MTPR Holiday Programs 2014
December 21 - Sunday
6:00 p.m. Hanukkah Lights 2014 - A perennial NPR favorite with brand new Hanukkah stories written by acclaimed authors Debra Ginsberg, Anne Burt, Simone Zelitch, Andy Borowitz, and Theodore Bikel. Hear a wide variety of stories perfect for the holiday. Hosted by Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz.
7:00 p.m. Candles Burning Brightly - a one-hour celebration of Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. There's plenty of music from Jewish communities around the world, plus an exploration of holiday traditions, and a special story reading by Theodore Bikel.
8:00 p.m. A Paul Winter Solstice, from the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City - The performance brings traditional holiday favorites and new sounds from around the world with special guests Ivan Lins and Renato Braz.
December 22 - Monday
7:00 p.m. Moth Radio Hour holiday special – Monkeys, Megachurches, and First Elves
Challenges are encountered when decorating the White House for Christmas, a man is hesitant to work with a ‘Hollywood’ style church in his neighborhood, a Jewish girl meets Santa, and a boy thinks his dreams have finally come true when he gets an exotic pet.
8:00 p.m. All Songs Considered for the Holidays - NPR Music host Bob Boilen and friends trade holiday cheer and snarky barbs while bringing you the best holiday songs from new and emerging breakout bands.
9:00 p.m. Thistle and Shamrock with Fiona Ritchie – Nollaig – traditional carols, along with seasonal favorites, dance tunes and verses – a celebration of the traditional Celtic Christmastide
December 24 - Wednesday
11:00 a.m. Christmas Eve Freeforms with Rockin’ Rudy’s Bruce Miklus and Gus Chambers
4:00 p.m. The Pea Green Boat Christmas Eve - the annual reading of Stubby Pringle's Christmas
7:00 p.m. Tinsel Tales 3 - NPR holiday stories of all kinds; funny, touching, insightful, and surprising
8:00 p.m. Light and Gold: The Music of Eric Whitacre – A program of Christmas holiday music by one of America's most popular composers of choral music
9:00 p.m. Welcome Christmas! – the VocalEssence holiday concert from American Public Media. hosted for the sixteenth year by John Birge
10:00 p.m. Advent Voices – an hour of the most beautiful vocal music inspired by and written for Advent
11:00 p.m. A Chanticleer Christmas – The program spans the globe and the centuries - from England in the 1300's to new arrangements of classic and contemporary carols to Chanticleer's popular Gospel medley of Christmas tunes
December 25 - Thursday
5:00-7:00 a.m. Morning Edition from NPR and Marketplace Morning Report (no Montana News today)
7:00 a.m. Tinsel Tales – 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
8:00 a.m. A Chanticleer Christmas – The program spans the globe and the centuries - from England in the 1300's to new arrangements of classic and contemporary carols to Chanticleer's popular Gospel medley of Christmas tunes.
9:00 a.m. Light and Gold: The Music of Eric Whitacre – A program of Christmas holiday music by one of America's most popular composers of choral music
10:00 a.m. Advent Voices – an hour of the most beautiful vocal music inspired by and written for Advent
11:00 a.m. Tinsel Tales 2 – another collection of the best and most requested holiday stories. Joy, hope, and childhood memories overflow as NPR voices, past and present, tell stories of the season
11:55 a.m. A Christmas Memory - Truman Capote’s classic story read by MTPR’s Gus Chambers
12:30 p.m. BBC World Service
1:00 p.m. Here and Now – NPR’s midday news program, co-hosted by award winning journalists, Robin Young and Jeremy Hobson
2:06 p.m. Jazz Piano Christmas XXX - Pianists Cyrus Chestnut, Kris Davis, Lynne Arriale and The "Master" Harold Mabern take the stage to perform their favorite holiday songs
3:00 p.m. Hot Jazz for a Cool Yule – a Riverwalk Jazz special for the holidays, with Jim Cullum and the Band and an all-star cast of legendary jazz players, outstanding vocal artists and one outrageous tap dancer
4:00 p.m. Musician’s Spotlight Special – Featured artists include Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, The Indigo Girls, Derek Trucks, Alison Krauss, John Gorka, and Karan Casey
4:30 p.m. A Shortcut to the North Pole – a wild and crazy joyride mix to Santa’s workshop with music from Gene Autry to Bruce Springsteen and more
5:00 p.m. All Things Considered (no Montana News today)
7:00 p.m. Jonathan Winters’ A Christmas Carol – Master comedian Jonathan Winters presents a distinctive reading of Dickens' holiday classic, from a special performance edition prepared by Dickens for his own presentations
8:00 p.m. St. Olaf Christmas Festival – A service in song and word that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday celebrations. The festival 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.
10:00 p.m. Joy to the World 2014 - holiday jazz performance recorded live, with pianist Bob Thompson and his band, also featuring singer Heather Masse
11:00 p.m. Holiday Standard Time with Michael Feinstein – a celebration of the American holiday songbook, with rarely heard recordings from Peggy Lee, Rosemary Clooney, Louis Prima, and Donny Hathaway, and featuring Michael Feinstein
December 28 – Sunday
6:00 p.m. Sound Opinions Presents The Best Albums of 2014 – What did 2014 sound like? Find out what albums you really should know about.
December 29 - Monday
8:00 p.m. Capitol Steps New Year’s Edition of Politics Takes a Holiday – roasting 2014 to a crisp, the Capitol Steps present their annual year-in-review awards!
December 31 – Wednesday
8:00 p.m. to midnight Toast of the Nation – The NPR New Year's tradition continues with jazz you can party to all night long. With sets from the Newport Jazz Festival, Winter Jazzfest, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
January 1, 2015 – Thursday
9:00 a.m. New Year’s Day Live from Vienna 2015 – The Vienna Philharmonic presents its ever popular annual New Year's Day concert, with favorite waltzes and polkas – a festive way to start off the New Year.