Christmas Around Europe

Ian Skelly presents Radio 3's annual journey around Europe for a sequence of live and specially recorded concerts marking the festive season.

The day will begin with a live broadcast from Kallio Church in Helsinki for a programme of music for organ and wind quintet, followed by a concert from St Ulrich's Church, Vienna of traditional Christmas songs performed by the Vienna Chamber Choir.

The journey will continue with a programme of Bach and Vivaldi recorded at the German National Museum in Nuremberg, and a live concert from Bulgaria of Dimitar Nenov's Christmas Oratorio.

The Danish contribution to the day will be part of Bach's famous Christmas Oratorio followed by Scandinavian Christmas songs, and then to Frankfurt for Bach and Handel performed by Le Concert d'Astrée Chorus and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra.

A concert from Brno in the Czech Republic includes a premiere for baritone and chorus by Ondřej Kyas.

The day will conclude in a monastery church in Mafra, Portugal with a spectacular Christmas concert music featuring six organs and three choirs.

• Producer: Ellie Mant for BBC Radio 3

Publicity contact: SRB