Voice of the Arts

WQED President and CEO Jason Jedlinski spoke with Morning Show host Jim Cunningham live on July 31, 2025 regarding the elimination of federal funding for public broadcasting, which not only cuts $1.8 million from WQED, but will likely add additional expenses such as music licensing and satellite program delivery. Jason emphasized that WQED’s radio and televisions stations will not go off the air....

The Johnstown Concert Series is gearing up for their 2025-2026 season as they approach their 20th anniversary! The series continues to bring world-class musicians to the Johnstown community, without the need to travel to neighboring cities. Bryan Sejvar talks with directors, Michael Bodolosky and Joe Dipyatic, about the season’s exciting variety of performances taking place at the First Presbyteri...

Bryan Sejvar sits with Shelley Johansson, the Director of Marketing and Communications for Heritage Johnstown, formerly known as Johnstown Area Heritage Association. The nonprofit organization celebrates Johnstown’s influence on early industrial America, and tells its story through history, culture, and community. Heritage Johnstown hosts a variety of attractions including the Johnstown Flood Muse...

Executive Director of the Legacy Arts Project, Erin Perry, and Director of Community Programs, Patricia Marrie Ford, talk with Jim Cunningham about Dance Africa Pittsburgh. Dance Africa was founded by Chuck Davis, whose mantra of 'Love, Peace, Respect for Everyone' is the central spirit of the program. Erin and Patricia discuss the honorees and special guests. This year, Youseef Koumbassa, a world...

The Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company is producing not 1, not 2, but 3 August Wilson plays next month! Founder of the company, Mark Clayton Southers, daughter Ashley Southers, and director Terrence Spivey, talk about the three productions. Mark starts off the trifecta with a production of "Two Trains Running" at the Madison Arts Center. "Two Trains" is set in the Hill District of Pittsburgh i...

Since its opening in 1991 at the University of Pittsburgh's Johnstown’s campus, the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center (PPAC) continues to bring connections to many different cultures and people. They also continue to provide new artistic experiences for their community as they reach their 2025-2026 season. Bryan Sejvar talks with the director, Janie Leck Grela, about PPAC’s history, and their man...

2020 Musical America Instrumentalist of the Year, Sharon Isbin, talks with Anna Singer about her work in composer Karen LeFrak's new album, "Romantico". Sharon talks about the first piece she performed, the first movement, "Bailamos", at the U.S. Capitol in 2023. The full concerto was premiered in January 2024, and the album was recorded with the Orchestra of St. Luke's. Sharon highlights how the...

The new Pittsburgh Opera company, SERIO, is presenting "The Tales of Hoffmann" in August! Anna Singer talks with founder Louisa Jonason, director Rebecka Kerr, and soprano Jennifer Coffman, about their upcoming production. The "Tales of Hoffmann" follows a young poet, Hoffmann, and his three disastrous love affairs. Jennifer plays the dual role of the Muse and Nicklausse, who try to guide Hoffmann...

CitiPark's last Bach, Beethoven, and Brunch concert is on July 27th! The summer concert series comes to a close with a relatively new group, the North Pittsburgh Flute Society. Nicholle Bernardo-Pankuch and Jillian Edmondson founded the group in January of 2025, and talk with Melissa Black about the concert. The community flute choir is based in the North Hills and has about 20 members practicing...

CitiPark's Bach, Beethoven, and Brunch's fourth concert is this weekend! The summer concert series is hosting Chamber Music Pittsburgh this weekend, with an 8 person wind-ensemble. Associate Principal Oboe with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Max Blair, Paul J. Ross Fellow and bassoonist Carlos Clark, and Artistic and Executive Director of Chamber Music Pittsburgh Martha Bonta, talk about the up...

Quantum Theatre's new season is starting off with a spin on a classic! Artistic Director of Quantum, Karla Boos, and Director, Joanie Schultz, talk about the upcoming production of Anton Chekhov's "Seagull". Joanie created a new version, by making the character Constantine female. She highlights the love 'quadrangles' and the exploration of mother-daughter dynamics and queer identity in a differen...

