@ the Symphony

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke to Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Horn Michelle Hembree and Principal Contrabassoon James Rodgers prior to the concert of March 7, 2025 which was broadcast live. Both spoke about the concert, working with conductor Elim Chan, significant parts for their instrument in the pieces and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for informa...

Pianist Emanuel Ax talks with Jim Cunningham about Mozart's 25th Piano Concerto, which he will play February 21st and 23rd at Heinz Hall. He also discusses his return next year to play Brahms' First Concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, his tour with clarinet Anthony McGill from the New York Philharmonic, and his tribute to Sir Andrew Davis in Toronto. Emanuel also highlights his favori...

Maestro Manfred Honeck talks about the program for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's concert this weekend, on February 21st and 23rd. The program features Hannah Ishizaki's new composition "Spin", Korngold's Symphony in F Sharp, and Mozart's 25th Piano Concerto. He also speaks about how delighted he was to receive an honorary Doctorate at Duquesne University this past week. Manfred looks forward...

Composer and violinist Hannah Ishizaki talks about her commissioned music "Spin", which will receive its world premiere at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on February 21st and 23rd. Hannah talks about how the Pittsburgh Symphony influenced her as she knew several players growing up in Pittsburgh. She also describes how she wove in electronic dance music, or EDM, into her piece. She even divulges...

Violinist Maria Duenas shares her thoughts on the Saint-Saens Third Violin Concerto with Jim Cunningham. She plays it February 14th, 15th and 16th with Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony. She is delighted to return to Pittsburgh on the very day her new 2-cd set on DG with all the Paganini Caprices is released on cd, download, vinyl, and special edition with Polaroid photos for fans. Is she...

Composer Carlos Simon talks with Jim Cunningham about his "Four Black Dances," which Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony will record for the Reference label on Valentines weekend 2025 along with the Dvorak New World Symphony. He also speaks about his Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson music written for Sandra Seaton’s play as performed in Pittsburgh with Pittsburgh Opera and Washington DC. Wha...

Maestro Elder talks with Jim Cunningham in the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel downtown Pittsburgh about his Pittsburgh Symphony concerts of January 31st and February 2nd, 2025 with principal Oboe Cynthia Koledo de Almeida playing Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto, Pohjohla’s Daughter by Sibelius, and the Shostakovich Symphony No. 15. What does it all mean? The William Tell Overture quote, Wagner, and se...

Maria Duenas talks with Jim Cunningham about her new 2-cd set with the complete Paganini Caprices and related caprices, one a world premiere by Gabriela Ortiz. Also the Jordi Cervello Milstein Caprice. It's to be released on Valentines Day, when she returns to Heinz Hall to play the Saint-Saens Third Concerto with Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony. She discusses her award winning recordin...

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra cellist Charlie Powers, and Dr. Mark Meyer of UPMC joined WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham on the QED Morning Show to talk about the next "Shoulder to Shoulder" concert with doctor and pianist Dr. Barry Coutinho. The concert takes place on February 5th at the Herberman Conference Center at the UPMC Conference Center at Shadyside Hospital. The concert features Charlie and othe...

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed Samy Moussa's "Elysium," Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 with pianist Janice Carissa and conductor Osmo Vanska. WQED-FM broadcast the concert on Friday January 17, 2025 live! Jim Cunningham spoke to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Classical Music Critic Jeremy Reynolds to get his initial thoughts on the concert,...

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed Samy Moussa's "Elysium," Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5. WQED-FM broadcast the concert on Friday January 17, 2025 live! During intermission, Jim Cunningham spoke to the pianist Janice Carissa, who was making her Heinz Hall debut; guest conductor Osmo Vanska; and composer Samy Moussa. Hosted by Simplecast...

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed Samy Moussa's "Elysium," Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 with pianist Janice Carissa and conductor Osmo Vanska. WQED-FM broadcast the concert on Friday January 17, 2025 live! Jim Cunningham spoke to PSO Violinist Louis Lev and PSO Contrabassoonist James Rodgers prior to the concert to get their thoughts o...

