This is the magical time of year so many CPR Classical listeners look forward to -- the sound of joy, of childhood innocence, and of choirs galore celebrating The Sound of the Season 2025!
Our longtime annual music tradition begins on Friday, November 28, with a small sprinkling of holiday tunes throughout our regular classical music programming. You’ll hear more holiday favorites as December unfolds, including music for Hanukkah, Latin American Christmas songs, Black Spirituals, surprising arrangements of your favorite seasonal melodies and music for Kwanzaa.
The highlight of the season is the annual Carol Countdown, where listeners vote online for their favorite carols and determine Colorado's choice for 2025. Then, the 17th annual Carol Countdown debuts on-air December 9 from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. with host Kabin Thomas. Karla Walker is always cooking up something creative. This year, join her for “Carols Around the World” where she will travel from country to country exploring beloved carols and holiday traditions. Listen for Colorado Holiday Spotlight the week of December 1, with some of Colorado's holiday performances for the season. Colorado Spotlight airs every weekday at 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Saturdays at 5:00 p.m. and Sundays at noon. Throughout the season, conductor Scott O'Neil offers holiday reflections from Behind the Baton.
Other highlights include “Holiday Pops” with Patty Painter-Wakefield! Monika Vischer hosts “Comfort and Joy” with exclusive recordings from the CPR Performance studio. The St. Olaf Christmas Festival returns December 10. Hear Handel’s complete Messiah, Christmas with the Colorado Children’s Chorale, and much more.
Rounding out the holiday season is CPR Classical’s annual New Year’s Eve Beethoven Bash sending 2025 out with all nine Beethoven symphonies in a row. We'll waltz into 2026 with New Year’s Day from Vienna, featuring conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin making his debut leading the Vienna Philharmonic in the gilded Golden Hall of the Musikverein.
Scroll down for complete schedule details.
If you want a break from carols and Jingle Bells, visit our homepage for access to this year’s on-demand non-holiday stream starting November 28.
| Nov. 28 | Various | CPR Cassical's Sound of the Season begins! Beginning today, you'll hear seasonal favorites sprinkled into the regular programming, increasing each week through the season. Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza are all represented! |
| Nov. 29 | 7 a.m. | Holiday Baroque hosted by Monika Vischer: It's all the festivities of the season in 17th and 18th century style! |
| Nov. 29 | 5 p.m. | Colorado Symphony Holiday Brass: Warm and bright recordings from Colorado Symphony's brass players. |
| Nov. 30 | 10 a.m. | Holiday Baroque hosted by Monika Vischer: It's all the festivities of the season in 17th and 18th century style! |
| Dec. 1 | 9 a.m., 6 p.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight: Ars Nova + Denver Brass: Listen all week for holiday favorites from Colorado |
| Dec. 2 | 9 a.m., 6 p.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight: Colorado Children's Choir: Listen to highlights in the morning and enjoy a rebroadcast of the entire 2023 concert with Kabin Thomas at 7 p.m. |
| Dec. 3 | 9 a.m., 6 p.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight: Canto Deo & United States Air Force Academy Band |
| Dec. 3 | 1 p.m. | Tchaikovsky’s "Nutcracker": The complete music to Tchaikovsky's iconic final ballet. Join in the adventures of Clara and dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy. |
| Dec. 4 | 9 a.m., 7 p.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight: Colorado Symphony & Kantorei |
| Dec. 4 | 2 p.m. | NEW for 2025! Carols Around the World with Karla Walker: share in the worldwide celebration of the holidays with carols from various countries and stories of the interesting holiday traditions in faraway lands. |
