All Classical Radio is bringing you a soundtrack for the season that is sure to warm your heart this winter. As we look forward to another year of sharing music, comfort, and joy over the airwaves, we invite you to join us on the radio for beloved musical traditions and festive special programs. Plus, visit the All Classical Arts Blog for a deep dive into the origins of some of the carols you will hear on the air this year.
Tune in at 89.9 FM in Portland or worldwide at allclassical.org for these seasonal favorites, and handcrafted playlists to keep your holidays merry and bright. Stream festive episodes of some of your favorite All Classical programs on demand.
It’s all made possible by your generous support, and we are truly grateful. Please consider donating today to keep the music playing in the year ahead.
2024 Holiday Programming
Hanukkah
Beginning at sundown on December 25th – January 2nd
All Classical Radio celebrates The Festival of Lights with traditional melodies, festive dances, and more shared by hosts throughout the days and nights of Hanukkah.
Enjoy traditional Hanukkah music, including I Have a Little Dreydle, Maor Tzur (Rock of Ages), Oy Chanukkah (Chassidic Melody for Hanukkah), and more. You will also hear works by classical Jewish composers, including David Weintraub, Hugo Adler, Leo Low, and more.
The Classical Countdown to 2025
All day on December 31st
Tune in to All Classical Radio on New Year’s Eve, December 31st, beginning at 7:00 AM PT to hear a celebratory playlist, handcrafted by you! Throughout the day, we will count down some of the highest voted selections of 2024, and broadcast the winning piece at midnight. It’s a perfect way to ring in the New Year, with your favorite music and friends on the radio.
All Classical Radio’s Classical Countdown is generously sponsored by Music Millennium.
Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert
January 1, 2025 | 8:00 AM PT
Connecting communities through music locally and globally, All Classical Radio will kick off 2025 with a live broadcast of the Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert. The acclaimed orchestra will share lively and nostalgic music to usher in the New Year, under the baton of Maestro Riccardo Muti in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna.
The program consists of music from the vast repertoire of the Strauss family and their contemporaries. Learn more at wienerphilharmoniker.at.
ICAN RADIO
The Cinnamon Bear
November 29th – January 6th | Daily at 12:00 PM & 6:00 PM PT
A Portland tradition since 1937, the six-week-long radio series tells the tale of Paddy O’Cinnamon (the Cinnamon Bear), as he counts down to Christmas. The Cinnamon Bear is narrated by Bud Hiestand, with songs composed by Don Honrath and conducted by Felix Mills, lyrics by Glanville Heisch, and vocals by the Paul Taylor Quartet.
Listen at icanradio.org.
The Cinnamon Bear is generously sponsored by the Portland Spirit.
ON DEMAND
Stream festive episodes of some of your favorite All Classical programs like The Concert Hall, Sunday Brunch, Thursdays @ Three, and more on demand in the Audio Archive.
Karaoke Carols
Host your own karaoke carols singalong with family and friends, accompanied by acclaimed pianist David Saffert. It’s All Classical Radio’s Karaoke Carols Sing-Along, with music and lyrics on demand at singalong.allclassical.org.
Holiday Happy Hour
Hosted by Warren Black & Christa Wessel
Join Warren Black and Christa Wessel for a special Holiday Happy Hour, featuring new takes on festive tunes, a sneak peek of what’s ahead on All Classical for the holiday season, and more of your favorite classical music… with a twist!
Handel’s Messiah
Artistic Director Julian Perkins leads Portland Baroque Orchestra and the Cappella Romana chorus in George Frideric Handel’s beloved oratorio.
This recent performance from December 2024 includes vocal soloists: Rebecca Myers, soprano; Dann Coakwell, tenor; Sarah Coit, mezzo-soprano; and Christian Pursell, bass-baritone.
PAST PROGRAMS
First Day of Winter
Saturday, December 21st
All Classical Radio welcomes the season on the Winter Solstice with music evoking the shortest day of the year, and the promise of the return of the light. Plus, join us for your favorite Saturday programs including the The Score, The Concert Hall, and Club Mod.
All Classical Radio’s Festival of Carols
December 22nd – 25th
A treasured tradition for so many, All Classical Radio’s Festival of Carols returns with four days of cherished seasonal music from cultures around the world, curated to lift your spirit and warm your heart. Highlights include Christmastime classics, excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and Handel’s Messiah, alongside new releases and all-time favorite carols. This year’s Festival of Carols begins with special editions of your favorite weekend programs, including Sunday Brunch and Played in Oregon.
The Festival of Carols also includes a live broadcast of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols live from King’s College, Cambridge, UK on December 24th at 7:00 AM PT.
All Classical Radio’s Festival of Carols is generously sponsored by IBEW Local 48 and Parkview at Terwilliger Plaza.
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambridge
December 24th | 7:00 AM PT
Join us on the radio for A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, broadcasting LIVE from King’s College, Cambridge in England. This program was first introduced to King’s College on Christmas Eve 1918 to offer solace to people who were distressed, exhausted, and bereaved at the end of the First World War. Though not invented at King’s College, it was introduced by then Dean, Eric Milner-White, who wrote his own intro to set the scene for the reading of the lessons and singing of the carols.
Learn more at kings.cam.ac.uk.
This live broadcast of A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is part of All Classical Radio’s beloved Festival of Carols.
THANK YOU
All Classical Radio’s 2024 holiday programming is made possible by generous sponsors. Thank you to IBEW Local 48, Parkview at Terwilliger Plaza, Music Millennium, Bird Alliance of Oregon, Chubb Business & Personal Insurance Solutions, and the Portland Japanese Garden for supporting the music.
