2008 Holiday Programming



Holiday programming on WFIU is made possible in part by a generous contribution from

MCHA Beth Baxter

Sunday, December 21

1pm —Christmas Around the Country 2007


The best of classical holiday music from coast to coast. NPR takes you from churches to concert halls to auditoriums to town halls all across the nation in search of performances that express the best of the holiday season. Lisa Simeone hosts. Note: This is an all-classical music special.

4pm —Tinsel Tales: NPR Christmas Favorites


This program features 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. Hosted by Lynn Neary.

Featured Stories: Dad 'n' Sam (Jay Allison), Homeless Christmas (Lee Stringer), Christmas Morning, 1949 (Sylvia Seymour/Paul Auster), Low-Glamour Christmas Party (Bailey White), Doing it in the Closet (John McIlwraith), Christopher (Jay O'Callahan), Ode to Christmas (Chuck Kramer), Santaland Diaries (David Sedaris), Modern Day Joseph and Mary (Scott Simon), John Henry Faulk’s Christmas Story (John Henry Faulk)

8pm — Hanukkah Lights 2008


A perennial NPR favorite, now well into its second decade. Acclaimed authors explore Hanukkah traditions in original stories written expressly for Hanukkah Lights. Hosted by Murray Horwitz and Susan Stamberg.

9pm — Happy Joyous Hannukah


Features a concert from NYC-based 2006 Grammy-award-winning band, the Klezmatics. Hosted by Murray Horwitz.

Monday, December 22

8pm— 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.

9pm— A Harpist’s Christmas with Yolanda Kondonassis


America’s premier harpist, Yolanda Kondonassis, celebrates the season with treasures of Christmas harp music. Yolanda has custom-created this program for American Public Media listeners, spotlighting her heavenly instrument alone and with Joshua Smith, flute and Cynthia Phelps, viola—two of America’s top professionals.

Tuesday December 23

7:30pm — A Car Talk Christmas Carol Redux


A refreshed and updated version of the holiday classic, in two versions -- one in a modular format for fundraising, and one twenty-nine minute non-fundraising special. Starring Tom and Ray Magliozzi and a stellar cast of public radio personalities including Robert Siegel as Bob Cratchit. From NPR and WBUR.

10pm — A Choral Christmas Card


A coast-to-coast sampler of the country’s best choirs in carols for the season. We visit choral towns across the U.S. including Kansas City, Austin, Santa Fe, Boston and elsewhere and hear songs from hundreds of years past and beautiful selections of our own time. What better way to greet Christmas than with voices raised in song? Host: Valerie Kahler

11pm — The Rose Ensemble: An Early American Christmas


Gorgeous Shaker Tunes, Kentucky Harmonies, and Acadian dances done by one of America’s premiere early-music ensembles. Since it began in 1996, The Rose Ensemble has surprised and delighted audiences with performances of music from centuries past. Their 2008 Christmas program highlights the treasures of Appalachia.

Wednesday December 24

7pm (HD1) — WFIU’s Annual broadcast of Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols
7pm (HD2) — Jonathan Winters' A Christmas Carol


An updated version of a public radio tradition hosted by NPR's Lisa Simeone. Master comedian Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of Dickens' holiday classic, with a special performing edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations. Also featuring Mimi Kennedy. From NPR and KCRW.

8pm — St. Olaf Christmas Festival


A service in song and word that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday celebrations. Tickets to the event, which takes place at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, are always gone months in advance. The festival—now in its 134th year—includes hymns, carols, choral works, and orchestral selections celebrating the Nativity and featuring more than 500 student musicians who are members of five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra.

10pm — A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols


The legendary music and spoken-word broadcast from the chapel of King’s College in Cambridge, England. Since 1928, this service of Biblical readings with choral and organ selections has been broadcast live by the BBC. It is now a treasured worldwide Christmas Eve tradition. Michael Barone, host.

Thursday December 25

3:30 - 5pm — Jazz Piano Christmas XIX


This year, we’ll hear lots of Latin Jazz onstage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. This ever popular program will include original interpretations of holiday favorites performed in concert by established jazz stars and talented newcomers. As always, both the artists and audience are sure to have a good time. This year’s exciting lineup includes Brazilian pianist and singer, Eliane Elias; Afro-Cuban jazz pianist and composer, Arturo O’Farrill; prolific pianist and composer of Latin and world music, Rebeca Mauleón; and New Orlean’s own premier modern jazz pianist, Ellis Marsalis. Felix Contreas hosts.

8pm — Conspirare: Christmas at the Carillon


America’s reining mixed-voice choir in a surprising classical- and popular-music collage for the season. The Austin, TX choir of 38 voices is America’s best-kept musical secret—but not for long as their powerful performances gain them new audiences worldwide. This special is a fresh take on Christmas, blending sacred and secular songs, as well as centuries-old classics and pop standards. Host: Steve Staruch.

10pm — Choirs & Carols: An NPR Christmas


Hear musicians from around the world in NPR's performance studio as they share special holiday moments. Join host Lisa Simeone for ancient harmonies from Trio Medieval, traditional carols from the Riga Dom Boys Choir, and a rarely heard Christmas song by Sibelius, straight from Finland's YL Choir. The Pittsburgh Brass unpacks a pair of 500-pound bells to ring in the holiday, and the members of Trio Voronezh tune up a balalaika or two.

11pm — A Chanticleer Christmas


America’s finest male chorus celebrates the mystery and wonder of Christmas. Their 2008 Christmas special is an elegant blend of traditional carols, medieval sacred works, and jazzy spirituals. This San Francisco based chorus is recognized worldwide for its brilliant technique and musicality. This year’s program will be recorded live on December 10th in San Francisco. Host: Brian Newhouse

Wednesday, December 31

8pm-5am —Toast of the Nation


Count down to 2009 this New Year's Eve with live jazz on Toast of the Nation. Party with live music from coast to coast, celebrating midnight from time zone to time zone. From New York to Chicago across the mountains to the West Coast, hear exclusive performances by many talented jazz artists. The show starts in Boston with the dynamic pianist Hiromi performing at the Berklee College of Music with more artists to be announced. Hosted by Rhonda Hamilton.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

1pm — New Year's Day from Vienna 2009


Join us on New Year's Day 2009, for a sparkling celebration, live from the Golden Hall at the Musikverein in Vienna. The Vienna Philharmonic presents its annual New Year’s Day from Vienna, including your favorite waltzes and polkas, and so much more, all conducted by Argentinean-Israeli pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim. New Year's Day from Vienna 2009 is presented by NPR and WGBH Boston.