Stories And Sounds Of The Season

<p>Celebrate the Holidays with Colorado Public Radio.</p>
Photo: CPR holidays

Whether you tend to rejoice or grumble this time of year, look to Colorado Public Radio for seasonal programming to suit your mood. With traditional music and stories alongside an eclectic holiday soundtrack, CPR offers a little something for everyone, as well as reminders of the things we all can find a little joy in: heartfelt music, moving stories and, of course, those snow-capped Colorado mountains.

We invite you to get involved in CPR’s holiday programming. Cast your vote in CPR Classical’s annual celebration of holiday music during “Carol Countdown” and in OpenAir’s “Listener Poll 2015.”

Holiday Program Guide

November 27 

6 a.m. | "A Classical Colorado Christmas" 

A showcase of Colorado musicians performing holiday classics.

6 a.m. | Voting begins for "Carol Countdown"

Cast your vote to help us determine Colorado's favorite holiday music.

November 29

6 a.m. | "A Colorado Choral Christmas"

David Rutherford hosts a feature of Colorado choral ensembles' holiday performances.

December 3

7 p.m. | “Christmas with the Colorado Children’s Chorale” 

An encore of the group's 2014 concert.

December 4

10 a.m. and 7 p.m. | "Hanukkah Lights 2015" 

A perennial NPR favorite, Hanukkah Lights features Hanukkah stories and memoirs written by Kathryn Blume, Leah Lax, Eric Kimmel, Issaac Bashevis Singer, and Jonathan Safran Foer as read by NPR's Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz.

December 5

3 p.m. | "The Nutcracker"

A full performance and the story behind Tchaikovsky's complete Nutcracker ballet.

December 6

6 a.m. | "Bach Christmas Oratorio"

A holiday-themed edition of “Sacred Classics” hosted by David Rutherford.

4 p.m. | "Eight Nights of Channukah"

A daily feature of the sounds and stories of Channukah, presented in five-minute vignettes.

December 7

8 a.m. and 4 p.m. | "Eight Nights of Channukah"

A daily feature of the sounds and stories of Channukah, presented in five-minute vignettes.

7 p.m. | "Charles Dickens and the Spirit of Christmas"

An exploration of the music and history of Dickens' classic holiday story "A Christmas Carol."

December 8

8 a.m. and 4 p.m. | "Eight Nights of Channukah" 

A daily feature of the sounds and stories of Channukah, presented in five-minute vignettes.

December 9

Last day to vote in "Carol Countdown"

8 a.m. and 4 p.m. | "Eight Nights of Channukah" 

A daily feature of the sounds and stories of Channukah, presented in five-minute vignettes.

1 p.m. | "The Nutcracker"

A full performance and the story behind Tchaikovsky's complete Nutcracker ballet.

December 10

8 a.m. and 4 p.m. | "Eight Nights of Channukah" 

A daily feature of the sounds and stories of Channukah, presented in five-minute vignettes.

December 11

8 a.m. and 4 p.m. | "Eight Nights of Channukah" 

A daily feature of the sounds and stories of Channukah, presented in five-minute vignettes.

December 12

8 a.m. | "Eight Nights of Channukah" 

A daily feature of the sounds and stories of Channukah, presented in five-minute vignettes.

3 p.m. | "Carol Countdown"

David Rutherford hosts three hours of Colorado's favorite holiday music, as selected by CPR listeners..

7 p.m. | "Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir"

December 13

12 p.m. | "Charles Dickens and the Spirit of Christmas"

An exploration of the music and history of Dickens' classic holiday story "A Christmas Carol." 

4 p.m. | "Eight Nights of Channukah" 

A daily feature of the sounds and stories of Channukah, presented in five-minute vignettes.

7 p.m. | “L’enfance du Christ (The Childhood of Christ)”

Charley Samson hosts the 90-minute oratorio of the Holy Family's flight into Egypt after Christ's birth. Orchestra, choir and seven soloists retell Hector Berlioz's allegorical account of the biblical story.

December 14

7 p.m. | "A Colorado Choral Christmas: Part 1"

David Rutherford hosts a one-hour special feature of Colorado choral ensembles' holiday performances.

December 15

9 a.m. | "Carol Countdown"

David Rutherford hosts three hours of Colorado's favorite holiday music, as selected by CPR listeners.

7 p.m. | "A Colorado Choral Christmas: Part 2"

David Rutherford hosts a one-hour special feature of Colorado choral ensembles' holiday performances.

December 18

10 a.m. | "The Nutcracker"

A full performance and the story behind Tchaikovsky's complete Nutcracker ballet.

7:30 p.m. | “The Messiah” (Live broadcast)

A live broadcast of the Colorado Symphony's performance of Handel's masterpiece, hosted by David Rutherford.

December 19

12 p.m. | "Mile High Noon Holiday Special"

Alisha Sweeney hosts this Christmas edition of “Mile High Noon” with music from Colorado bands and details on seasonal concerts happening in and around Denver. 

