Voice of the Arts

The Pittsburgh Concert Chorale is celebrating its 40th Anniversary Season with THE concert! Music Director, Susan Medley, spoke with Anna Singer live on the WQED-FM afternoon show about their upcoming performance of Verdi's Requiem. This master work will feature over 130 chorus members, soloists, and a professional orchestra. Susan talks about the chorale's history and why she decided to program t...

In this episode, soprano Alicia Jayourba joins Anna Singer live on the WQED-FM afternoon show, to talk about her upcoming concert "Look to the Light". Alicia talks about the concert that is meant to celebrate Black History Month, and features lyrics completely written by Langston Hughes. Alicia will be joined by pianist Jaime Cohen. She discusses her transition from trombonist to singer during her...

It is that time of year again! It is time for Associated Artists of Pittsburgh's Annual Exhibition! The 111th Annual Exhibition will kick off with a reception on February 28th, and go until December 14th, 2025 at the Erie Art Museum. Executive Director, Madeline Gent, and lens-based Pittsburgh artist Centa Schumacher, talk about the exhibition, and the incredible work audiences will see for the ne...

Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh has another concert coming up, with two wonderful guests and a unique instrument! Artistic Director Edward Leonard, harpist Jennifer Ruggieri, and percussionist Matthew Coley, spoke live with Jim Cunningham about this unique concert. Edward discusses the program, which includes a newly created Concerto for the Cimbalom by composer Jonathan Blair. It also includes El...

WQED's Voice of the Arts will be showcasing a brand-new documentary about Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Music Director, Manfred Honeck! Tot get the details of it, and behind the scenes information, Jim Cunningham is joined by the one who interviewed Manfred for the documentary - Trustee Emerita and Past Chair, WQED Board of Directors Former member, and PSO Board of Directors, Dr. Mildred Myers....

The University of Pittsburgh's Beyond: Microtonal Music Festival is kicking off this weekend! Composer and creator of the Long Instrument, Ellen Fullman, speaks with Jim Cunningham about her forty year exploration of a seventy two foot long set of strings. She plays this instrument by walking between the strings connected to resonator boxes. Ellen talks about bringing this huge instrument to Pitts...

Bach Choir of Pittsburgh is celebrating Black History Month with two concerts full of black composers! Artistic Director of the Bach Choir, Thomas Douglas, spoke live with Anna Singer about the concerts. He highlights the program of the concert which includes pieces by Adolphus Hailstork, Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes, and Pittsburgh's own Billy Strayhorn. He also talks about the first time he h...

The Organ Artists Series of Pittsburgh is hosting its next recital at Calvary Episcopal Church tomorrow night, February 21st! Austrian organist, Lukas Hasler, and Director of Music at Calvary Episcopal Church, Alan Lewis, discusses with Jim Cunningham about Lukas's upcoming concert. Lukas talks about his program, which includes a portion of Bruckner's Symphony "Zero", Moonlight Sonata, Mozart's So...

The 48 Hour Film Project is gearing up for another Spring bash in Pittsburgh! Producer of the 48 Film Project in Pittsburgh, PJ Gaynard, spoke in this episode about the project, and why film is such a big connector of people in the city. The Project goes from April 25th to 27th with group screenings from May 17th to 19th, and awards on May 31st. PJ talks about how people from across the area, incl...

In this episode, Anna Singer talks with Pittsburgh Opera Head of Music, Glenn Lewis, and Resident Artist, Maeve Berry, about their upcoming song recital "An Evening of German Vocal Music". Anna discusses the program with both artists, as it includes popular Lieder, opera, and operetta selections. There will pieces by composers such as Brahms, Schubert, Strauss and, much more. They also discuss wha...

Prime Stage Theatre is back again to talk about their upcoming productions! Producing Artistic Director, Wayne Brinda, and Public Relations Director, Lawrence McCullough, discuss their new production of "I Never Saw Another Butterfly and The Terezin Promise". This production is part of their enGage program, which engages the world in education, understanding, and actions against the atrocities of...

The August Wilson Center has a lot of exciting events coming up! Director of Education and Community Engagement at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Cathryn Calhoun, discusses the many different events and programs the Center has to offer to the community. She talks about their recent collaboration with The Acting Company, a national-touring theater company, that is producing an...

