@ the Symphony

Jader Bignamini makes his Pittsburgh Symphony debut with Shostakovich Tenth Symphony and Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto played by Kiril Gerstein - April 14th and 16th, 2023 with a special Disrupt concert on the 15th with a more casual concert presentation. Maestro Bignamini speaks about the Tenth and Beethoven, plus gives Jim Cunningham a summary of his early years in Crema, Italy not far from...

Jim Cunningham spoke with Guest Conductor Daniele Rustioni and pianist Francesco Piemontesi during intermission of WQED-FM's live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on March 31, 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Daniele Rustioni makes his Heinz Hall debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony March 31st and April 2nd with Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, the Brahms First Piano Concerto with Francesco Piemontesi, and Unsuk Chin’s "Subito Con Forza." It’s a high wire act because he is also conducting the Metropolitan Opera’s Falstaff during the same weekend with a Saturday matinee live broadcast on radio and to thea...

Members of the Pittsburgh Symphony visit Teutonia Maennerchor on Phineas Street, Northside to present Triumph of the Misfits in the Discovery and Drinks series with Schubert’s Death and the maiden Quartet and Ravel’s String Quartet on March 30 at 7pm. Each ticket includes a selection from the bar. Pittsburgh Symphony Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Marty Bates will host. In Ma...

Composer Sir James MacMillan joins Jim Cunningham in the WQED-FM studio just hours before his world premiere to share his thoughts about his new music heard for the first time on commission from the Pittsburgh Symphony - March 17th ,18th and 19th, 2023. Her tears fell with the dews at even will be recorded along with the Mozart Requiem for Reference. He wrote the music and found the words of Tenny...

The Music Director of the Pittsburgh Symphony runs down the concerts of March 7 with Lang Lang playing the Saint-Saens 2nd Concerto and March 10th and 12th with Franz Schmidt’s Fourth Symphony for the first time at Heinz Hall, along with Emanuel Ax playing Chopin’s Second Concerto . The weekend of March 17, 18 and 19, Manfred Honeck conducts his personal version of the Mozart Requiem which will be...

Emanuel Ax plays the Piano Concerto No. 2 by Chopin with Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Friday March 10 and Saturday March 12 at 2:30 at Heinz Hall. Jim Cunningham joined Mr. Ax to talk about Chopin, the love of his life George Sand, Ax's long association with the composer including the Chopin Competition in Warsaw, recording the concerto twice with Eugene Ormandy and Sir Charles Macke...

Conductor Dima Slobodeniouk, born in Moscow and a long time resident of Finland where he conducted and recorded with the Lahti Symphony makes his debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony this weekend. In this conversation with Jim Cunningham he speaks about the war in Ukraine and adding music by Valentin Silvestrov, the Prayer for Ukraine, played on the anniversary of entering year two of the conflict....

Violinist Gil Shaham talks about his unique approach to the Beethoven Violin Concerto and Franz Clement who played his instrument upside down during the cadenza at the premiere when the ink was still wet on the page. Gil also talks about his recording with the Knights, his long collaboration with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the 360 concert on Saturday night and how to pronounce his name depending on...

The Music Director of Syracuse New York’s Symphoria, Lawrence Loh, leads a program of favorite film scores by John Williams for the Pittsburgh Symphony Pops. After serving more than a decade as Resident Conductor in Pittsburgh and conducting hundreds of concerts in and out of Heinz Hall, Lawrence Loh has become an acknowledged master with concerts in Seattle, Detroit, Florida and Phoenix just rece...

Jim Cunningham speaks with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck and PSO Principal Cello Anne Martindale Williams during intermission of our live broadcast on February 15, 2023. Yo-Yo Ma also says a quick hi at the end of the broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adver...

