Joy to the World, CBC Music’s annual Euroradio holiday special, takes place Sunday, Dec. 23, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. NT.)
This special broadcast is one of the most popular events of the year on the CBC Music airwaves. The full day of holiday music programming brings you performances from countries of the European Broadcast Union. It’s a tradition that’s been proudly celebrated for 25 years, bringing us together with music each Christmas.
This year’s broadcast, hosted by Tom Allen, will include performances from Austria, Finland, Germany, Portugal and other locales.
You'll find a detailed schedule below, with information about each country's contribution. All times are set for your time zone, 30 minutes later in Newfoundland.
9 to 10 a.m.: Leipzig, Germany
From the campus of the University of Leipzig, Risto Joost leads the MDR Radio Choir in this Christmas choral concert. Musical highlights include Francis Poulenc’s Quatre Motets pour le Temps de Noël and Arvo Pärt's Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen.
10 to 11 a.m.: Montreal, Que.
Hear the Clavecin en Concert Ensemble in this French baroque Christmas concert from L'Église de la Visitation de la Bienheureuse-Vierge-Marie, the oldest church on the island of Montreal. Luc Beauséjour (pictured) leads the group in works by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Michel Richard Delalande and Michel Corrette. The ensemble is joined by baritone Hugo Laporte, winner of the 2014 OSM Manulife Competition.
11 a.m. to noon: Sankt Pölten, Austria
Listen in on a performance from the Sankt Pölten Cathedral in northeast Austria that includes Johann Sebastian Bach’s Magnificat in E-flat Major. The Neue Hofkapelle Cathedral Choir and Neue Hofkapelle Graz are lead by Otto Kargl and featured soloists are Martina Daxböck and Barbara Zidar-Willinger (sopranos), Anna Kargl (alto), Johannes amberger (tenor) and Stefan Zenkl (bass).
Noon to 1 p.m.: Helsinki, Finland
From Kallio Church, members of the Finnish Baroque Orchestra perform music by Handel and Telemann. The program includes Handel arias sung by tenor Juho Punkeri and a Telemann concerto for baroque flute and recorder featuring Pauliina Fred and Hanna Haapamaki. The concert begins with a bell chorale written by Sibelius specifically for this church.
1 to 3 p.m.: Munich, Germany
The Basel Chamber Orchestra and Bavarian Radio Chorus join forces for the first time to perform selections from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio led by Howard Arman. The soloists are Christina Landshamer (soprano), Ulrike Malotta (mezzo-soprano), Julian Pregardien (tenor) and Andreas Wolf (bass-baritone).
3 to 4 p.m.: Copenhagen, Denmark
From Copenhagen, the Danish National Vocal Ensemble presents a Christmas concert with repertoire ranging from early baroque to new compositions. The ensemble is lead by Olof Boman and Michala Petri is the recorder soloist.
4 to 5 p.m.: Tjörn Island, Sweden
Simon Phipps (pictured) leads the Swedish Chamber Choir in this Swedish Christmas choral concert. The program includes music by Michael Praetorius, Peter Maxwell Davies and Benjamin Britten.
5 to 6 p.m.: Lisbon, Portugal
Our special broadcast concludes with some musical warmth from sunny Portugal. You’ll join a unique Christmas concert with early music ensemble O Bando de Surunyo lead by Hugo Sanches.
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