Wednesday, Dec. 18

Artistic Director Harry Christophers and singers from the Handel & Haydn Society explore a fascinating and eclectic selection of festive music, including carols by the “father of American choral music,” William Billings.

Thursday, Dec. 19

Join Alan McLellan music and performances that make the season a unique experience around New England.

Friday, Dec. 20

The acclaimed early music ensemble from Minnesota performs festive music from early Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, and beyond, reflecting the colonial Latin American melting pot of ethnic diversity through music.

Frank Dominguez shares traditional Spanish language villancicos of the season and sacred works by composers such as Joaquín Rodrigo.

Saturday, Dec. 21

The San Francisco-based men’s chorus is one of the world’s best male ensembles, an “orchestra of voices.”

Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus take the stage for one of Boston's most cherished traditions. Tune in for your favorite carols, a few surprises and a visit from a certain red-suited fellow, direct from Symphony Hall!

Sunday, Dec. 22

The story of the Nativity continues as the Shepherds arrive at the manger in the fourth of Bach's six cantatas for the season.

Boston Ballet conductor Jonathan McPhee joins James David Jacobs for a guided tour through Tchaikovsky’s magical ballet score, with an extra helping of sugar-plum fairies.

For their 25th anniversary tour of the US, the globally-revered vocal ensemble, directed by Peter Phillips, presents a sublime holiday concert at St. Paul’s Church in Harvard Square, presented by the Boston Early Music Festival and hosted by Cathy Fuller.

8pm: Handel's Messiah with Boston Baroque

Martin Pearlman conducts Handel's oratorio in concert at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall, with soprano Mary Wilson, mezzo-soprano Ann McMahon, tenor John McVeigh, and baritone Andrew Garland.

11pm: The Bach Hour - Advent Masterpieces

Bach channels the mystery of the Advent season in the Variations on Vom Himmel hoch, performed on one of Bach's favorite instruments, and the Cantata No. 132, in a concert performance led by John Eliot Gardiner.

Monday, Dec. 23

Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus take the stage for one of Boston's most cherished traditions. Tune in for your favorite carols, a few surprises and a visit from a certain red-suited fellow, direct from Symphony Hall!

Tuesday, Dec. 24

Broadcast live from Cambridge, England, the Choir of King's College continues a tradition begun in 1918, with traditional and recently composed carols for the season and readings from the Nativity story.

Hear holiday celebrations from the concert halls and cathedrals of Europe.

Tune in for your stories and favorite music, woven together expertly by Cathy Fuller on one of the most magical days of the year.

Hear the late master comedian in a distinctive reading of Dickens' holiday classic, from a special performing edition prepared by Dickens himself.

We mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the renowned British composer Benjamin Britten through his Ceremony of Carols and other holiday works, as well as traditional carols arranged by Sir David Willcocks, all performed by the NEC Chamber Chorus, led by Erica Washburn.

Wednesday, Dec. 25

Harry Christophers conducts Handel's iconic oratorio in concert at Symphony Hall. Join Brian McCreath and Harvard scholar Thomas Forrest Kelly, author of First Nights: Five Musical Premieres.

The award-winning choir from London pays a visit to St. Paul's Church in Harvard Square for a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season.

Join Brian McCreath for the six cantatas that make up one of history's most remarkable musical celebrations of the season.

WCRB's afternoon host fills your holiday with seasonal masterpieces, including Mozart's exquisite German-language arrangement of Handel's Messiah.

Join us for a program of song and word that has become one of the nation’s most cherished holiday celebrations, featuring the St. Olaf Orchestra and five choirs comprised of more than 500 student musicians.

WCRB’s late-night host brings you a magical evening of the most timeless selections for the season.

Thursday, Dec. 26

Join us for a great British tradition, replete with special guests, Christmas Crackers, figgy pudding and lots of great music from the UK’s finest concert halls.

Friday, Dec. 27

Frank Dominguez is your host for an exploration of New Year traditions with a Spanish accent, ranging from traditional Mexican waltzes played by Cuarteto Latinoamericano, to Viennese waltzes led by Argentinians Daniel Barenboim and Carlos Kleiber.

Saturday, Dec. 28

We mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the renowned British composer Benjamin Britten through his Ceremony of Carols and other holiday works, as well as traditional carols arranged by Sir David Willcocks, all performed by the NEC Chamber Chorus, led by Erica Washburn.

We ring out the old year by revisiting one of the highlights of the 2013 Tanglewood season: Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, conducted by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, with mezzo-soprano Ann-Sophie von Otter, the PALS Children's Chorus and the women of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus.

Sunday, Dec. 29

Bach depicts the fearful actions of Herod and the symbolism of light piercing a dark world in the fifth of his six cantatas for the season.

Monday, Dec. 31

Hall of Fame broadcaster Ron Della Chiesa bids Auld Lang Syne to 2013 and reminds us that “The Best is Yet to Come!”

Tuesday, Jan. 1

Direct from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna, it’s the most popular classical music concert in the world! Laura Carlo hosts this national broadcast, produced by WCRB, as Daniel Barenboim leads the annual celebration concert by the Vienna Philharmonic.

Champagne, Concertos…and Coffee! Join us for a Boston New Year’s Tradition, now shared with the nation! Martin Pearlman leads Boston Baroque, now in its 40th Anniversary Season as America’s oldest “period-instrument” orchestra in a festive All-Bach New Year’s Day concert, live from Sanders Theatre in Harvard Square.

Sunday, Jan. 5

The culmination of Bach's cycle of six cantatas for the season contrasts the cruelty of earthly life and the magic of Christmas.

Eternal Echoes for Hanukkah

The New England Conservatory's Hankus Netsky joins James David Jacobs for Jewish sacred music from diverse cultures.

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Boston Pops maestro Keith Lockhart joins morning host Laura Carlo to share some of his personal favorites of the season, many of which are contained on the brand-new CD, "A Boston Pops Christmas Live from Symphony Hall."

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The award-winning choir from London pays a visit to St. Paul's Church in Harvard Square for a concert of radiant sacred music for the Christmas season.

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Artistic director Anthony Trecek-King selects and leads a program of holiday favorites and unique arrangements.

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Enchanting music and the eternally powerful story of the Nativity come together in magnificent medieval song and poetry from France, England and Germany, directed by Anne Azéma.

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