BBC Radio 3's programmes

You can find here the schedule of BBC Radio 3 one week ahead, and the related important information, like the name of the presenters and the teasers of the programmes. Above the radio programmes, with the radio finder, you can switch to other radios, and with the date option, you can set the starting day of your search. If you find any mistakes in our schedule, like there is other programme in the radio, than in our schedule, or something is missing, please help us by contacting us on the Contact page, and we will fix it as soon as possible. If you would like to see more radios' schedules simultaneously, please visit the general Schedule page.

00:30 - Through the Night
Kurtág plays with Bach
György Kurtág's piano arrangements of Bach chorales from the Musikdorf Ernen Festival.
06:30 - Breakfast
Start your weekend the Radio 3 way, with Saturday Breakfast
Emma Clarke sets up your Saturday morning.
09:00 - Saturday Morning
Hannah French hosts a Christmas party for Saturday Morning
Hannah French hosts a Christmas party with live music, guests & the best festive playlis ... More >>t.
Jools and friends share festive favourites
Jools is joined by Sally Phillips, Ruby Turner and Phil Veacock for a festive special.
13:00 - Clive Myrie at Christmas
A selection of classical Christmas treats
Clive Myrie introduces a personal selection of Christmas favourites. (R)
14:00 - Record Review
Britten's Ceremony of Carols in Building a Library with Jeremy Summerly and Andrew McGregor
Jeremy Summerly chooses his favourite version of Britt ... More >>en's seasonal Ceremony of Carols.
16:00 - Sound of Cinema
Christmas film scores
Matthew Sweet with the greatest Christmas film soundtracks.
17:00 - This Classical Life
Jon Boden pops round for a Christmas party
Jess Gillam with a special festive show at home in the Lake District, with guest Jon Boden
18:00 - Opera on 3
Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann
The Royal Opera's staging of Offenbach's fantastical opera starring Juan Diego Flórez.
21:30 - Music Planet
Cumbia unleashed with Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto
Lopa Kothari shares a live performance from Colombian group Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto.
22:30 - New Music Show
Apartment House at the church of St Giles Cripplegate
Kate Molleson offers a seasonal feast of new music to stimulate and to sooth.
00:30 - Through the Night
Bruckner motets and Schubert's final mass
Manfred Honeck with the Munich Philharmonic Chorus and German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra
06:30 - Breakfast
Start your Sunday the Radio 3 way with Tom McKinney
Tom McKinney presents Radio 3’s festive classical breakfast show.
09:00 - Sunday Morning
Your perfect Sunday Christmas soundtrack
Sarah Walker with festive classical music to get you into the Christmas spirit.
12:00 - Private Passions
Christmas Collection
Michael Berkeley shares festive music choices from Private Passions over the years.
13:30 - Music Map
A journey to Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker
Destination: Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Snowflakes. Your travel guide: Sara Mohr-Pietsch.
15:00 - Choral Evensong
Llandaff Cathedral
Live from Llandaff Cathedral. (R)
16:00 - Jazz Record Requests
Festive Mix
Alyn Shipton with a special seasonal mix of jazz requests to get you in the festive mood.
17:00 - The Early Music Show
An Early Music Yule
Hannah French explores the world of festive Early Music.
18:00 - Words and Music
A Christmas Menagerie
Robert Lindsay and Shiloh Coke with a range of animals from sheep to turkeys and reindeer.
19:15 - Sunday Feature
Skid Row Messiah
The story of the annual Messiah performance in Skid Row, LA, and in Handel's London.
20:00 - Drama on 3
Gershwin & Miss Swift
The extraordinary true story of composer Kay Swift and her affair with George Gershwin.
22:00 - Ultimate Calm
Ólafur Arnalds: Series 3, Relax and flow with river-inspired music ft. Nanna
4/12 Ólafur Arnalds shares a selection of relaxing musi ... More >>c inspired by rivers, flow and change. (R)
23:00 - The Night Tracks Mix
Christmas at Night
An atmospheric half hour mix of music and seasonal sounds to conjure Christmas after dark. (R)
23:30 - Unclassified
Illuminations
Elizabeth Alker with mid-winter music from artists and composers defying genre convention.
00:30 - Through the Night
Bacewicz, Baird and Respighi from Poznań
The Amadeus Polish Radio Chamber Orchestra performs music by Bacewicz, Baird and Respighi.
06:30 - Breakfast
Morning classical
Petroc Trelawny presents Radio 3’s award-winning classical breakfast show.
09:30 - Essential Classics
The very best of classical music
Georgia Mann plays the best in classical music.
13:00 - Classical Live
The Holly and the Ivy
Specially recorded music and items reflecting the festive season.
16:00 - Composer of the Week
Christmas in Latvia, Welcome to Riga
1/5 Donald Macleod visits Riga to experience seasonal music and Christmas traditions in Latvia
17:00 - Christmas with Gareth Malone
23/12/2024
A classical Christmas with Gareth Malone.
19:00 - Christmas at Ronnie's

