Download a printable Sound of the Season schedule!
Updated 12/26/2022: Kwanzaa is December 26 through January 1. Hear daily stories about the African American celebration each day at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on CPR Classical, or learn more here.
Family, food and festivities are what the holidays are all about! But even the most beautifully decorated home full of food feels a little empty without the perfect music. CPR Classical is your home for the holidays.
Your 2022 Sound of the Season will be full of favorite traditional specials, new holiday treats and exclusive Colorado recordings.
Returning for 2022: the 12 Days of Carols. Explore a new carol every day and hear their fascinating stories. And speaking of carols, voting for CPR Classical’s annual Carol Countdown is underway to name Colorado’s No. 1 carol for 2022! This year features tough matchups in four different divisions: Eggnog, Figgy Pudding, Snowman and Candy Cane. Visit the CPR Classical homepage to vote in the latest round or to find out if your favorite carols are winning. Then tune in Wednesday, Dec. 7 from 3 to 6 p.m. with Matt Weesner for the debut of the 14th annual Carol Countdown, including all 32 competing carols mixed with fond childhood holiday memories from your favorite Colorado Public Radio hosts.
New this year: Feliz Navidad! Join hosts Jessie Jacobs and CPR’s Luis Antonio Perez for Christmas music from Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guatemala. And tune in for a broadcast of the 2022 Colorado Children’s Chorale on Christmas Day.
Hear African American spirituals and music for Christmas with the return of Shout for Joy! with Monika Vischer and M. Roger Holland, II. Enjoy Hanukkah Reflections with Colorado Springs composer Ofer Ben-Amots. Celebrate Kwanzaa and be part of annual traditions like St. Olaf’s Christmas Festival and Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols.
Download a printable Sound of the Season schedule!
| Date | Time | Program |
| Dec. 26 | 2 p.m. | Hanukkah Reflections: music celebrating Jewish traditions at Hanukkah. Monika Vischer is joined by Colorado composer Ofer Ben-Amots. |
| Dec. 26 - Jan. 1 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Kwanzaa: CPR Classical celebrates African American music and culture...a celebration of community and family. |
| Dec. 31 | 5:30 p.m. | Beethoven Bash: ring in the New Year with all nine Beethoven symphonies. Reflect on the year and celebrate the new with this CPR Classical tradition, including the “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9 at midnight! |
| Jan. 1 | 9 a.m. | New Year’s Day from Vienna: celebrate the New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic, an annual tradition reaching millions around the world, conducted by Franz Welser-Möst. |
Here's what previously aired:
| Date | Time | Program |
| Dec. 19 | 8 a.m. | Stories of Hanukkah: the sounds and stories of Hanukkah, presented in short vignettes by Colorado Public Radio's Rebekah Romberg. |
| Dec. 19 | 9 a.m. | Hanukkah Reflections: music celebrating Jewish traditions at Hanukkah. Monika Vischer is joined by Colorado composer Ofer Ben-Amots. |
| Dec. 19 | 1 p.m. | Shout for Joy! African American Spirituals and Music for Christmas: two hours of spirituals and music from Black composers & musicians for the holidays, hosted by Monika Vischer with guest, M. Roger Holland II. |
| Dec. 19 | 4 p.m. | Stories of Hanukkah: the sounds and stories of Hanukkah, presented in short vignettes by Colorado Public Radio's Rebekah Romberg. |
| Dec. 19 | 4 p.m. | Feliz Navidad!: celebrate the holidays with music from Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guatemala! Hosted by Jessie Jacobs and CPR's Luis Antonio Perez. |
| Dec. 19 | 7 p.m. | “L’enfance du Christ” by Hector Berlioz: a 90-minute grand masterpiece in three parts based on the dramatic events following Christ’s birth as Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to safety. |
| Dec. 20 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Stories of Hanukkah: the sounds and stories of Hanukkah, presented in short vignettes by Colorado Public Radio's Rebekah Romberg. |
| Dec. 20 | 9 a.m., 6:30 p.m. | Colorado Spotlight: Christmas with the Colorado Children's Chorale: highlights from their 2021 holiday concert! |
| Dec. 20 | 11 a.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight featuring Tchaikovsky’s complete Nutcracker ballet |