Jim Cunningham interviews Music Director Manfred Honeck, guest violinist Ray Chen, PSO Concertmaster David McCarroll, and thermin player Arturo Fernandez, during WQED-FM's live broadcast on February 10, 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck stopped by the QED Morning Show with Jim Cunningham to talk about this weekend's concerts with violinist Ray Chen and Holst's "The Planets." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pittsburgh Symphony soloist Baritone Matthias Goerne, described by many as the greatest singer in the lieder world today and one of the greatest operatic stars, speaks backstage minutes after his rehearsal of Wotan’s Farewell by Richard Wagner which he sings this weekend with music from Tristan und Isolde and The Flying Dutchman next to the Beethoven ‘s Fifth Symphony - February 3rd ,4th and 5th a...

Pianist Paul Lewis joins Sir Mark Elder and the Pittsburgh Symphony to make his Heinz Hall debut with Mozart’s 12th Concerto in A January 20 and 22, 2023. He describes the delights of the Mozart with Jim Cunningham in his second floor dressing room following the Thursday rehearsal. Paul became a Commander of the British Empire in 2016. He has no opinion at all about Prince Harry’s criticism of the...

Conductor Peter Oundjian and violinist Alina Ibragimova provide the roadmap for the Prokofiev First Violin Concerto which they perform with the Pittsburgh Symphony January 13th and 15th. Peter chooses a few high points in his 14 years as Music Director of the Toronto Symphony and fills Jim Cunningham in on his family ties to Eric Idle of Monty Python. He also shares his love of Ralph Vaughan Willi...

Daniel Meyer conducts 8 Pittsburgh Symphony Holiday Pops concerts through Sunday the 18th of December with the Mendelssohn Choir, Santa and Blaine Alden Krauss who stars in Hamilton on Broadway plus dancers from the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater who perform highlights from the Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. Maestro Meyer has the rundown of the event for Jim Cunningham and what he is up to with the Erie Ph...

Berlin born pianist Martin Helmchen makes his debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Manfred Honeck playing the Schumann Concerto December 2 at Heinz Hall. He talks with Jim Cunningham in the upstairs dressing room about his earlier work with Manfred Honeck, the Schumann Concerto which he recorded a number of years ago and how his interpretation has changed, Robert Schumann the romantic figure in...

Conductor David Robertson explains why you shouldn’t be too sad about Tchaikovsky’s last days, his final symphony and applauding before the last movement. Has he ever heard a better French Horn virtuoso than Pittsburgh Principal William Caballero? No, and Robertson started his musical life as a horn player. Oliver Knussen adds considerable virtuosity and color to the program too. What’s it like to...

Manfred Honeck discusses the program this weekend Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with Yefim Bronfman in the Mozart 22nd Piano Concerto, the Sibelius Second Symphony and the first Pittsburgh performance of the Open Mind by Rolf Martinsson. Manfred Honeck explains the power of the marillenmarmalade made of apricots from the Wachau valley in Austria and enjoys a sample given as a gift by his sister Elf...

Yefim Bronfman has the detail on Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22 which he plays with the Pittsburgh Symphony October 28, 29 and 30 at Heinz Hall. In the upstairs rehearsal room he tells Jim Cunningham how he made up his mind on selecting the new Steinway which debuts this weekend with Manfred Honeck; New York after the pandemic; Halloween decorations; and his premiere in Cleveland.  Plus, a look ah...

Nikki Porter, Head of Staff and Minister of Music at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, leads the Unity Choir in "Lift Every Voice and Sing" - Saturday October 22 at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony. She tells her story to Jim Cunningham and suggests the spirit will move you downtown on Saturday evening.   Kellen Gray conducts the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for the fourth Lift Ev...

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham speaks with violinist Augustin Hadelich after he performed the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during our live broadcast on October 14, 2022.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham speaks with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra guest conductor Juraj Valcuha after the concert on our live broadcast from October 14, 2022.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham speaks with violinist Augustin Hadelich after he performed the Sibelius Violin Concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra during our live broadcast on October 14, 2022. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.