Giacomo Smith's Big Band presents Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker.
20:30 - Drama on 3
Guys and Dolls at Christmas
Two seasonal tales from Guys and Dolls writer Damon Runyon, performed by Jamie Parker.
22:00 - Night Tracks
Meditative music for late night solace
An immersive soundtrack for the nights before Christmas, with Hannah Peel.
23:30 - 'Round Midnight
Samara Joy's 4/4
A festive favourite from the US singer's record collection.
00:30 - Through the Night
Bach's Christmas Cantatas from Lausanne Cathedral
Michael Hofstetter conducts Concerto Köln with soloists and the Tölz Boys' Choir.
06:30 - Breakfast
Ease into Christmas Eve with classical music
Petroc Trelawny presents a Christmas Eve edition of the classical breakfast show.
09:30 - Essential Classics
A feast of great music
Georgia Mann plays the best in classical music.
13:00 - Classical Live
Handel's Messiah alla Mozart
Handel's festive masterpiece reworked by Mozart recorded at this year's BBC Proms.
16:00 - Composer of the Week
Christmas in Latvia, Christmas Mysteries
2/5 Donald Macleod explores Latvian music evoking the magic and mystery of the Christmas st ... More >>ory
17:00 - In Tune
24/12/2024
A classical Christmas with Gareth Malone.
19:00 - A Hygge Christmas with Sara Mohr-Pietsch and Niall Breslin

Sara Mohr-Pietsch and Niall Breslin with calming music for Christmas Eve.
21:00 - Ultimate Calm
Festive sounds for winter warmth ft. The Staves
Escape with Ólafur Arnalds for a special musical journey into Christmas calmness. (R)
22:00 - Night Tracks
Nocturnal music to bewitch the senses
An immersive soundtrack for Christmas Eve, with Hannah Peel.
23:30 - 'Round Midnight
Jazz on Christmas Eve
Soweto unwraps an hour of festive music Yule love.
00:30 - Through the Night
Kuhmo Chamber Music presents 'Christmas Dinner at the Brodskys' from Helsinki
Recreating Christmas 1887 when Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Grieg dined to ... More >>gether.
06:30 - Breakfast
Sunrise classical on Christmas Day
Hannah French presents a Christmas Day edition of Radio 3's classical breakfast show.
09:30 - Christmas Morning Live

