à Bethléem
December 30, 2019, 8:00 pm
Gabriel Pierné’s charming Christmas choral work performed by musicians of the French Radio.
Matthew Halls conducts the Messiah
December 29, 2019
The beloved holiday tradition returns to Symphony Center once more with this performance of Handel’s Messiah conducted by Matthew Halls featuring Amanda Forsythe, Sasha Cooke, Nicholas Phan, Joshua Hopkins, and the Chicago Symphony Chorus under the direction of Duain Wolfe.
Itzhak Perlman’s Hanukkah Radio Party
December 29, 2019, 7:00 pm
The illustrious violinist samples a great variety of music for the Jewish Festival of Lights.
Waltzes for New Year’s Eve
December 28, 2019
Put on your dancing shoes! Bring in the new year with Arias and Songs in an all-waltz program. Featured selections include Cristina Deutekom singing a Strauss waltz, the Boston Pops Orchestra play waltzes from Lehar’s The Count of Luxembourg, Julie Andrews asking, “Do I Hear a Waltz” by Richard Rodgers, and Lucine Amara coquettishly singing ‘Musetta’s Waltz’ from La bohème.
Celebrating 2019 and Ringing in 2020
December 28, 2019
On Saturday’s broadcast, we celebrate an incredible year of music-making! We’ll feature the winner of the 2019 Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition, as well as our live broadcast from the second annual Youth Arts Showcase at Millennium Park, featuring a brass ensemble from Merit School of Music and Latin Grammy-nominated Mariachi Herencia de Mexico.
Hanukkah
December 27, 2019
It was in December 1988 that Studs Terkel presented this musical tribute to Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. The hour begins with songs of Martha Schlamme and Theo Bikel, and some klezmer music, too. In the second half, Studs reads Grace Paley’s short story, “Good-bye and Good Luck”. First aired: 12/5/1988
Christmas with Seconda Prat!ca & The Tallis Scholars
December 25, 2019
Baroque&Before’s special 2-hour Christmas edition opens with musical traditions of Portugal of the 15th to 17th centuries, performed by the Amsterdam-based early music ensemble Seconda Prat!ca. Recorded live in concert in the Reichssaal, Old Town Hall, Regensburg, as part of the Regensburg Early Music Festival. The second part of tonight’s program features the renowned Tallis Scholars at the Temple Winter ...
Music for Christmas Day
December 25, 2019
Winter Holidays Around the World with Bill McGlaughlin
December 24, 2019, 9:00 pm
Winter holidays are celebrated around the world, and their music is wonderful to hear, regardless of which tradition you observe. Bill’s spirited selections hail from the British Isles, Paris, Mexico, Polynesia, and more. Turn on your radio, pour a cup of tea, cozy up to a warm fire, and enjoy the music!
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
December 24, 2019, 9:00 am
The annual service broadcast live from King’s College Chapel of Cambridge University.
Itzhak Perlman’s Hanukkah Radio Party
December 23, 2019, 10:00 pm
The illustrious violinist samples a great variety of music for the Jewish Festival of Lights. Program will be repeated Sunday, December 29, at 7:00 pm.
Music of the Baroque’s Brass and Choral Holiday Concert
December 23, 2019, 8:00 pm
William Jon Gray conducts choristers and brass players in seasonal music from the Renaissance and Baroque. Candice Agree hosts.
With Heart and Voice | A Christmas Celebration
December 22, 2019, 6:00 am
As we approach Christmas Eve, we’ll begin the festivities with music to celebrate the arrival of the Christ Child on this edition of With Heart and Voice. Tune in as Peter DuBois shares sacred choral and organ treasures of the season.
Latin American Christmas Carols
December 21, 2019
A selection of villancicos or Christmas carols from Spain and Latin America are featured on this Christmas themed program from Fiesta. Join us for music that spans several centuries and a great diversity of influences and traditions.
A Program for the Holidays
December 21, 2019
A holiday collection of religious and secular favorites sung by Kiri Te Kanawa, Robert Shaw Chorale, Kathleen Ferrier, Richard Tauber, and more.
Christmas Memories
December 20, 2019
Tonight’s “Christmas Memories” broadcast with Studs Terkel was first offered on WFMT in 1961, so this is our annual broadcast of that perennial favorite. Here then, voices and memories of childhood Christmases. (12/22/1961)
Christmas Around the World
December 20, 2019, 6:30 pm
Candice Agree scours performances from the European Broadcasting Union and from commercial recordings to find seasonal music from far and wide. More information
Patrick Dupré Quigley and singers from Music of the Baroque
December 20, 2019
Guest conductor Patrick Dupré Quigley, founder and artistic director of the vocal ensemble Seraphic Fire, leads a Music of the Baroque chorus in music for the holiday season.