| Dec. 5 | 9 a.m., 7 p.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight: Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado & St. Martin's Chamber Choir |
| Dec. 5 | 3 p.m. | UPDATED for 2025! Holiday Pops with Patty Painter-Wakefield: fresh, fun and festive! An hour of dazzling Hollywood superstars and the nation’s favorite pops orchestras. |
| Dec. 6 | 11 a.m. | The 2024-25 Metropolitan Opera season begins! Puccini 's "La boheme" LIVE |
| Dec. 6 | 5 p.m. | Comfort & Joy with Monika Vischer: Holiday hits from Colorado performers and ensembles in the CPR Performance Studio. |
| Dec. 7 | 12 p.m. | At Home with Sphere: Highlights from the holiday collection from Denver’s Sphere Ensemble. |
| Dec. 7 | 3 p.m. | Tchaikovsky’s "Nutcracker": The complete music to Tchaikovsky's iconic final ballet. Join in the adventures of Clara and dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy. |
| Dec. 8 | Various times | 12 Days of Carols: Listen throughout the day for the fascinating stories behind some of the season's favorite carols. |
| Dec. 8 | 10 a.m. | Comfort & Joy with Monika Vischer: Holiday hits from Colorado performers and ensembles in the CPR Performance Studio. |
| Dec. 9 | 7 a.m. | Carol Countdown 2025 with Kabin Thomas: Tune in for the debut airing of CPR Classical's beloved Carol Countdown and find out which carol Coloradans voted into the #1 spot! |
| Dec. 9 | 6 p.m. | The Ballad of the Brown King: Margaret Bonds's cantata with text by Langston Hughes, who felt inspired to “reinforce the image of African participation in the Nativity story.” |
| Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | UPDATED for 2025! Holiday Pops with Patty Painter-Wakefield: fresh, fun and festive! An hour of dazzling Hollywood superstars and the nation’s favorite pops orchestras. |
| Dec. 10 | 7 p.m. | St. Olaf Christmas Festival: The annual holiday concert featuring over 500 musicians and singers, brought to you from Northfield, Minnesota. |
| Dec. 11 | 3 p.m. | Colorado Symphony Holiday Brass: Warm and bright recordings from Colorado Symphony's brass players. |
| Dec. 11 | 6 p.m. | Non-Holiday Essential Classics: Need a break from the carols? Six hours of your favorite classical hits. |
| Dec. 12 | 9 a.m. | NEW for 2025! Carols Around the World with Karla Walker: share in the worldwide celebration of the holidays with carols from various countries and stories of the interesting holiday traditions in faraway lands. |
| Dec. 12 | 5 p.m. | Tchaikovsky’s "Nutcracker": The complete music to Tchaikovsky's iconic final ballet. Join in the adventures of Clara and dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy. |
| Dec. 13 | 8 a.m. | Carol Countdown 2025 with Kabin Thomas: Three hours of Colorado’s favorite Christmas carols chosen by you! The culmination of this year's annual listener-selected favorites. |
| Dec. 13 | 11 a.m. | The Metropolitan Opera: Giordano's Andrea Chénier LIVE |
| Dec. 13 | 4 p.m. | Christmas with the Colorado Children's Chorale 2023 hosted by Kabin Thomas: 350 voices of the Children's Chorale's five choirs descend upon Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver with an appearance from Santa! |
| Dec. 14 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Eight Nights of Hanukkah: Host Naomi Lewin shares some of the magic of the Jewish festival of lights. Hear Hanukkah music, light the menorah, and explore the story of the holiday, daily through December 22. |
| Dec. 14 | 11 a.m. | Comfort & Joy with Monika Vischer: Holiday hits from Colorado performers and ensembles with exclusive recordings from the CPR Performance Studio. |
| Dec. 15 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Eight Nights of Hanukkah: Host Naomi Lewin shares some of the magic of the Jewish festival of lights. Hear Hanukkah music, light the menorah, and explore the story of the holiday daily through December 22. |
| Dec. 15 | 12 p.m. | Carol Countdown 2025 with Kabin Thomas: Three hours of Colorado’s favorite Christmas carols chosen by you! The culmination of this year's annual listener-selected favorites. |
