Add this to your calendar

Whether you’re decking the halls, wrapping presents or still frantically shopping online for them, we’ve got a few holiday playlists sure to get you into the spirit of the season.

Press play on these video archives from some of our merriest performances of Christmas past. Featuring holiday classics, gospel favorites, whimsical reimaginings and classical arrangements – all recorded live on our stage.

WQXR’s Live Christmas Concert

WQXR celebrated the holiday season with a special concert broadcast live from our stage. Audiences heard festive favorites performed by an array of classical music stars, with WQXR’s own Annie Bergen, Clemency Burton-Hill, Paul Cavalconte, Elliott Forrest, Nimet Habachy, Terrance McKnight, and Jeff Spurgeon helping to bring in the holiday spirit. With performances by: Jeffrey Biegel, piano; Rupert Boyd, guitar; J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano and Aaron Diehl, piano; Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano and Gregg Kallor, piano; Stephen Costello, tenor; JHMJams; Bridget Kibbey, harp; Martha Mooke, viola; Andrew Staples, tenor; Conrad Tao, piano; Xiayin Wang, piano and Young New Yorkers Chorus. Recorded live on our stage on December 16, 2018.

Christmas Songbook with The King’s Singers

The King’s Singers returned to our stage to perform selections from their new album, Christmas Songbook, featuring a mix of traditional carols and modern-day classics with a hint of swing. Recorded live on our stage on November 30, 2016. 

WQXR Presents Calmus: Christmas Carols of the World

Calmus Ensemble, the award-winning a cappella quintet from Leipzig, Germany, presented a program from their new Christmas album live on our stage for WQXR. The performances features sacred and secular carols spanning the centuries from Europe, Scandinavia, Russia and the Americas. Recorded live on our stage on Dec. 7, 2015. 

The Soul Now Sings: A Musical Christmas Journey

The Soul Now Sings: A Musical Christmas Journey tells the story of a world-weary New Yorker who has lost the joy of the holiday season. Written by Karen Chilton, it was commissioned by The Greene Space and composed by award-winning musician Damien Sneed. The musical features a cast of 20 singers and musicians performing Sneed’s original arrangements of gospel, jazz and classical favorites. Recorded live on our stage on December 4, 2015. 

WQXR Presents Musical Gifts with Joshua Bell and Friends

Violinst Joshua Bell joined us for an evening of holiday music with special guests Michael Feinstein, Frankie Moreno and the Young People’s Chorus of New York. They performed from his album, “Musical Gifts: Joshua Bell and Friends.” Recorded live on our stage for WQXR on December 10, 2013.

WQXR Presents the Canadian Brass: Christmas Time Is Here

The Canadian Brass stopped by for an exclusive New York performance from their new CD, “Christmas Time Is Here.” The performance featured arrangements of songs by Vince Guaraldi and Luther Henderson as well as traditional favorites from A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman and more. Recorded live on our stage for WQXR in December 2013. 

WQXR Presents Christmas with the King’s Singers

The King’s Singers, one of the world’s most celebrated vocal ensembles, brought us an a cappella Christmas from England. In this exclusive New York appearance presented by WQXR, the sextet performed timeless carols, Christmas classics and new arrangements in their impeccable vocal blend. Recorded live on our stage on December 16, 2014.