| Dec. 20 | 8 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 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Stories of Hanukkah: the sounds and stories of Hanukkah, presented in short vignettes by Colorado Public Radio's Rebekah Romberg. |
| Dec. 21 | 2 p.m., 7 p.m. | December Solstice with Marilyn Cooley: an hour of midwinter reflection and music to celebrate the Winter Solstice. |
| Dec. 21 | 3 p.m. | The Ballad of the Brown King: a cantata by Margaret Bonds set to text by Langston Hughes, who felt inspired to “reinforce the image of African participation in the Nativity story.” |
| Dec. 22 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Stories of Hanukkah: the sounds and stories of Hanukkah, presented in short vignettes by Colorado Public Radio's Rebekah Romberg. |
| Dec. 22 | 3 p.m. | Holiday Pops with Karla Walker: an hour of celebratory holiday hits and enthusiastic winter favorites from America's pops orchestras. |
| Dec. 22 | 8:05 p.m. | December Solstice with Marilyn Cooley: an hour of midwinter reflection and music to celebrate the Winter Solstice. |
| Dec. 22 | 7 p.m. | St. Olaf Christmas Festival: the annual concert out of Northfield, Minnesota, featuring over 500 musicians and singers. |
| Dec. 23 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Stories of Hanukkah: the sounds and stories of Hanukkah, presented in short vignettes by Colorado Public Radio's Rebekah Romberg. |
| Dec. 23 | 9 a.m. | Comfort and Joy!: CPR Classical’s exclusive holiday collection recorded in Colorado Public Radio’s Performance Studio. |
| Dec. 23 | 11 a.m. | Carol Countdown 2022: three hours of Colorado’s favorite Christmas carols, and the culmination to this year's annual listener selected winners, hosted by Matt Weesner. |
| Dec. 23 | 2 p.m. | Feliz Navidad!: celebrate the holidays with music from Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guatemala! Hosted by Jessie Jacobs and CPR's Luis Antonio Perez. |
| Dec. 23 | 5 p.m. | Hanukkah Reflections: music celebrating Jewish traditions at Hanukkah. Monika Vischer is joined by Colorado composer Ofer Ben-Amots. |
| Dec. 24 | 7:55 a.m., 4 p.m. | Stories of Hanukkah: the sounds and stories of Hanukkah, presented in short vignettes by Colorado Public Radio's Rebekah Romberg. |
| Dec. 24 | 8 a.m. | LIVE: Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols: join in the annual worldwide, Christmas Eve broadcast from King’s College in Cambridge, England. |
| Dec. 24 | 10 a.m. | Metropolitan Opera: The Magic Flute: 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. 24 | 4:05 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. 24 | 6 p.m. | A Candlelight Christmas: share a quiet, sacred evening of Christmas music with CPR Classical, all evening long. |
| Dec. 25 | 7:55 p.m. | Stories of Hanukkah: the sounds and stories of Hanukkah, presented in short vignettes by Colorado Public Radio's Rebekah Romberg. |
| Dec. 25 | 9 a.m. | Carol Countdown 2022: three hours of Colorado’s favorite Christmas carols, and the culmination to this year's annual listener selected winners, hosted by Matt Weesner. |
| Dec. 25 | 12 p.m. | Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker:” Tchaikovsky's famous music and classic story. The entire ballet on CPR Classical. |
| Dec. 25 | 2 p.m. | New! Christmas with the Colorado Children's Chorale 2022: a broadcast of the 2022 holiday concert at Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver. |
| Dec. 25 | 3:30 p.m. | The 12 Days of Carols: twelve favorite carols and the fascinating stories behind them. |
| Dec. 25 | 4:35 p.m. | Stories of Hanukkah: the sounds and stories of Hanukkah, presented in short vignettes by Colorado Public Radio's Rebekah Romberg. |
| Dec. 25 | 5 p.m. | St. Olaf Christmas Festival: the annual concert out of Northfield, Minnesota, featuring over 500 musicians and singers. |
| Date | Time | Program |
| Dec. 12 | 9 a.m. | Holiday Pops with Karla Walker: an hour of celebratory holiday hits and enthusiastic winter favorites from America's pops orchestras. |
| Dec. 12 | 11 a.m. | Comfort and Joy!: CPR Classical’s exclusive holiday collection recorded in Colorado Public Radio’s Performance Studio. |
| Dec. 12 | 7 p.m. | “Kontakion on the Nativity of Christ:” Late Colorado composer and CU music professor Richard Toensing’s liturgical hymn for the Christmas season. |
| Dec. 13 | 9 a.m. | Carol Countdown 2022: three hours of Colorado’s favorite Christmas carols, and the culmination to this year's annual listener selected winners, hosted by Matt Weesner. |
