Tune into WQED-FM’s Q the Music station to hear 24/7 local holiday music from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day!
We’ve assembled your commercial free holiday soundtrack featuring a multitude of local ensembles, artists and composers. It’s all local, all the time, and available to you online, on smart speakers and the WQED app.
Songs of Thanks
Thursday November 27th, 6-7p.m.
Join us for “Songs of Thanks,” an innovative new production by Cantus, presented exclusively by Minnesota Public Radio. Through their signature narrative programming, the acclaimed octet will weave together stories and songs celebrating gratitude and community. Don’t miss this special broadcast, designed to uplift the human spirit and honor the season.
Every Good Thing
Thursday November 27th, 7-8p.m.
This Thanksgiving, host Andrea Blain and classical music fans from all around the country take time to give thanks and celebrate one of life’s most meaningful gifts: music. It’s “Every Good Thing” — an hour of stories and music to celebrate Thanksgiving.
Shadowglow: Thanksgiving with The American Sound
Thursday November 27th, 8-9p.m.
This Thanksgiving, enjoy an hour of music celebrating the special radiance of autumn and the richness of the holiday — music inspired by the uncanny fire of starlight, the hopeful warmth of luminaria, the lamps of gratitude we light within ourselves, and even the golden glow of beloved Thanksgiving treats fresh from the oven. Michael Torke’s Appalachian-inspired Spoonbread is a scrumptious soundtrack for puttering in the kitchen, and Peter Boyer’s Radiance, the incandescent “Choose Something Like a Star” from Randall Thompson’s Frostiana, Michael Whalen’s nostalgic Shadows of October , Kenji Bunch’s contemplative Luminaria and Craig Hella Johnson’s affirming The Song That I Came to Sing fill the holiday with shimmering nuances of gratitude and hope.
The Thanksgiving Visitor
Thursday November 27th, 10-11p.m.
Truman Capote reads his classic – The Thanksgiving Visitor.
Performance in Pittsburgh
Friday December 5h, 7-8pm
Highlights from the 2024 “Holiday Traditions” concert by the Butler County Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Austin Chanu.
Heinz Chapel Choir Live
Friday December 5th, 8-10pm
A live broadcast of the Heinz Chapel Choir Holiday concert from Heinz Chapel, directed by Dr. Susan Rice.
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Live
Sunday December 7th, 2-5 p.m.
A live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Manfred Honeck conducts Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” and the Shostakovich Symphony No. 5. Concertmaster David McCarroll plays the Beethoven Violin Concerto.
River City Brass Live
Tuesday December 11th, 7:30-10pm
A live broadcast of the River City Brass Christmas Brasstacular from Bethel Park High School.
Performance in Pittsburgh
Friday December 12th, 7-9 p.m.
The CMU December concert, recorded on Friday December 5th, 2025 at Carnegie Music Hall. Daniel Nesta Curtis conducts Respighi’s Fountains and Pines of Rome and Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride. Thomas Douglas conducts the Carnegie Mellon Chorus in Ki Mitzion arranged by Robert Page and a Welsh Lullaby. The Chorus and Philharmonic join forces for Bach’s Magnificat.
A Chanukah Celebration Across the Globe
Monday December 15th, 8-9 p.m.
Illuminate the Festival of Lights with this fascinating journey into the rich and varied melodic traditions of countries where Jews have lived and worshiped for centuries. This program includes Jewish music from Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Balkans, Central Asia …and Africa! You’ll hear performances from top New York ensembles East of the River, Shashmaqam, and the Marty Levitt Klezmer Orchestra – plus a recording of the astounding Jewish community of Putti Village, in Uganda.
A Chanukah Celebration with Chicago A Cappella
Tuesday December 16th, 8-9 p.m.
This inspiring and informative program features choral music set to Chanukah texts. Heartfelt original compositions by American and British composers provided added depth of expression to celebrating the holiday.
Chanukah in Story and Song 2025
Wednesday December 17th, 6-7 p.m.
Leonard Nimoy and the Western Wind with a musical celebration spanning Ladino songs of Spanish Jews, Yiddish melodies from Europe, and modern Israeli tunes.
Pittsburgh Symphony Radio
Wednesday December 17th, 7-9 p.m.
Immerse yourself in the majestic sounds of this iconic oratorio. From the powerful “Hallelujah” to the uplifting arias, Handel’s Messiah is a musical journey that transcends time.
A Taste of Chanukah
Thursday December 18th, 7-8pm
Theodore Bikel hosts a joyous Chanukah concert for the whole family, with traditional and contemporary storytelling and music from more than 150 musicians of the New England Conservatory and Boston Community Choir.
Candles Burning Brightly
Thursday December 18th, 8-9pm
A delightful hour for everyone to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights! Lots of music from Jewish communities around the world, plus a hilarious lesson on how to prepare a classic Chanukah dish, and a timeless and touching holiday story that brings light into every home.
Polish Christmas Cheer
Friday December 19th, 6-7 p.m
A brand new Polish holiday music program, hosted by guest announcer Eva Tumiel Kozak.
Performance in Pittsburgh
Friday December 19th, 7-9 p.m.
A broadcast of the 2025 Pitt Men’s Glee Club Holiday concert. Recorded at First Baptist Church on December 6, 2025.
Jim & Rick Play Holiday Classics – “There Arose Such a Clatter”
Sunday December 21st, 2-5pm
Rick Sebak joins Jim Cunningham for 3 hours of holiday music and storytelling.
Pittsburgh Symphony Radio
Sunday December 21st, 7-9 p.m.
Immerse yourself in the majestic sounds of this iconic oratorio. From the powerful “Hallelujah” to the uplifting arias, Handel’s Messiah is a musical journey that transcends time. (repeat)
In Winter’s Glow
Sunday December 21st, 9-10pm
A winter solstice program, with modern classical sounds for the longest night of the year, chosen especially to complement the chilly, starry nights of the season.
Chanukah Memories and Melodies
Monday December 22nd, 7-8 p.m.
A new special featuring interviews with artists and public personalities about their Chanukah memories grounded in the music tied to their holiday memories. Guests include cellist Alisa Weilerstein, Broadway actress Tovah Feldshuh, Sephardic music expert and flutist Daphna Mor, musician and Yiddish musicologist Henry Sapoznik, poet, musician and author Aaron Dworkin, and Eric Jacobsen, artistic director of The Knights.
Itzhak Perlman’s Chanukah Radio Party
Monday December 22nd, 8-9 p.m.
Join the superstar violinist as he tells the story of the Jewish festival of lights, and shares his favorite recordings for the holiday – some serious, some silly. This engaging one-hour special includes numbers from Itzhak Perlman’s radio-addicted childhood in Israel; evocative songs in Yiddish and Ladino; classical music that revolves around the Maccabee heroes of the story; and Chanukah gems by American folk singers.
A Chanticleer Christmas
Tuesday December 23rd, 8-9pm
Grammy award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer is known as the “orchestra of voices” for its unparalleled range and abilities. This holiday season, the group brings its brand-new Christmas program including original arrangements of well-known tunes drawn from Classical, Jazz, and Popular traditions. They fluently weave between diverse musical styles to create an evening of wonder and joy.