Playlist: Holiday Specials from WFIU Public Radio
Compiled By: WFIU

'Tis the season! Here are some of our best holiday-themed shows. Happy holidays.
An Early Music Christmas
From WFIU | 57:59
An hour-long program of seasonal music from the distant past and through the ages -- both sublime and earthly, across time and place, across beliefs and traditions.
- Playing
- An Early Music Christmas
- From
- WFIU
An hour-long program of seasonal music from the distant past and through the ages, both sublime and earthly, across time and place, and across beliefs and traditions. Featuring a rich selection of well-known holiday vocal music, including selections from Handel's Messiah, Bach's Christmas Oratorio, and a variety of traditional hymns, carols and song. A festive addition to your Christmas programming schedule!!!
Hep to the Holidays
From WFIU | Part of the Night Lights Classic Jazz: Specials series | 59:01
An hour-long program of "cool-Yule" classic jazz, featuring holiday jazz from Louis Armstrong, Bill Evans, Horace Silver and more, including poet Sascha Feinstein’s reading of his “Christmas Eve” jazz poem.
- Playing
- Hep to the Holidays
- From
- WFIU
Night Lights' annual holiday tribute celebrates the season with plenty of cool-Yule jazz, including Shorty Rogers' take on "The Nutcracker," pianist Bill Evans having some vocal fun with "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (as well as the backstory on how the song came to be written), guitarist Emily Remler offering up a luminous version of "Snowfall," and poet Sascha Feinstein reading his poem about the legendary Miles Davis-Thelonious Monk Christmas Eve 1954 recording session. Lighthearted and poignant, perfect for December.
A Latin American Christmas
From WFIU | 58:55
One-hour special of warm and sunny holiday music from many latin-american locales. A festive program for the holiday season!!!
- Playing
- A Latin American Christmas
- From
- WFIU
A Latin American Christmas brings your listeners some warm and sunny music of the season and a lot of good cheer from many lands south of the border and even the equator. Feliz Navidad! (A Spanish version is coming soon!)
The New Year’s Eve Jam
From WFIU | Part of the Night Lights Classic Jazz: Specials series | 59:01
An hour-long special featuring jazz music and spoken-word performances for the coming New Year from Charlie Parker, Lenny Bruce, Slim Gaillard, Ken Nordine, and more.
- Playing
- The New Year’s Eve Jam
- From
- WFIU
"The New Year's Eve Jam" ushers in the coming year in radio nightclub style, with music from Slim Gaillard, Harry the Hipster Gibson, Charlie Parker, Big John Patton, and more, as well as spoken-word pieces from Ken Nordine, Lenny Bruce, and Gregory Corso... an evening for hipsters, flipsters, and time-trippin' daddies.
Christmas Carols, Chant and Legend
From WFIU | Part of the Harmonia Early Music: Specials series | 58:57
An hour-long program of early music, celebrating Christmas from a variety of traditions, including the original tunes of two well-known carols, medieval music based on legends of Saint Nicholas, and Byzantine chant sung during the Christmas season. Plus, a gift of Celtic holiday music from baroque orchestra Apollo's Fire.
- Playing
- Christmas Carols, Chant and Legend
- From
- WFIU
We're celebrating Christmas with music from a variety of traditions. We'll explore the original tunes of two well-known carols, hear medieval music based on legends of Saint Nicholas, and sample Byzantine chant sung during the Christmas season. Plus, baroque orchestra Apollo's Fire offers a gift of Celtic holiday music in our featured release.
In Italia: A Renaissance Christmas from Venice, Naples, Milan and Beyond
From WFIU | Part of the Harmonia Early Music: Specials series | 58:59
We’re celebrating the holiday season with Nativity music from the late Renaissance to the early 17th century in Europe, performed by the musicians of Historical Performance Institute at the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University.
- Playing
- In Italia: A Renaissance Christmas from Venice, ...
- From
- WFIU
We’re celebrating the holiday season with Nativity music from the late Renaissance to the early 17th century in Europe, performed by the musicians of Historical Performance Institute at the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University.
A Baroque Christmas in the New World
From WFIU | Part of the Harmonia Early Music: Specials series | 59:00
An hour-long program of early music, celebrating the holiday season with festive music from 17th- and 18th-century Mexico, Peru and Bolivia performed by the musicians of the Historical Performance Institute at the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University. Join us for A Baroque Christmas in the New World.
- Playing
- A Baroque Christmas in the New World
- From
- WFIU
We’re celebrating the holidays with a unique performance of music from 17th- and 18th-century Mexico, Peru and Bolivia, including a cantata and three free-standing works by colonial Mexican composer Manuel de Sumaya – works that have not been performed since his lifetime!
Join us as musicians of the Historical Performance Institute at the Jacobs School of Music of Indiana University bring these sparkling works to life once again.
We’ll also hear villancicos, motets and so much more—all marking some part of the story of Christmas.
Music in this program is from a live performance at Indiana University's Jacob School of Music, October, 2014 by members and faculty of Historical Performance Institute / Dana Marsh, Dir.
Pieces are not available on a commercial recording.
Holiday special: Noel, Noel!
From WFIU | Part of the Harmonia Early Music: Specials series | 59:00
This hour, Harmonia explores the word "Noel" through music from the middle ages to the early baroque. Celebrate the season with this special, eclectic music!
- Playing
- Holiday special: Noel, Noel!
- From
- WFIU
A Christian expression of joy, the word "noel" has been associated with Christmas for hundreds of years. Harmonia looks at its many guises in music from the Middle Ages to the early baroque.