Best Christmas TV & Radio – December 2024 classical music round-up

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Published: Saturday, 30 November 2024 at 10:30 AM

Read on to discover our pick of the best classical Christmas TV and Radio this December on BBC radio and television, iPlayer and BBC Sounds…

Music, My Family and Me

In this new series about how we pass on and are nurtured by music, Nicky Campbell speaks to politician Neil Kinnock, novelist Nadifa Mohamed and footballer David James about their experiences of family life – with a sprinkling of seasonal numbers.

Radio 3, 30 Nov, 7 & 14 Dec, 1pm

Best Christmas TV & Radio… Switching on the Sound of Christmas

Radio 3 kicks off the festive season with an Advent adventure across the UK. Right across the day’s programming, nature reserves, islands, pubs and chapels throughout the four nations play host to live broadcasts celebrating some of our unique yuletide musical traditions.

Radio 3, 1 Dec, all day

A Latin American Christmas

Kate Molleson takes Composer of the Week on a festive armchair journey to five countries in Latin America, introducing us to composers and traditions spanning centuries and longitudes. From sumptuous Baroque choral music in Mexico to cool Brazilian bossa nova, Argentinian folk carols, Venezuelan guitar music and irresistible Puerto Rican salsa, there are plenty of treasures throughout the week to refresh your seasonal playlist.

Radio 3, 9-13 Dec, 4pm

Best Christmas TV & Radio… Christmas Around Europe

Strap in for a sonic sleigh ride as Radio 3 joins in the European Broadcasting Union’s annual December celebrations. Concerts come live throughout the day from cities including Prague, Copenhagen, Munich, Cologne, Helsinki and Reykjavík.

Radio 3, 15 Dec, all day

Friday Night is Music Night

Live from Snape Maltings, the BBC Singers and Concert Orchestra take centre stage in a special edition of the programme, with arrangements of time-honoured singalong classics including Adam’s O Holy Night and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, plus instrumental treats from Prokofiev, Coleridge-Taylor and Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride.

Radio 3, 20 Dec, 7.30pm

Best Christmas TV & Radio… Hallelujah: A Gospel Messiah

Conductor Marin Alsop’s reimagining of Handel’s perennial choral favourite has been an annual fixture in the US since its premiere in 1993, injecting the famous arias and choruses with a dose of jazz, gospel and R&B. In this energetic European premiere, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, Alsop conducts BBC ensembles and the London Adventist Chorale – with solos from South African tenor Zwakele Tshabalala and British soul singer Vanessa Haynes.

BBC Four, date and time TBC

A Latvian Choral Christmas

Donald Macleod heads to the cobbled streets and Christmas markets of Riga to discover the richness of Latvia’s thriving choral tradition. Along the way, he meets some of today’s top composers – including Erīks Ešenvalds – who have captured the hearts of audiences around the world with their often mysterious and always enthralling soundworlds.

Radio 3, 23-27 Dec, 4pm

Best Christmas TV & Radio… In Tune: Gareth Malone

The nation’s choirmaster and musical motivator Gareth Malone takes a guest spot in the drivetime slot, joined live by special guests to curate a playlist full of comfort and joy.

Radio 3, 23 & 24 Dec, 5pm

Mindful Mix

Whether you need a time out from family chaos, or a little moment to rejuvenate before the main day, set aside an hour to unwind with a sequence of warm and reflective classical music, selected especially for the festive season.

Radio 3, 24 Dec, 7pm

Best Christmas TV & Radio… Nine Lessons and Carols

The annual broadcast from King’s College, Cambridge is an appointment not to be missed – a feast of words and music featuring choral gems old and new. If you miss it live on Christmas Eve, you can catch the repeat while rustling up Christmas dinner on the big day itself.

Radio 4, 24 Dec, 3-5pm

Radio 3, 25 Dec, 1-3pm