| Dec. 13 | 7 p.m. | "Ceremony of Carols": a short masterpiece of simple beauty and innocence written by pacifist Benjamin Britten in the midst of World War II. |
| Dec. 14 | 9 a.m. | Feliz Navidad!: celebrate the holidays with music from Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guatemala! Hosted by Jessie Jacobs and CPR's Luis Antonio Perez. |
| Dec. 14 | 7 p.m. | Hanukkah Reflections: music celebrating Jewish traditions at Hanukkah. Monika Vischer is joined by Colorado composer Ofer Ben-Amots. |
| Dec. 15 | 9 a.m. | Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker:” Tchaikovsky's famous music and classic story. The entire ballet on CPR Classical. |
| Dec. 15 | 7 p.m. | The Ballad of the Brown King: a cantata by Margaret Bonds set to text by Langston Hughes, who felt inspired to “reinforce the image of African participation in the Nativity story.” |
| Dec. 16 | 9 a.m., 5 p.m. | Life of Beethoven with Marilyn Cooley: an hour of Beethoven on his assumed birthday, December 16. Celebrate 252 years of one of the greatest composers! |
| Dec. 16 | 6 p.m. | Carol Countdown 2022: three hours of Colorado’s favorite Christmas carols, and the culmination to this year's annual listener selected winners, hosted by Matt Weesner. |
| Dec. 17 | 9 a.m. | St. Olaf Christmas Festival: the annual concert out of Northfield, Minnesota, featuring over 500 musicians and singers. |
| Dec. 17 | 11 a.m. | LIVE Metropolitan Opera: Rigoletto: Verdi's excitingly intense three act opera about the titular jester, the despicable Duke of Mantua and their dark world. |
| Dec. 17 | 5 p.m. | Comfort and Joy!: CPR Classical’s exclusive holiday collection recorded in Colorado Public Radio’s Performance Studio. |
| Dec. 17 | 6 p.m. | Feliz Navidad!: celebrate the holidays with music from Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guatemala! Hosted by Jessie Jacobs and CPR's Luis Antonio Perez. |
| Dec. 18 | 6 a.m. | Sing for the Holidays!: America’s greatest holiday choral performances. |
| Dec. 18 | 8 a.m., 4 p.m. | Stories of Hanukkah Begins (During Sing!): the sounds and stories of Hanukkah, presented in short vignettes by Colorado Public Radio's Rebekah Romberg. |
| Dec. 18 | 2 p.m. | Hanukkah Reflections: music celebrating Jewish traditions at Hanukkah. Monika Vischer is joined by Colorado composer Ofer Ben-Amots. |
| Dec. 18 | 6 p.m. | “Judas Maccabaeus” by George Frideric Handel: the classic oratorio about the heart of the Hanukkah story and the origins of the Festival of Lights. |
| Date | Time | Program |
| Dec. 5 | 9 a.m., 7 p.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight with the Denver Philharmonic and Ars Nova |
| Dec. 6 | 9 a.m., 7 p.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight with St. Martin's Chamber Choir + Denver Brass |
| Dec. 6 | 1 p.m. | Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker:” Tchaikovsky's famous music and classic story. The entire ballet on CPR Classical. |
| Dec. 7 | 9 a.m., 7 p.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight with Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado & Kantorei |
| Dec. 7 | 3 p.m. | Carol Countdown 2022: three hours of Colorado’s favorite Christmas carols, and the culmination to this year's annual listener selected winners, hosted by Matt Weesner. |
| Dec. 8 | 9 a.m., 7 p.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight with Colorado Symphony 2018 Highlights |
| Dec. 8 | 3 p.m. | Feliz Navidad!: celebrate the holidays with music from Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guatemala! Hosted by Jessie Jacobs and CPR's Luis Antonio Perez. |
| Dec. 9 | 9 a.m., 7 p.m. | Colorado Holiday Spotlight with the Anima Chamber Ensemble & United States Air Force Academy Band |
| Dec. 9 | 4 p.m. | Holiday Pops with Karla Walker: an hour of celebratory holiday hits and enthusiastic winter favorites from America's pops orchestras. |
| Dec. 10 | 9 a.m. | At Home with Sphere: highlights from the holiday collection from Denver’s Sphere Ensemble. |
| Dec. 10 | 3 p.m. | Carol Countdown 2022: three hours of Colorado’s favorite Christmas carols, and the culmination to this year's annual listener selected winners, hosted by Matt Weesner. |
| Dec. 10 | 6 p.m. | Essential Classics: six hours of the essentials. |
| Dec. 11 | 6 a.m. | Sing for the Holidays!: America’s greatest holiday choral performances. |