Join Petroc Trelawny to celebrate Christmas with live festive music and listener requests.
13:00 - A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Christmas 2024
A service of carols, hymns and readings live from the Chapel of King's College, Cambridge. (R)
15:00 - BBC Proms
Proms at Christmas 2024, Prom 60: Late Night with Eric Whitacre
BBC Proms 2024: BBC Singers and conductor Eric Whitacre perform Eternity in an Hour ... More >>.
16:00 - Composer of the Week
Christmas in Latvia, Christmas Joy
3/5 Donald Macleod celebrates Christmas alongside ‘Ziemassvētki’, or Winter Solstice, in Riga.
17:00 - Words and Music
Bah! Humbug!
Dominic West and Ruth Bradley explore the challenging aspects of Christmas. (R)
18:15 - BBC Proms
Proms at Christmas 2024, Prom 54: Beethoven for Three
BBC Proms 2024: Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos and Yo-Yo Ma play Brahms and Beethoven.
20:00 - BBC Proms
Proms at Christmas 2024, Prom 70: Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet
BBC Proms 2024: The BBC National Orchestra of Wales and conductor Jaime Martín.
22:00 - Night Tracks
Bewitching sounds for after dark
An immersive soundtrack for Christmas Day, with Hannah Peel.
23:30 - 'Round Midnight
Moonlight Sleighride
Soweto settles in with jazz on Christmas Day.
00:30 - Through the Night
Conductor Andrew Manze and violist Tabea Zimmermann in Berlin
Walton's Viola Concerto & Elgar's First Symphony from the Berlin Radio Symphony Orche ... More >>stra.
06:30 - Breakfast
Boost your Boxing Day morning with classical
Hannah French presents Radio 3’s award-winning classical breakfast show.
09:30 - Essential Classics
Your perfect classical playlist
Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music
13:00 - Classical Live
Bach, Wagner and Prokofiev plus music for the big screen.
Performance to suit the festive period.
16:00 - Composer of the Week
Christmas in Latvia, Winter Lights
4/5 Donald Macleod meets composer, Ēriks Ešenvalds, and Latvian folklorist, Ilona Dzērve.
17:00 - New Generation Artists
Winter Showcase Episode 1
Radio 3's current New Generation Artists in music by Mozart, Schubert, Bach and Messiaen.
18:15 - Words and Music
Maria Callas and the power of singing
Clarke Peters and Anastasia Hille with prose and poetry about singing (R)
19:30 - BBC Proms
Proms at Christmas 2024, Prom 72: Mozart, Farrenc and Beethoven’s 'Eroica' Symphony
BBC Proms 2024: the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with ... More >>Antonello Manacorda.
21:15 - The Lebrecht Interview
Sir David Pountney in conversation with Norman Lebrecht
Norman Lebrecht in conversation with opera and theatre director Sir David Pountney.
22:00 - Night Tracks
A meditative moonlight soundtrack
An immersive sound track for Boxing Day, with Hannah Peel.
23:30 - 'Round Midnight
BADBADNOTGOOD on Boxing Day
Soweto spins new music from the Canadian group.
00:30 - Through the Night
Beethoven, Smetana & Schubert piano trios at the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg in Austria
With violinist Tobias Feldmann, cellist Harriet Krijgh and p ... More >>ianist Lauma Skride.
06:30 - Breakfast
Start the day right with classical music
Hannah French presents Radio 3's classical breakfast show, including the Friday poem.
09:30 - Essential Classics
Great classical music for your morning
Ian Skelly plays the best in classical music.
13:00 - Classical Live
Hansel and Gretel
A complete performance of the classic Humperdinck opera from Covent Garden.
16:00 - Composer of the Week
Christmas in Latvia, Christmas Hope
5/5 Donald Macleod visits Riga to find music inspired by the idea of hope at Christmas time.
17:00 - New Generation Artists
Winter Showcase Episode 2
Members of Radio 3's New Generation Artists scheme debut in music by Elgar and Dvorak.
18:15 - Words and Music
Warmth
From Orwell to Goethe, Zadie Smith to Donne with music from Puccini, Bizet and Tori Amos. (R)
19:30 - BBC Proms
2024, The Glasshouse: Tailleferre, Sibelius and Dvořák
BBC Proms from The Glasshouse: Dinis Sousa conducts the Royal Northern Sinfonia. (R)
21:15 - The Lebrecht Interview
Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla
Norman Lebrecht talks to the charismatic Lithuanian conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla.
22:00 - Late Junction
Pollution Opera’s mixtape
Verity Sharp shares a mixtape from the experimental noise duo Pollution Opera. (R)
23:30 - 'Round Midnight
In Tribute
Remembering the jazz greats we've lost in 2024. (R)