Jim Cunningham sat down with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck to talk about this weekend's concerts. The program includes Reena Esmail's "REImember;" Faure's "Cantique de Jean Racine", arranged by Manfred Honeck; Brahms' "Schicksalslied;" Hailstork's "Lacrimosa" and Faure's "Requiem." The concert features the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and soloists Jeanine De Bique...

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Classical Music Critic Jeremy Reynolds stopped by the WQED-FM location after the live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on November 15, 2024. He gave a glowing review of the orchestra, Lorna McGhee and conductor Jacob Joyce. PSO President and CEO Melia Tourangeau also stopped by to speak with Jim Cunningham about the concert; the orchestra trying to get out int...

During intermission of WQED-FM's live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Jim Cunningham spoke with the soloist in the Rautavaara Flute Concerto - PSO Principal Flute Lorna McGhee; PSO Associate Conductor Jacob Joyce, who found out he was going to be conducting the concert just a few hours before showtime; and PSO VP of Artistic Planning Mary Persin about some of the exciting concerts...

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with WQED President and CEO Jason Jedlinski and former WQED Board Chair Dr. Millie Myers prior the November 15th, 2024 Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert. They spoke about what they were looking forward to in tonight's concert, as well as upcoming initiatives at WQED. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our c...

The Pittsburgh Symphony Association volunteers have tirelessly raised well over a million dollars to keep the music playing. The effort continues with Christmas On Broadway at the Holiday House Tour in Shadyside November 22-24 and November 29- December 1. Over thirty musicians from the area including Pittsburgh Symphony members, Mendelssohn Choir singers and many others will add to the holiday moo...

Members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra joined WQED-FM live on Public Radio Music Day (October 23, 2024), to play three pieces from Stravinsky's Tale of the Soldier (Histoire du soldat). They played The Soldier's March, Airs by the Stream, the Little Concert. Anna Singer talked with Douglas Rosenthal, David Sogg, and Jeremy Branson about the piece and the group. Members of the group included:...

Pianist and Conductor Christoph Eschenbach returns to Pittsburgh after many years as Music Director of the Philadelphia, Houston and National Symphony orchestras. He talks about his program of Schumann’s Second Symphony, and the Brahms Violin Concerto with Ray Chen. He remembers his first Pittsburgh concert in 1972 with William Steinberg and hundreds of other concerts he played and conducted at He...

WQED-FM broadcast the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert live on Friday September 27, 2024. Jim Cunningham spoke with WQED-FM's Anna Singer, PSO Principal Cellist Anne Martindale Williams and Post-Gazette Classical Music Critic Jeremy Reynolds after the concert. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data fo...

WQED-FM broadcast the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert live on Friday September 27, 2024. Jim Cunningham spoke with PSO Music Director Manfred Honeck and guest soloist - violinist Augustin Hadelich backstage during intermission. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WQED-FM broadcast the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert live on Friday September 27, 2024. Jim Cunningham spoke with WQED President and CEO Jason Jedlinski, WQED Board Chair Emeritus Millie Myers, and PSO Contrabassoon James Rodgers backstage prior to the concert. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data...

Pittsburgh Symphony Principal Percussionist Andrew Reamer spoke with Jim Cunningham just a few hours before the final concert of the Pittsburgh Symphony European Festival tour September 7 2024 in Vienna, Austria. He talks about the special events of the tour which began at the Salzburg Festival. It is an emotional event for Mr. Reamer because it is his last concert as he will begin his retirement...

The Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony David McCarroll spoke about the two German European Tour concerts at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg Germany. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra was on its way an afternoon rehearsal with Yefim Bronfman playing the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3. The program consists of John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Stravinsky’s Suite From the Firebird and P...

The Principal Horn of the Pittsburgh Symphony, William Caballero, and Principal Oboe, Cynthia Koledo de Almeida, talk about the 2024 European Festivals Tour just before the first of two concerts at the Elb Philharmonie in Hamburg, Germany. They describe the extraordinary success of the Salzburg Festival concert, the beauty of the South Tirol in Merano Italy, and the confetti at the end of the conc...