Euroradio Christmas Music Day
Every year, the Euroradio Christmas Music Day is eagerly awaited by listeners throughout Europe and beyond. On the Sunday before Christmas, EBU radio organizations contribute live or deferred concerts of music focused on the theme of Christmas. It has been one of the EBU’s most popular offerings ever since it first aired in 1995.
One of the keys to the Day’s appeal resides in its closeness, not only to radio listeners but also to the live audiences at the concert venues, who may enjoy traditional ceremonies or even be asked to sing along with the performers. The potential repertory is vast, ranging from traditional carols to Baroque sacred music and contemporary a cappella works.
2023 Edition
On 17 December 2023, the Euroradio Christmas Music Day will once again allow European listeners to collectively enjoy this shared broadcast marathon of seasonal concerts from 15 EBU organizations in 13 countries. This year’s edition will kick off at 08:00 UTC with the sounds of 16th century Lisbon and end in Paris with a full performance of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker with Orchestre National de France at 22:00 UTC. Other highlights include live broadcasts from the Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam with the Choir of St. John's College Cambridge, a special Christmas commission from Latvia with Sinfonietta Riga as well as the first performance of Bára Gisladottir’s new work by the Danish National Vocal Ensemble. Other Christmas treats on the day will cover spirituals and gospels from Vilnius, as well as traditional orthodox polyphony from Sofia, plus Mozart orchestrates Handel’s Messiah from London with the BBC Singers.
This edition has been curated by Edward Blakeman, Head of Music Programmes, BBC Radio 3.
The offer is available in MUS under the reference EURO/2023-2024/N/001-015.
The Euroradio Christmas Music Day would not be possible without the longstanding technical support of BBC Radio 3.
List of concerts
Avres Serva ensemble, from Lisbon
Mariana Castello-Branco, soprano
Pedro Massarrão, cello
Nuno Oliveira, organ, director
Recorded on 12 December 2023
RTP (Portugal)
Cantanti DAI MONTI VERDI, from Sofia
Recorded in December 2023
BNR (Bulgaria)
Choir of St. John's College Cambridge, from Amsterdam
Christopher Gray, conductor
Live on 17 December 2023 at 10.00 UTC
NPO (Netherlands)
Música Temprana, from Stockholm
Adrián Rodriguez Van der Spoel, conductor
Recorded on 9 December 2023
Swedish Radio
SWR Vocal Ensemble, from Stuttgart
Krista Audere, conductor
Recorded on 9 December 2023
SWR (Germany)
Minna Pensola and friends, from Helsinki
Antti Tikkanen, violin
Live on 17 December 2023 at 13.05 UTC
YLE (Finland)
Sinfonietta Rīga, from Riga
Daumants Liepinš, piano
Liene Andreta Kalnciema, organ
Normunds Šnē, conductor
Live on 17 December 2023 at 14.00 UTC
Latvian Radio
Danish National Vocal Ensemble, from Copenhagen
Mads Høck, organ
Phillip Faber, conductor
Live on 17 December 2023 at 15.00
Danish Radio
Nordic Affect, from Reykjavík
Recorded on 16 December 2023
RÚV (Iceland)
NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, from Hanover
Michael Hofstetter, conductor
Recorded on 15 December 2023
NDR (Germany)
Vilnius Voices, from Vilnius
Kristina Žaldokaitė, conductor
Live on 17 December 2023 at 18.00 UTC
LRT (Lithuania)
BBC Singers, from London
Sofi Jeannin, conductor
Recorded in December 2023
BBC (United Kingdom)
Bavarian Radio Chorus, from Munich
Munich Radio Orchestra
Gavin Sutherland, conductor
Recorded on 6 December 2023
BR (Germany)
Ensemble Frizzante, from Brno
Recorded on 9 December 2023
Czech Radio
Orchestre National de France, from Paris
Petr Popelka, conductor
Recorded on 14 December 2023
Radio France
Christmas Favourites from Around the World
EBU Music has gathered a playlist of most-loved winter pieces from around Europe, for broadcast in the weeks leading up to/during Euroradio Christmas Music Day: a unique collection of beloved seasonal music selected by 27 EBU radio organizations. See in MUS Part I and Part II.
Details
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Duration
17 December 2023