It's the summertime, and that means its Fridays at the Frick! Interim Director of Learning and Visitor Experience at the Frick Pittsburgh, Kelsie Paul, talks about their summer concert series and much more! Starting on July 25th, the upcoming bands include The Stemtecs Band, the Klezmerati, and the Adorabulls. All three are free outdoor concerts, with food trucks and art making available as well!...

Filmmaker and Point Park University alumni, Max Cianci, talks in this episode about his upcoming filmmaker showcase at the Lindsay Theater and Cultural Center. Max's journey into film started when he was young and made home YouTube videos with LEGOs. This passion for storytelling took him to Point Park University, where he refined his art. He has since created many films, including commercials, do...

The Johnstown Flood City Music Festival returns to People's Natural Gas Park on Friday July 25th and Saturday July 26th with their most impressive line up to date! WQED-FM's Bryan Sejvar spoke with Festival Co-Chair Ron Carnevali about this years Festival which features Pigeons Playing Ping Pong headlining Friday night and Gov't Mule on Saturday night. Ron talks about the process to get a band as...

Cellist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Charlie Powers, talks live with Jim Cunningham about the Pittsburgh Cello Quartet's upcoming concert, and what the PSO is doing this summer. Charlie founded the Pittsburgh Cello Quartet in 2015, and it has since become a staple of high quality quartets in the region. Charlie talks about forming the group, and their upcoming concert on July 27th at In...

Have you've heard of the New York and LA Review of Books? Now Pittsburgh joins in with a literary magazine dedicated to covering local cultures, politics, art, and literary reviews! Founder and author Ed Simon talks with Jim Cunningham to give a sneak peak into the magazine’s first publication and the goals he has set for the project. The Pittsburgh Review of Books will be free to the public and i...

Chatham Baroque has just released their 2025-2026 season! Co-Artistic Director, Scott Pauley, discusses the upcoming season with Anna Singer. The season kicks off in October with a performance of Beethoven's Opus One. In November, Chatham Baroque's core trio performs some German and Austrian Baroque music at the Teutonia Mannerchor, a perfect venue to enjoy music with a drink! They cap off the yea...

The first guitarist to study the instrument at the conservatory in China, Xuefei Yang, has a new recording out to mark the 100th birthday of Erik Satie, 'Chapeau Satie". She tips her hat to the composer with her own arrangements and plays his famous music the Gymnopedie and Gnossienne. Xuefei is living near London but travels to the US for an August through September tour visiting Boston, Baltimor...

You can also find more information about upcoming concerts on their Facebook page .  Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene. Don’t miss our musician interviews,...

Visit https://www.pittsburghpa.gov/Recreation-Events/Events/Concerts/Bach-Beethoven-and-Brunch for the full schedule.  Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene. Do...

Hear Brett's first interview with Voice of the Arts from 2023! Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene. Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music...

Organist and Director of Music and Arts at East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Dr. Edward Alan Moore, discusses his upcoming concerts! Dr. Moore talks about the atmosphere for the Westminster Organ Summer Concert series, which includes a farmers market in the parking lot before the recital. His program includes Florence Price, Nicholas Bruhns, and Fanny Mendelssohn. Dr. Moore highlights the backgrou...

The Band of Brothers Shakespeare Company is presenting "The Merry Wives of Windsor" this July! Actors Paul Mastovich, Christina Hostetler, and Doug Meagher, discuss the famous play and the characters they play in it. Paul plays Dr. Caius, a comically exaggerated French suitor. Christina plays Mistress Alice Ford, who Sir John Falstaff attempts to woo in order to gain her wealth. Doug plays Master...

Carnegie Museum of Art Assistant Curator Alyssa Velazquez discusses the exhibit, "Raymond Saunders: Flowers from a Black Garden". This exhibit is the artist’s first solo museum exhibition in nearly three decades. Velazquez reflects on Saunders’ unique ability to fuse abstraction, figuration, found objects, and text into compositions that confront American history. She speaks about Saunders’ return...

Chamber Music Pittsburgh's program, Pittsburgh Performs, has another concert coming up! Director of Resonance Works, Maria Sensi Sellner, talks about the partnership with Chamber Music Pittsburgh to present "Singing Out Loud", a vocal concert celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. The vocal group, Reson8, features 8 Pittsburgh vocalists; sopranos Charlene Canty and Amelia D’Arcy; mezzo-sopranos Timothi...