Press Release
Contact: Sam Brewer
Sam_Brewer@WGBH.org
617-300-2070
BOSTON, MA (November 2018) – Classical.org, the WGBH Educational Foundation’s ongoing national digital initiative to make classical music accessible and relevant to all, has transformed into a digital destination for the holidays.
Having spent the last 11 months celebrating the 100th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein, Classical.org now features three distinct holiday music streams as well as original and curated audio/visual content designed to put audiences in a festive spirit this winter.
“In the bustle of activity between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, people sometimes lose sight of the magic of the holiday season,” said Tony Rudel the Executive Director of Classical.org and Station Manager of 99.5 WCRB, Classical Radio Boston. “With this in mind, we relaunched Classical.org to become a tranquil musical oasis in the midst of the holiday chaos. There’s nothing better than classical music to bring hope and joy into your life. The website has the perfect music soundtrack for your holidays – it’s like a yule log for your earbuds and your soul.”
Classical.org’s three holiday streams have been designed to offer something for a wide variety of musical tastes. “Classical Christmas,” will feature festive music from the Renaissance through the 20th century, including Handel’s “Messiah,” Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio,” and Charpentier’s “Noels pour les Instruments.” “Pops Holiday Party” will feature choral and instrumental season favorites such as “Let it Snow,” “Sleigh Ride,” “O Holy Night” and “Joy to the World.”
In addition, a hybrid stream, “Holiday Classical Mix,” will offer listeners the perfect mix of classical and pops: from choral songs such as “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” to instrumental music from Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Nutcracker” to an all-brass version of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” and a blend of classical pieces composed for the holiday season.
Classical.org launched in January 2018 as the media partner and official digital partner of the Leonard Bernstein Centennial. Content relevant to this intensive project celebrating the music, life and legacy of Leonard Bernstein will remain accessible from the website’s main page through the Centennial celebration.
About WGBH
WGBH Boston is America’s preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, including Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Arthur and more than a dozen other primetime, lifestyle and children’s series. WGBH’s television channels include WGBH 2, WGBX 44, and the digital channels World and Create. WGBH TV productions focusing on the region’s diverse community include Greater Boston, Basic Black and High School Quiz Show. WGBH Radio serves listeners across New England with 89.7 WGBH, Boston’s Local NPR®; 99.5 WCRB Classical Radio Boston; and WCAI, the Cape and Islands NPR® Station. WGBH also is a major source of programs for public radio (among them, PRI’s The World®), a leader in educational multimedia (including PBS LearningMedia™, providing the nation’s educators with free, curriculum-based digital content), and a pioneer in technologies and services that make media accessible to deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired audiences. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors: Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards and Oscars. Find more information at wgbh.org.
About Classical.org
Classical.org is a new, premiere digital music entertainment service of WGBH Educational Foundation. The digital media experience is dedicated to making classical music accessible and relevant to all. During 2018, Classical.org was media partner and official digital partner of the Leonard Bernstein Centennial, with support from Public Radio International (PRI). This winter, Classical.org is your digital home for the holidays highlighted by three distinct audio streams of classical and pops seasonal music. Follow @ClassicalOrg on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
