On Sunday, Dec. 16, CBC Radio 2 presents Joy to the World, a full day of holiday music programming from the countries of the European Broadcasting Union.
It's a tradition that's been going strong for 19 years, uniting the globe through traditional music for the holiday season. It's no exaggeration to say Joy to the World is the most anticipated broadcast event of the year on CBC Radio 2.
Again this year, Peter Togni will guide CBC Radio 2 listeners as they travel from country to country, enjoying live performances from historic churches and concert halls across Europe.
While you're listening, use the comments section below to let us know how you're enjoying the performances. Togni may read your comments on air.
Here's the schedule for Joy to the World 2012:
Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012
9:00 a.m.: Kallio Church, Helsinki.
The day gets off to an energetic start with an all-Vivaldi concert from the Baroque Ensemble of the Finnish Radio Orchestra. They'll play Vivaldi's Concerto for violin and strings, Il riposo, per il santissimo natale. And soprano Tuuli Lindeberg joins the orchestra for the motet Salve Regina.
10:00 a.m.: Garrison Church, Copenhagen.
Inaugurated in 1706 as a parish for Copenhagen's militia, the Garrison Church is a popular concert venue. The Ars Nova Vocal Ensemble, directed by Paul Hillier, will perform a program of antiphons and carol, including Adam Lay ybounden, Es ist ein Rosentsprungen and Ding dong merrily on high.
11:00 a.m.: Small Guild Hall, Riga.
Conductor Maris Kupcs leads the Collegium Musicum Riga Baroque Orchestra, choir and a quartet of soloists in a concert of 18th-century music, the centrepiece being Telemann's Missa sopra 'ein kindelein so lobelich.' Riga's historic Small Guild Hall is mostly used nowadays for conferences and the occasional disco, but serves on this occasion as a concert venue for baroque music.
12:00 p.m.: Vzlet Culture House, Prague.
Off to Prague for Bohemian seasonal music from the Czech Radio Children’s Choir and the Brno Folk Instruments Ensemble under the direction of Frantisek Cerny. The concert includes highlights from Harmonia Caelestis, a cycle of cantatas composed by Paul I, first Prince Esterházy of Galántha and published in 1711.
1:00 p.m.: Northern Lights Hall, Reykjavik.
This concert features a jazz trio comprised of pianist Kjartan Valdimarsson, bassist Valdimar K. Sigurjonsson and drummer Einar Valur Scheving. They join vocalist Sigridur Thorlacius and other winners from the annual Icelandic Music Awards for traditional Icelandic and international Christmas songs.
2:00 p.m.: Christinae Church, Gothenburg.
The Swedish Chamber Choir won the 2011 Let the Peoples Sing Euroradio Choral Competition. They're featured today singing music by Poulenc, Part, Alfven, Liljefors, Ohlsson, Sandstrom, Nordqvist, Rosenburg, Ohrwall, Nielsen, Mealor and Lange-Muller. Simon Phepps conducts.
3:00 p.m.: German National Museum, Nuremburg.
A mix of 17th-century baroque music and traditional carols with Ensemble NeoBarock and the Eismannsberger Strings and Women Singers. The German National Museum is the largest museum of cultural history in Germany.
4:00 p.m.: Tblisi State Conservatory Grand Hall, Tblisi.
A program of traditional Georgian carols, songs and hymns performed by a number of groups, including Shavnabada, Didgori, Shalva Chemo and the Tblisi Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir.
5:00 p.m.: Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul, Montreal.
A CBC tradition "with heart and soul and voice," the 33rd annual CBC Christmas Sing-In features carols and other music for the season performed by choir, organ, brass and percussion, and an audience of over 1,000 singing along at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul in Montreal.
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Handel's Messiah: a survival guide
Top 10 classical Christmas concerts to check out this season
Listen to CBC Music's classical holiday stream 24/7