In this episode, Artistic Director of Les Delices, Debra Nagy, and Grammy Award winning vocalist, Nicholas Phan, discuss their upcoming show presented by Chamber Music Pittsburgh. Les Delices will premiere "A Moment’s Oblivion", a commissioned piece by Vietnamese-American composer Viet Cuong. Debra talks about the story of the piece which is based on a Confucian myth about a man losing his memory....

Academy Concerts is hosting Trio Sine Nomine on February 23rd! Violinist of the Trio Sine Nomine, Lydia Choorapuzah, spoke about the program for the concert. There will be compositions by Beethoven, Hoffmeister, Piazzola, and Mozart. Lydia discusses the pieces they will perform, and how Piazzola has become more of a prominent composer in recent years for chamber musicians. Lydia also talks about h...

In this episode, afternoon host Anna Singer is joined live with two dancers from the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Madeline Gradle and Andre Gallon. They discuss a behind-the-scenes look at their upcoming production of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. Madeline and Andre also both discuss their professional backgrounds, from early ballet beginnings to the intense physical regimen of professional dancers....

Anna Singer is joined by award winning pianist Barbara Nissman to chat about her upcoming performance, "Prokofiev Plus" as part of the Music on the Bluff series with Duquesne University. This all-Russian program will feature works by Prokofieff and Shostakovich, with musical guests Clancy Newman, Kevin Lee Sun, and David Allen Wehr. The recital is taking place at the Mary Pappert School of Music's...

It's another year, which means that it will soon be the start of another theater season at Little Lake Theatre Company! Artistic Director, Patrick Cannon, spoke about their 2025 season called Adventure Awaits. The season includes 9 shows, 7 camps, and some classes. Patrick talks about how their 2024 season saw an increase in tickets sales by 30%! He hopes to continue on that strong showing into 20...

The Acting Company, a touring company that develops acting talent and produces a mix of classical and new plays, is coming to Pittsburgh to teach a workshop for students in collaboration with the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. Two cast members of the company, DeAnna Supplee and Robert Cornelius, spoke in this episode about the workshop. They also spoke about their work in Two Trai...

Want to hear music that links to an art exhibit? Pittsburgh Camerata will be doing just that on February 9th! Artistic Director of the Pittsburgh Camerata, Mark Anderson, spoke about this special program called Portraits that will feature the "Soul's Shot" exhibition. The exhibit, which started in Philadelphia, features paintings, sculptures and other art created by local artists who worked closel...

In this episode, Jim Cunningham is joined live by Dr. Edward Alan Moore, the organist and choir director at East Liberty Presbyterian Church. They preview an upcoming concert by the world-renowned St. Olaf Choir on Sunday, February 9th. Dr. Moore describes the choir as a premier a cappella ensemble with a beautiful sound, one that hasn't been heard in Pittsburgh since 2015. The group will also be...

In this episode, we sat down with exhibitions director at Contemporary Craft, Yu-San Cheng, to explore their upcoming exhibition "Keiko Fukazawa Retrospective: The Space in Between". This display showcases work by California-based artist Keiko Fukazawa over the span of 40 years. Keiko started as a painter in Japan and became a ceramics artist after moving to the United States. Her work blends cera...

In this episode, pianist Dr. Barry Coutinho spoke about his upcoming benefit concert for Shoulder to Shoulder on February 5th. Dr. Coutinho talks about the program he will be performing in the concert with members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The pieces include Chopin's Tristesse, Liszt's Rigoletto, and the Winter and Spring movement of Vivaldi's Four Seasons Suite. He has played the Lisz...

In this episode, Anna Singer is joined by Artistic Director of Piffaro, Priscilla Herreid. Piffaro is a Philadelphia-based wind ensemble dedicated to bringing historically informed performances of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque period to the stage with around 40 different instruments played by a group of 7. Priscilla discusses the group's return to Pittsburgh for Chatham Baroque's 2024/202...

Tuesday Musical Club is featuring African American Composers in their next recital on February 11th! Organizer of the recital and pianist, Janet Stivanson, discusses the program for the concert. Janet will be accompanying violinist Stephanie Swoveland in a Suite for Violin and Piano by William Grant Still. She will also be accompanying Terri Denmon-Agin in a contemporary suite, Legends by Valerie...

Butler County Symphony is searching for a new Music Director, and their upcoming concert will feature one finalist! Jim Cunningham spoke with violin concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, David Kim, about his upcoming concert with the Butler Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, February 8th. David talks about one of the finalists for Butler's music director, Austin Chanu, who was formerly the ass...