Winter

The Secret Story Behind Tchaikovsky’s Mysterious Celesta in “The Nutcracker”

Explore the history of the celesta, a unique instrument used in Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker and Harry Potter's theme. Discover how it went from obscurity to symphony staple.

These Rides Really Sleigh

Brian Lauritzen gallops into the holidays with these compositions about sleigh rides.

Albums of the Year | 2025

Top albums of 2025 according to the music programmers at Classical California.

The Ukrainian Folk Tune Behind “Carol of the Bells”

A Classical California Holiday Sing-a-Long Special | Saturday, December 20, 7-9PM

Saturday, December 20, 7-9PM: A Classical California Holiday Sing-a-Long Special hosted by Jennifer Miller Hammel – From your favorite carols to Handel’s Messiah, tune in and follow along with the lyrics below (as well as the score for the Handel choruses), so you can sing-a-long with the season!

Chapman Challenge: The History of Handbells

In this Chapman Challenge, Alan explains the history of handbells, their transition from bell tower practice tools to melody instruments, and how melodies are divided among ringers in a handbell choir.