Christmas PBS and BYUtv Specials Announced for 2019!
The air dates and times for the PBS and BYUtv December broadcast specials, Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir featuring Kristin Chenoweth have been announced. The TV specials are taken from the 2018 concert with the Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning singer and actor.
PBS: A 60-minute version of the program will premiere on PBS on Monday, December 16, 2019 at 9 p.m. ET (check your local PBS station for specific date/time listings).
KUED, the local PBS station In Utah soon to be known as “PBS Utah,” will be airing this year’s special at 8 p.m. MT. Additional airings will be shown on Sunday, December 23 at 3:00 p.m.; Tuesday, December 24 at 8:30 p.m.; and Thursday, December 26 at 2:00 a.m. (all MT).
BYUtv: The 90-minute version will air on BYUtv on Thursday, December 19 at 7 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET (5 and 8 p.m. MT). There will also be additional airings at the following dates and times:
Friday, December 20 1:00 a.m. ET / 11:00 p.m. MT (Thursday, December 19)
Friday December 21 11:00 p.m. ET/ 9:00 p.m. MT
Saturday, December 21 6:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. MT
Sunday, December 22 6:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. MT
Tuesday, December 24 10:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. MT
Wednesday, December 25 12:30 p.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. MT
The program will also be available on BYUtv.org for on-demand viewing.
View the trailer of the Christmas special for an overview of what you’ll enjoy! These annual specials have been the top-viewed holiday program on PBS for 15 of the past 16 years!
About the 2019 Christmas Special
Chenoweth joins a 600-person strong cast composed of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, Orchestra at Temple Square, and Bells on Temple Square for a night of Christmas celebration through music, dance and storytelling. With a special program that puts Chenoweth’s characteristic artistry on display with the artistry of the Choir and Orchestra, viewers will enjoy a mix of classic Christmas carols and festive hits from across a number of genres: Broadway, pop, country, classical and Christian/gospel.
“There were exactly three programs I watched on TV growing up: The Tabernacle Choir holiday specials, Miss America and the Tony Awards,” remarked Kristen Chenoweth. “This Christmas concert is part of my history, part of my DNA, and it was a bucket list item of mine for a long time, so I am very honored and grateful for this experience. It is music and professionalism at the highest level—it could be a Broadway show. I have been so fortunate to perform in a lot of amazing places, but this is a top 3 moment for me in my career and something I will never forget.”
“Kristin was on our radar to be a guest artist for our Christmas special for at least a decade, making this year’s program even that much more special for us,” said Mack Wilberg, music director of The Tabernacle Choir. “Not only is she one of the most versatile performers we’ve ever had grace our stage, but we were all just completely overwhelmed and charmed by the incredible energy, warmth and generosity that she brought to the production. We are thrilled that millions of viewers worldwide will be able to feel that this holiday season.”
The program was recorded in 2018 over the course of three nights in Salt Lake City’s Conference Center at Temple Square in front of a live combine audience of over 63,000. In addition to the airings on PBS and BYUtv, the concert program is available as a DVD or CD titled Angels among Us. To purchase or download the recordings, visit tabchoir.org/shop/Christmas.
Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir History
Since 2004, the Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir TV specials—recorded and broadcast one year after the original public concert—have become a beloved PBS tradition. This will be the third year that BYUtv, a nationwide family entertainment network, will co-present the program alongside WGBH, the largest creator of PBS content to TV and the web.
The Tabernacle Choir Christmas concerts have been a tradition that dates back many decades with concerts in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Beginning in 2000, the annual concerts moved to the Conference Center on Temple Square, where the Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square have hosted a diverse roster of world-class talent. Check here to see the historical list of special guests who have participated in these wonderful concerts since 2000. Memorable CDs, DVDs, and books have been created from these programs to further share the magic of the concert.
Watch Prior BYUtv Christmas broadcasts
Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir Featuring Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville
Sunday, December 8 11:00 p.m. ET/9:00 p.m. MT
Thursday, December 18 8:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. MT
Thursday, December 19 11:30 p.m. ET/9:30 p.m. MT
Monday, December 23 4:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. MT
Wednesday, December 25 7:00 a.m. ET/5:00 a.m. MT