@ the Symphony

Nathalie Stutzmann makes her Pittsburgh Symphony debut May 6th, 7th, and 8th 2022 with Dvorak’s New World Symphony and the Brahms Violin Concerto played by Daniel Lozakovich, along with a Heinz Hall first of Missy Mazzoli. Maestra Stutzmann makes her Met debut in two Mozart operas in 2021 and her debut at Bayreuth as well as the new Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony. Then there’s the Kristian...

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke to Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck and pianist Yefim Bronfman during intermission of our live broadcast from April 22, 2022.       Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

George Daugherty, conductor and creator of "Bugs Bunny at the Symphony" discusses the world wide phenomenon of the scores of Carl Stalling and others that accompany cartoon classics. How do they do it so precisely? George explains.  He's a ballet conductor too and won an Emmy for a televised "Peter and the Wolf" on ABC. Pittsburgh began it all and Maestro Daugherty is delighted...

During intermission of WQED-FM's live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Jim Cunningham interviewed Music Director Manfred Honeck, guest soloist Leif Ove Andsnes, and PSO President and CEO Melia Tourangeau.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Leif Ove Andsnes returns to Heinz Hall to play the Benjamin Britten Piano Concerto No. 1 in its first time out in Pittsburgh. He talks about the concerto, playing it at the BBC Proms in 2019, the Britten record Sviatoslav Richter made with the composer conducting, Richter’s eccentricities, the new Mozart recording he’s just released, and his switch to the Sony label after 35 CDs for EMI. He discus...

This Friday at 8pm and Sunday afternoon at 2:30pm, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra plays the Pittsburgh premiere of "Herald, Holler and Hallelujah" by Wynton Marsalis.  WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke to Mr. Marsalis and Music Director Manfred Honeck about the piece; how it came to be; and much more in this conversation.     Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com...

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck and Vice President of Artistic Planning Mary Persin, sat down with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham to talk about the Orchestra's 2022-2023 season.  They also discuss their upcoming "Concert for Ukraine" performance taking place on Saturday April 2nd at 7:30pm.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informat...

Pittsburgh Symphony Guest Conductor Juanjo Mena discusses the Lutoslawski Concerto for Orchestra, Debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun featuring Lorna McGhee and Rodrigo and Concierto de Aranjuez with Pablo Sainz Villegas. He talks with Jim Cunningham about his work in Cincinnati with the May Festival, his recent recordings, and his thinking about the world emerging from a pandemic and immer...

David Ludwig has composed the Sinfonia Concertante for two clarinets and two bassoons which receives the world premiere February 18 and 19 at Heinz hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Manfred Honeck. The new Dean and Director of the music Division at Juilliard  composer David Ludwig sat down with the soloists Michael Rusinek Principal Clarinet with Second Clarinet Ron Samuels, Bassoon  Philip Pa...

Manfred Honeck returns to Heinz Hall to conduct Stravinsky's Suite from "The Firebird," along with two world premieres, and music by Schumann and Smetana.   He chats with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham about this program, what he's been up to since he was last in Pittsburgh, and more.        Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and...

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performs two world premieres, plus music of Smetana, Schumann and Stravinsky this weekend at Heinz Hall.  WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke to composer Michael Daugherty about his brand new piece "Fifteen: Symphonic Fantasy on the Art of Andy Warhol."   He also talks about other pieces he's working on, winning multiple Grammy's, and more.   Hosted by Simple...

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performs two world premieres, plus music of Smetana, Schumann and Stravinsky this weekend at Heinz Hall.  WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke to composer Reza Vali about his brand new piece ""The Girl from Shiraz" from Persian Folk Songs, which features as soloist, Kian Soltani.  Kian also joins the conversation to talk about the Reza Vali piece, as well...

Moon Doh arrived as Pittsburgh Symphony Assistant Conductor just two weeks ago and now leads his first subscription concert at Heinz Hall January 22 and 23. He discusses the joy of Bartok and tells Jim Cunningham that his path from Korea has been winding but wonderful most recently with several appointments in Germany. He has climbed hundreds of steps to the top of Cologne Cathedral in whistling w...