5 p.m. | "Retrofit Holiday Rarities"

December 19

6 p.m. | "St. Olaf Christmas Festival"

A two-hour holiday choral concert featuring student musicians from St. Olaf College as part of a 100-year tradition musical celebration. 

December 20

12 p.m. | "Carol Countdown"

David Rutherford hosts three hours of Colorado's favorite holiday music, as selected by CPR listeners.

December 20

3 p.m. | "Collectors Crossroads Christmas"

A one-hour special of seasonal B-sides and out-of-print rarities.

December 22

7 p.m. | "A Colorado Choral Christmas"

David Rutherford hosts a two-hour special feature of Colorado choral ensembles' holiday performances.

December 23

6 p.m. | "Welcome Christmas!"

A one-hour special hosted by Minnesota Public Radio’s John Birge.

7 p.m. | “Colorado Spotlight" with Richard Toensing

A special edition of “Colorado Spotlight” featuring the sacred Christmas work by Colorado composer Richard Toensing.

December 24

8 a.m. | “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” 

Annual celebration from King's College in Cambridge, England featuring carols and readings from the Bible.

10 a.m. | “A Chanticleer Christmas” 

A one-hour choral celebration of the season featuring the voices of this renowned choir from San Francisco.

12 p.m. | “Charles Dickens and the Spirit of Christmas” 

An exploration of the history and music and history of Dickens' classic holiday story "A Christmas Carol."

1 p.m. | "The Nutcracker” 

A full performance and the story behind Tchaikovsky's complete Nutcracker ballet.

6 p.m. | "Candlelight Christmas"

Enjoy 12 continuous hours of holiday music on Christmas Eve.

December 24

10 a.m. | "Tinsel Tales 1: NPR Christmas Favorites"

NPR’s Lynn Neary hosts as David Sedaris, Bailey White, John Henry Faulk and other NPR voices, past and present guide a tour through the NPR archives with stories that touch on the meaning of Christmas.

7 p.m. | CPR Classical’s “Carol Countdown” 

David Rutherford hosts three hours of Colorado's favorite holiday music, as selected by CPR listeners.

December 24

12 p.m. |  "Mile High Noon Holiday Special"

Alisha Sweeney hosts this Christmas edition of “Mile High Noon” with music from Colorado bands and details on seasonal concerts happening in and around Denver.

4 p.m. | "A Very Hipster Christmas"

One hour of modern holiday tunes from non-mainstream bands.

5 p.m. | "Alt 50's Christmas"

An edgy take on holiday music from the 1950's that includes rock n roll, my baby left me blues, and lyrics about space travel and Cold War paranoia.

December 25

9 a.m. | "Christmas with the Colorado Children’s Chorale"

A two-hour broadcast of the group's 2015 holiday concert.

12 p.m. | "Carol Countdown"

David Rutherford hosts three hours of Colorado's favorite holiday music, as selected by CPR listeners.

3 p.m. | "Charles Dickens and the Spirit of Christmas"

An exploration of the history and music and history of Dickens' classic holiday story "A Christmas Carol."

December 25

10 a.m. | "Tinsel Tales 2: More NPR Christmas Favorites"

Lynn Neary hosts the second  collection of revered  holiday stories from the NPR archives as NPR voices, past and present, tell stories of the season. 

7 p.m. | "Tinsel Tales 3: Even More NPR Christmas Favorites"

Lynn Neary hosts the third and final collection of Christmas stories that will transport you to unexpected places. Audie Cornish, Ken Harbaugh, Nina Totenberg and other voices from NPR's past and present tell stories of the season in this hour-long special.

December 26

12 p.m. | "Best of Mile High Noon 2015"

Alisha Sweeney hosts this year-end edition of “Mile High Noon,” highlighting the top releases of 2015 from the Colorado music scene. 

4 p.m. | "Off the Charts 2015 Special (Notable #1's)"

Host Jessi Whitten looks back at memorable albums that reached the top spot on the OpenAir weekly Top 30 list this year.

5 p.m. | "Retrofit: Bye Bye 2015"

December 31

6 p.m. | "Beethoven Bash"

Charley Samson hosts this New Year’s celebration with all nine Beethoven symphonies, including the "Ode to Joy" from Symphony No. 9 at midnight. 

December 31

12 p.m. | "Best of Mile High Noon 2015"

Alisha Sweeney hosts this year-end edition of “Mile High Noon,” highlighting the top releases of 2015 from the Colorado music scene.

5 p.m. and 11 p.m. | "New Year's Revolution"

An hour of New Year's music from all genres, for all tastes, including a mix of rarities, favorites and a bit of nostalgia. 

7 p.m. | "New Year's Eve Dance Yourself Clean"

January 1

9 a.m. | "New Year's Day Live From Vienna"

Ring in the New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic.

January 1

6 a.m. | "Listener Poll 2015"

OpenAir unveil results of this year’s Listener Poll, counting down the top albums of 2015 as selected by you.