| Dec. 15 | 4:05 p.m. | At Home with Sphere: Highlights from the holiday collection from Denver’s Sphere Ensemble. |
| Dec. 15 | 7 p.m. | Itzhak Perlman’s Hanukkah Radio Party: Hear favorite Hanukkah recordings and the story of the Jewish festival of lights, hosted by the famous violinist. |
| Dec. 16 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Eight Nights of Hanukkah: Host Naomi Lewin shares some of the magic of the Jewish festival of lights. Hear Hanukkah music, light the menorah, and explore the story of the holiday daily through December 22. |
| Dec. 16 | 6 p.m. | UPDATED for 2025! Holiday Pops with Patty Painter-Wakefield: fresh, fun and festive! An hour of dazzling Hollywood superstars and the nation’s favorite pops orchestras. |
| Dec. 17 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Eight Nights of Hanukkah: Host Naomi Lewin shares some of the magic of the Jewish festival of lights. Hear Hanukkah music, light the menorah, and explore the story of the holiday, daily through December 22. |
| Dec. 17 | 8:05 a.m. | Tchaikovsky’s "Nutcracker": The complete music to Tchaikovsky's iconic final ballet. Join in the adventures of Clara and dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy. |
| Dec. 17 | 6 p.m. | NEW for 2025! Carols Around the World with Karla Walker: share in the worldwide celebration of the holidays with carols from various countries and stories of the interesting holiday traditions in faraway lands. |
| Dec. 18 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Eight Nights of Hanukkah: Host Naomi Lewin shares some of the magic of the Jewish festival of lights. Hear Hanukkah music, light the menorah, and explore the story of the holiday daily through December 22. |
| Dec. 18 | 4:05 p.m. | Carol Countdown 2025 with Kabin Thomas: Three hours of Colorado’s favorite Christmas carols chosen by you! The culmination of this year's annual listener-selected favorites. |
| Dec. 18 | 7 p.m. | December Solstice with Patty Painter-Wakefield: Honor the winter solstice and the changing of the season with two hours of music and midwinter reflection. |
| Dec. 19 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Eight Nights of Hanukkah: Host Naomi Lewin shares some of the magic of the Jewish festival of lights. Hear Hanukkah music, light the menorah, and explore the story of the holiday daily through December 22. |
| Dec. 19 | 1 p.m. | At Home with Sphere: Highlights from the holiday collection from Denver’s Sphere Ensemble. |
| Dec. 19 | 6 p.m. | “Kontakion on the Nativity of Christ”: a setting of ancient liturgical texts for the season by late Colorado composer and CU Boulder music professor Richard Toensing. |
| Dec. 20 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Eight Nights of Hanukkah: Host Naomi Lewin shares the magic of the Jewish festival of lights. Hear Hanukkah music, light the menorah, and explore the story of the holiday daily through December 22. |
| Dec. 20 | 8:05 a.m. | December Solstice with Patty Painter-Wakefield: Honor the winter solstice and the changing of the season with two hours of music and midwinter reflection. |
| Dec. 20 | 10 a.m. | The Metropolitan Opera: Mozart's "Magic Flute" Abridged LIVE: Enter the famous world of Prince Tamino and Papageno in a special holiday presentation of this abridged English-language version of Mozart's masterpiece. |
| Dec. 20 | 5 p.m. | Itzhak Perlman’s Hanukkah Radio Party: Hear favorite Hanukkah recordings and the story of the Jewish festival of lights, hosted by the famous violinist. |
| Dec. 21 | 6 a.m. | December Solstice with Patty Painter-Wakefield: Honor the winter solstice and the changing of the season with two hours of music and midwinter reflection. Repeats at 8 a.m. Winter Solstice is at 8:03 a.m. M.T. |
| Dec. 21 | 12 p.m. | UPDATED for 2025! Holiday Pops with Patty Painter-Wakefield: fresh, fun and festive! An hour of dazzling Hollywood superstars and the nation’s favorite pops orchestras. |