Jacob Joyce, Pittsburgh Symphony Assistant Conductor, makes his Heinz Hall subscription concert debut this Saturday and Sunday January 22 and 23 conducting concertos by Corelli and Geminiani, plus Stravinsky sharing the program with his colleague Moon Doh who conducts Bartok. Jacob explains why he loves baroque music and tells us about his work with the Indianapolis Symphony plus his story so far....

The story of a veteran Pittsburgh Symphony violinist who joined in 1968 under William Steinberg. Richard DiAdamo is admired by his colleagues for his artistry and, more recently since retiring, an heroic struggle with cancer which metastasized to multiple areas and further caused strokes and blindness. He started the violin at age 8 in Philadelphia studying with Armand DiCamillo of the Philadelphi...

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Guest Conductor Lorenzo Viotti makes his Heinz Hall debut to conduct music of Verdi, Rachmaninoff, Strauss and Ravel.  He spoke with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham about the concert, knowing former PSO Music Director Mariss Jansons and more.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adve...

Benjamin Grosvenor returns to Heinz Hall to play the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2.  Always a crowd favorite, Benjamin talks about the piece's appeal, handling the Covid pandemic and more in this conversation with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today (12/7) is the Musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Day of Music.  Due to Covid, they were only able to perform live at one location - WQED-FM!   Principal Oboe Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida and Principal Horn Bill Caballero stopped by during our Fundraiser to talk about the Day of Music and why you should support WQED-FM.  They were also joined by pianist Rodrigo Ojeda to perform thre...

Violinist James Ehnes returns to Heinz Hall to perform the Barber Violin Concerto this weekend with Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  He spoke with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham about the piece, his recent recordings, and his love of the Winnipeg Jets hockey team.        Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pe...

Manfred Honeck returns to Heinz Hall for the Thanksgiving weekend concert of Strauss waltzes and polkas in the spirit of the Vienna New Year’s Day concerts seen around the world and on WQED-TV from the ORF and PBS. This year at Heinz Hall, Maria Duenas makes her debut with the Paganini Violin Concerto No. 1. Maria is 18 years old. She tells her story and describes the special qualities of the inst...

Pianist Behzod Abduraimov returns to Heinz Hall to make his debut with Juraj Valcuha in the Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2. They’ve recorded together in Italy for Decca but never given a live concert until Pittsburgh. Is playing with a mask fun? No. Especially during this concerto, which requires heavy lifting but he’s managing. Behzod talks all about Prokofiev and his recent recordings of Rachman...

Fanfare columnist for the Tribune-Review, Jean Horne, and Christine Thompson, long time member of the Mendelssohn Choir, both have worked tirelessly for the Pittsburgh Symphony Association event Symphony Splendor Holiday House Tour 2021 taking place at a gilded age Shadyside House Mansion the weekend of November 19th.  The story of the house and the forty musicians of the orchestra who will perfor...

Daniel Meyer conducts the Pittsburgh Symphony Pops Troupe Vertigo concert this weekend at Heinz Hall with Bizet's Carmen, Ravel's Bolero, music by Gimenez, Marquez and an overall Latin Spanish flavor. The acrobatics and the orchestra come together in a way that Maestro Meyer suggest is not to be missed. Daniel also runs down upcoming events on his calendar and why you should drive to the Warner Th...

Kirill Karabits, born in Ukraine, makes his Heinz Hall debut October 29th and 31st with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Principal Trumpet Micah Wilkinson playing the Haydn Trumpet Concerto and the Anthony Plog Scherzo; plus the Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite and the Tchaikovsky Little Russian Symphony with its Ukrainian folk tunes. He has recorded more than a dozen CDs with standard and rare repertoire i...

Pittsburgh Symphony Principal Trumpet Micah Wilkinson plays the Haydn Trumpet Concerto along with a world premiere of the orchestrated Scherzo by Anthony Plog, Micah’s teacher during his European year of study in Freiburg, Germany. He remembers with pleasure his Haydn performances while touring with his colleagues from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. He didn’t mind the cold at all. In t...