Vote now to create YourClassical Christmas Favorites, a one-hour holiday special highlighting the top carols based on your votes with hosts Tom Crann and Jake Armerding.


Graphic with ornaments and text Christmas Favorites: The top carols as ranked by you.

Holiday

Vote: Choose 'YourClassical Christmas Favorites' songs from your favorite hosts 

Where we turn up the voices of Black artists in the world of classical music, with host Vernon Neal.

Rhapsody in Black - Thanksgiving

Vernon Neal is the host of the podcast ‘Rhapsody in Black,’ where we turn up the voices of Black artists in the world of classical music.


Host/Producer

Vernon Neal

Before the turkey and pies, Black households across America would start their holiday in church. Hymns like “Come Ye Thankful People, Come” were sung with spirituals like “Give Me Jesus.” That choral tradition became the soil from which soul music grew. Find out more in the latest episode of the 'Rhapsody in Black' podcast. 


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Rhapsody in Black

Daniel Welch/Morahan Arts and Media

Thanksgiving's longstanding connection with gospel music

'Welcome Christmas'

For host Bonnie North, classical music is more than just a genre — it's a way of life. She stumbled into the world of radio after responding to a newspaper ad for Vermont Public Radio seeking a classical music DJ for its Sunday afternoon show. Despite having no previous radio experience, she was confident in her knowledge of classical music and took a chance. She created an audition tape, and the rest is history. Her favorite composer depends on her mood. Sometimes she seeks the meditative sounds of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, while other times she craves the angular compositions of Igor Stravinsky. Of course, she also loves the classics by composers who include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel. But she is always looking for contemporary composers and is eager to discover new musical talents. Outside of work, she loves to attend live music events. She also enjoys traveling and having friends and family scattered throughout the United States and Europe. But her love for animals is just as strong, and she often volunteers at animal shelters. She is an avid duathlon participant, combining her love for running and biking in one exciting event.


Bonnie North

‘Welcome Christmas’ is a perennial Christmas favorite from VocalEssence, one of the world's premier choral ensembles. Join host Bonnie North for an hour of traditional carols and new discoveries.


'Welcome Christmas!'

New Classical Tracks (extended interview): Marc-André Hamelin

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Julie Amacher's desire to introduce others to great music is what led her to radio. She began her professional broadcast career at a station in Sun Prairie, Wis. She went from rock 'n' roll to the Rocky Mountains, where she found her niche in public radio at KUNC in Greeley, Colo. Julie spent 13 years at KUNC, where she managed the announcers and their eclectic music format. During that time, she earned four national awards for best announcer. She joined Minnesota Public Radio in 1997 as an on-air host and also produces New Classical Tracks, a weekly podcast sharing behind-the-scenes stories about a new release each week. It airs locally at 7:15 a.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesdays and at 9 a.m. on Saturdays.


Julie Amacher

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks,’ Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin explores rare works he’s collected throughout his career on his latest recording. Listen now with host Julie Amacher!


A man in a blazer sits on a piano bench next to a piano

Hamelin: Hexensabbat - Marc-André Hamelin

New Classical Tracks® 

Sim Cannety-Clarke

Marc-Andre Hamelin presents music and sounds he’s unearthed over the years

A Chanticleer Christmas

Melissa Ousley stumbled into a career in broadcasting many years ago when she moved to Wichita, Kansas to be near her soon-to-be husband. The attraction (to radio work, that is) was immediate and the chance to be around great music without having to practice piano was irresistible. After establishing herself as a host and producer in Kansas, Melissa moved to Minnesota and continued her work at WCAL in Northfield and Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul. Her morning classical show at WCAL was twice named "Best Classical Radio Program" by the Twin Cities paper City Pages. Melissa grew up near New York City. As a teenager, she attended the Preparatory Division of the Manhattan School of Music. Her bachelor's degree in music education is from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. When she's away from the airwaves, Melissa loves to run, read, and spend time with her family.


Melissa Ousley

Celebrate the season with song! Melissa Ousley hosts this one-hour program of holiday favorites, new and old, presented live in concert by Chanticleer, the Grammy-winning 12-man ensemble known as "an orchestra of voices."


APM; photo by Stephen K. Mack

'Every Good Thing'

'Songs of Thanks' with Cantus

'The Sound of Cinnamon'

We have a variety of classical specials for the holiday season, from Christmas to New Year's Day. Listen to them any time that's convenient using this comprehensive listing.


Thanksgiving Playlist: Classical Music for Holiday Meals - YourClassical MPR Playlist

YourClassical Storytime: Lurkey is Lost!

YourClassical Storytime: Something From Nothing - The Story of Fry Bread

YourClassical Storytime: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

YourClassical Storytime: The Nutcracker

YourClassical Storytime: Christmas Every Day

YourClassical Storytime: The Snow Maiden

YourClassical Storytime: Why Evergreens Never Lose Their Leaves

Holiday Favorites: Classical music for Christmas - YourClassical MPR Playlist

YourClassical Storytime: The Lost Menorah

Jamie Street/Unsplash

Listen to our 2025 winter holiday specials on demand

Here is a day-by-day guide to all of our special holiday programming for the 2025 season, from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.


2025 YourClassical Holiday Programming Schedule

Minnesota Orchestra - Nov. 21, 2025

Minnesota Orchestra - November 14, 2025

Minnesota Orchestra - October 31, 2025

On Friday, Nov. 21, Thomas Søndergård led the Minnesota Orchestra in a concert that presented three perspectives on processing grief, featuring music by Dorn, Clyne and Brahms. Listen to the concert now!


Minnesota Orchestra - November 21, 2025

An orchestra performing onstage, led by a conductor on a podium

Thomas Søndergård: Taken by the Sound | Minnesota Orchestra

Celebrating a Century on the Airwaves

Minnesota Orchestra

Zoe Prinds-Flash

Listen: Søndergård leads the Minnesota Orchestra in Brahms' 'Requiem'

Saturday Cinema - Nov. 22, 2025

Lynne has been at this radio thing since 1984 when she fell into an historic job at KFAC AM and FM, the commercial classical station in Los Angeles.  She was the first woman staff announcer in the station's history, and it was such big news back then, it made the LA newspapers and national radio publications.  She is thrilled women in radio is no longer newsworthy.


Lynne Warfel

On the latest episode of ‘Saturday Cinema,’ host Lynne Warfel shares deep cuts from listeners’ most-requested composers, including James Newton Howard, Michael Giacchino and Alexandre Desplat. Listen now! 


Saturday Cinema

Peter Cobbin

Listener requests: Deep cuts

Two long-lost organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach were recently performed in Germany

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Scott Simon

Two works newly attributed to J.S. Bach got their first performance in centuries this week.
