Poster Tesfa Wondemagegnehu
Tesfa Wondemagegnehu, champion of choral music - and teacher extraordinaire.
MPR Photo / Nate Ryan
Performance Today®

Christmas cheer with Tesfa Wondemagegnehu

Tesfa Wondemagegnehu is a singer, teacher, conductor, and an all-around good guy. On Friday's Performance Today, he'll join Fred in the studio to talk about how music changes lives. Plus, he'll bring along a stack of his favorite holiday music, and share his tips for avoiding common caroling pitfalls.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Camille Saint-Saens (arr. Gregory Flint): Serenade d'Hiver (Winter Serenade)
The Asbury Brass Quintet
The Asbury Quintet with Adolphe Herseth, soloist: Works by Lutoslawski, Bohme, Grainger, Jevtic, Bozza, Saint-Saens
Albany 273

John Harbison: Little Fantasy on the Twelve Days of Christmas
Philadelphia Brass
Philadelphia Brass Christmas
Philadelphia Brass 1

Eric Whitacre: little tree
Elora Festival Singers; Noel Edison, conductor
Eric Whitacre Choral Music
Naxos 559677

Bob Chilcott: This Joy from Three Christmas Songs
Spivey Hall Children's Choir; Martha Shaw, conductor
Spivey Hall, Clayton State University, Morrow, GA

Traditional: New Snow/ Mittens for Christmas
Kirkmount
Mittens for Christmas
Dorian 93236

Traditional: The Cherry Tree Carol
Kirkmount
Mittens for Christmas
Dorian 93236

John Lennon and Yoko Ono (arr. Jake Shimabukuro and Robert Thurston): Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Yo-Yo Ma, cello; Jake Shimabukuro, ukulele
Yo-Yo Ma and Friends: Songs of Joy and Peace
Sony 24414

Klezmer Christmas with David Chevan Traditional (arr. David Chevan): Kiev Sher
Nu Haven Kapeyle
What's Nu?

Traditional (arr. Jon Hansen): O Little Town of Bethlehem
USC Bass Tuba Quartet
Los Angeles Tuba Christmas, Hall of Liberty, Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills, CA

Traditional: Dona Nobis Pacem/Auld Lang Syne
Yo-Yo Ma, cello; Chris Botti, trumpet
Yo Yo Ma & Friends - Songs of Joy and Peace
Sony 24414

Max Reger: Maria Weingenlied (Mary's Lullaby), Op. 76, No 52 and Weihnnachtstraum (Silent Night), Op. 17
Gregory Brown
University of Georgia, Hodgson Concert Hall, Athens, GA

Leonard Cohen (arr. Andrew Joslyn): Hallelujah
Passenger String Quartet
Classical KING FM's Second Inversion. Rethink Classical, Columbia City Theater, Seattle, WA

Hour 2

Traditional (arr. Matthew Culloton): Angels We Have Heard on High
The Singers; Matthew Culloton, conductor
Dulci Jubilo: Christmas with The Singers
The Singers

George Frederic Handel (arr. Take 6): Joy to the World
Take 6
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Warner Brothers/ Word Entertainment 47391

Franz Gruber (arr. Stephen Paulus): Silent Night
The Singers; Matthew Culloton, conductor
Dulci Jubilo: Christmas with The Singers
The Singers

Franz Biebl: Ave Maria
Chanticleer
Our Heart's Joy: A Chanticleer Christmas
Chanticleer Records

Morten Lauridsen: O Magnum Mysterium
Chamber Choir of Europe; Nicol Matt, conductor
Lauridsen: O Magnum Mysterium - Lux Aeterna - Madrigali - Les Chansons Des Roses
Haenssler Classic 98272

Traditional (arr. Steven Sharp Nelson & Al van der Beek): Carol of the Bells-God Rest Ye Merry
Steven Sharp Nelson, cello; The Piano Guys
A Family Christmas
Sony Masterworks

Pietro Antonacci: Sinfonia Pastorale: 2. Pastorale
Il Giardino Armonico
Christmas Concertos
Teldec 46013

Three Mo' Tenors: Have You Heard About the Baby - Glory to the Newborn King
Three Mo' Tenors: Thomas Young, Roderick Dixon, Victor Trent Cook
Three Mo' Tenors
RCA Records

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American Public Media’s Performance Today® is America’s most popular classical music radio program and a winner of the 2014 Gabriel Award for artistic achievement. The show is broadcast on hundreds of public radio stations across the country, including at 1 p.m. central weekdays on Minnesota Public Radio. More information about our stations can be found at APM Distribution.

Performance Today® features live concert recordings that can’t be heard anywhere else, highlights from new album releases, and in-studio performances and interviews. Performance Today® is based at the APM studios in St. Paul, Minnesota, but is frequently on the road, with special programs broadcast from festivals and public radio stations around the country. Also, each Wednesday, composer Bruce Adolphe joins host Fred Child for a classical musical game and listener favorite: the Piano Puzzler.

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