| Dec. 21 | 3 p.m. | 12 Days of Carols with Karla Walker: Hear an hour-long special featuring all 12 vignettes about some of your favorite carols. |
| Dec. 21 | 4 p.m. | Eight Nights of Hanukkah: Host Naomi Lewin shares some of the magic of the Jewish festival of lights. Hear Hanukkah music, light the menorah, and explore the story of the holiday daily through December 22. |
| Dec. 21 | 5 p.m. | St. Olaf Christmas Festival: The annual holiday concert featuring over 500 musicians and singers, brought to you from Northfield, Minnesota. |
| Dec. 22 | 6 p.m. | George Frideric Handel's "Messiah": A classic recording of the entire masterwork. |
| Dec. 23 | 12:00 a.m. | CPR Classical's 72 Hours of Christmas begins. Three solid days of music to celebrate the season. |
| Dec. 23 | 8 a.m. | Benjamin Britten's "Ceremony of Carols": A short masterpiece of simple beauty and innocence composed by outspoken pacifist Benjamin Britten during the horrors of World War II. |
| Dec. 23 | 1 p.m. | 12 Days of Carols with Karla Walker: Hear an hour-long special featuring all 12 vignettes about some of your favorite carols. |
| Dec. 23 | 6 p.m. | Comfort & Joy with Monika Vischer: Holiday hits from Colorado performers and ensembles in the CPR Performance Studio. |
| Dec 24 | 8 a.m. | LIVE! Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols: Join in the annual worldwide, Christmas Eve broadcast live from King’s College in Cambridge, England. |
| Dec. 24 | 12 p.m. | Tchaikovsky’s "Nutcracker": The complete music to Tchaikovsky's iconic final ballet. Join in the adventures of Clara and dance with the Sugar Plum Fairy. |
| Dec. 24 | 3 p.m. | NEW for 2025! Carols Around the World with Karla Walker: share in the worldwide celebration of the holidays with carols from various countries and stories of the interesting holiday traditions in faraway lands. |
| Dec. 24 | 6 p.m. | A Candlelight Christmas Eve: Share a quiet, sacred evening of Christmas music with CPR Classical. It's like the special moment of sharing "Silent Night" during a midnight service, but all evening long. |
| Dec. 25 | 8 a.m. | 12 Days of Carols with Karla Walker: Hear an hour-long special featuring all 12 vignettes about some of your favorite carols. |
| Dec. 25 | 9 a.m. | Carol Countdown 2025 with Kabin Thomas: Three hours of Colorado’s favorite Christmas carols chosen by you! The culmination of this year's annual listener-selected favorites. |
| Dec. 25 | 12 p.m. | UPDATED for 2025! Holiday Pops with Patty Painter-Wakefield: fresh, fun and festive! An hour of dazzling Hollywood superstars and the nation’s favorite pops orchestras. |
| Dec. 25 | 1 p.m. | Christmas with the Colorado Children's Chorale 2023 hosted by Kabin Thomas: 350 voices of the Children's Chorale's five choirs descend upon Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver with an appearance from Santa! |
| Dec. 26 - Jan. 1 | 7 a.m., 3 p.m. | Stories of Kwanzaa: A celebration of community and family on CPR Classical through African American music and culture, daily through January 1. |
| Dec. 27 | 11 a.m. | The Metropolitan Opera: Handel at the Met A celebration of Handel at the holidays, with excerpts from Met performances, in honor of the 300th anniversary of Handel's Rodelinda |
| Dec. 31 | 5:30 p.m. | Beethoven Bash: Ring in 2026 with all nine Beethoven symphonies. Celebrate the New Year with this longtime CPR Classical tradition, timing the start of “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9 to start at midnight! |
| Jan. 1 | 9 a.m. | New Year’s Day from Vienna: Waltzes and polkas and marches, oh my! Celebrate the New Year from Vienna's famous Musikverein. Yannick Nézet-Séguin makes his debut leading the Vienna Philharmonic in this beloved annual tradition. |
Your holiday listening and beyond
Hear CPR Classical by clicking “Listen Live” at the top of this website, or download the Colorado Public Radio app. Listen on your radio to CPR Classical at 88.1 FM in Denver, at radio signals around Colorado. You can also tell your smart speaker to “Play CPR Classical."