| Dec. 11 | 3 p.m. | Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker:” Tchaikovsky's famous music and classic story. The entire ballet on CPR Classical. |
| Dec. 11 | 6 p.m. | "Messiah" by George Frideric Handel: a classic recording of the entire masterwork. |
| Date | Time | Program |
| Nov. 28 - Dec. 2 | 9 a.m., 7 p.m. | Colorado Spotlight featuring Colorado Children's Chorale: selections from previous Colorado Children's Chorale holiday concerts at Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver. |
| Nov. 28 | 7 p.m. | The Ballad of the Brown King: a cantata by Margaret Bonds set to text by Langston Hughes, who felt inspired to “reinforce the image of African participation in the Nativity story.” |
| Nov. 29 | 7 p.m. | Comfort and Joy!: CPR Classical’s exclusive holiday collection recorded in Colorado Public Radio’s Performance Studio. |
| Nov. 29 | 11 a.m. | Feliz Navidad!: celebrate the holidays with music from Mexico, Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guatemala! Hosted by Jessie Jacobs and CPR's Luis Antonio Perez. |
| Nov. 30 | 7 p.m. | Menotti: Amahl and the Night Visitors: Gian Carlo Menotti’s 1951 one-act opera inspired by "The Adoration of the Magi" by 15th century Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch. |
| Dec. 1 | 9 a.m., 7 p.m. | Colorado Spotlight with the Colorado Symphony Holiday Brass: a special edition of Colorado Spotlight featuring festive recordings from Colorado Symphony's brass section. |
| Dec. 1 | 6 p.m. | Holiday Pops with Karla Walker: an hour of celebratory holiday hits and enthusiastic winter favorites from America's pops orchestras. |
| Dec. 2 | 3 p.m. | Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker:” Tchaikovsky's famous music and classic story. The entire ballet on CPR Classical. |
| Dec. 2 | 7 p.m. | Shout for Joy! African American Spirituals and Music for Christmas: two hours of spirituals and music from Black composers & musicians for the holidays, hosted by Monika Vischer with guest, M. Roger Holland II. |
| Dec. 3 | 11 a.m. | Essential Christmas with Jessie Jacobs: Six hours of the holiday essentials. |
| Dec. 4 | 6 a.m. | Sing for the Holidays!: America’s greatest holiday choral performances. |
| Dec. 4 | 10 a.m. | Holiday Baroque with Jean Inaba: celebrate the season in 17th and 18th century style! |
| Dec. 4 | 5 p.m. | Comfort and Joy!: CPR Classical’s exclusive holiday collection recorded in Colorado Public Radio’s Performance Studio. |
| Date | Time | Program |
| Nov. 19 | 9 a.m. | United in Music with Monika Vischer: a musical grounding in what we share, including Copland’s "Lincoln Portrait" and Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy." |
| Nov. 20 | 6 a.m. | America Sings!: a special edition of Sing! CPR Classical presents some of America’s great choirs and voices. |
| Nov. 20 | 3 p.m. | United in Music with Monika Vischer: a musical grounding in what we share, including Copland’s "Lincoln Portrait" and Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy." |
| Date | Time | Program |
| Nov. 22 | 7 p.m. | United in Music with Monika Vischer: a musical grounding in what we share, including Copland’s "Lincoln Portrait" and Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy." |
| Nov. 24 | 9 a.m., 4 p.m. | Giving Thanks with John Birge: A celebration of fall, food and gratitude with John Birge, joined this year by new U.S. Poet Laureate, Ada Limon. |
| Nov. 25 | 5 p.m. | United in Music with Monika Vischer: a musical grounding in what we share, including Copland’s "Lincoln Portrait" and Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy." |
| Nov. 25 | 7 p.m. | Giving Thanks with John Birge: A celebration of fall, food and gratitude with John Birge, joined this year by new U.S. Poet Laureate, Ada Limon. |
| Nov. 26 | 11 a.m. | Essential Christmas with Jessie Jacobs: six hours of the holiday essentials. |
| Nov. 27 | 6 a.m. | Sing for the Holidays!: America’s greatest holiday choral performances. |
| Nov. 27 | 5 p.m. | Holiday Pops with Karla Walker: an hour of celebratory holiday hits and enthusiastic winter favorites from America's pops orchestras. |
| Nov. 27 | 6 p.m. | Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker:” Tchaikovsky's famous music and classic story. The entire ballet on CPR Classical. |
Your holiday soundtrack, all season long!
Hear CPR Classical by clicking “Listen Live” at the top on 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."
