Voice of the Arts

Join us while we sit down with artist Jason LaCroix to talk about his upcoming exhibition, Night Shifts, opening Friday, November 1st at PULLPROOF Studio. Jason graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art in 2002, then made his way to Pittsburgh in 2009. He talks about being a stay at home dad, First Fridays, and his relationship with PullProof Studio in Garfield. Visit https://www.pullproof.s...

Carnegie Mellon University student harpist, Arilyn Mitchell, and flutist, Evan Curatolo, talk about their upcoming concert with the Pittsburgh Concert Society on Sunday, November 3rd at 2 pm at the Kresge Theater. They discuss the three short French pieces for flute and harp they will perform during the concert, and how they started performing together two years ago after Pittsburgh Symphony Orche...

Chairman of the Farina Foundation, Frank Farina III, spoke about the success of the fall fundraising effort which involved WQED-FM listeners in contributing to the plan to repair musical instruments for young musicians in schools around Western Pennsylvania. Frank accepted the check from WQED-FM for over $1000 and spoke about the latest work of the Foundation. He remembers his late father who was...

Artist Cory Bonnet is at it again! Cory and owner of ZYNKA Gallery, Jeff Jarzynka, discuss their collaboration in an upcoming exhibition entitled WORK(S), opening on November 2nd and going until December 22nd. There is an opening reception on November 2nd from 5 pm to 8 pm. Cory talks about how he created this artwork that is very different from his usual work, that includes sketching on butcher p...

Today we draw the curtain back to hear about Quantum Theatre's adaptation of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: An Out of the Box Theatrical Experience. This show runs from November 1st to the 24th at the Union Trust Building. Actors Sara Lindsey and Nick Lehane talk about the play, the play within the play, and how they both were drawn into this show. They also talk about their characters, Franz and Ha...

Prime Stage Theatre is taking us deep into the Victorian age with Charles Dickens as our guide. Artistic Director, Wayne Brinda, and PR Director Lawrence McCullough, spoke about their upcoming production of Great Expectations at the New Hazlett Theater from November 1st to the 10th. Wayne talks his hunt for finding a British adaptation of the great novel, and about November 2nd's virtual post-show...

Looking for some Vegan events coming up soon in Pittsburgh? Look no further than The Original Pittsburgh Vegan Festival and Expo! Founder, Amy Cottrill, and paranormal investigator, Randall Cole, talk about their upcoming collaboration in The 2nd Annual Pittsburgh Halloween Festival at the South Park Fairgrounds on November 1st from 5 to 11 pm. Randall talks about the paranormal group his is a par...

Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Rural Arts Alliance, Rebecca Catelinet, spoke in this episode about a new project in Johnstown called Hope Springs Eternal: The Holocaust Project. As a part of this project, there will be a community performance of the Broadway smash hit Fiddler on the Roof on November 1st and 2nd at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center. Dance along to this toe-tapping perf...

The Confluence Ballet Company is back with some new faces. New Co-Artistic Directors Adrian Green and Elena Cvetkovich, and new company artist Autumn B-C, discuss their two performances this year, and the new direction of the company. Their first performance, Confluence, will be October 25th and 26th at the Glitterbox Theater, with their second performance, the Jazz Nutcracker, on December 14th an...

It's the magical world of Peter Pan, brought to life on the stage! Performers Jonathan Breight and Colin McCaslin, spoke with host Jim Cunningham about the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's upcoming production of Peter Pan, from October 25th to the 27th at the Benedum Center. Jonathan talks about the challenging choreography as a 'feral' Peter Pan, while Colin discusses his larger than life portrayal of...

Sit down with Debbie Jacknin of Songbird Artistry to talk about the shop’s most recent exhibition, Flight of Empowerment: Celebrating the Journey and Strength of Women. Debbie talks about the start of Songbird Artistry, and the eclectic pieces of art they have in their shop. Debbie highlights the Flight of Empowerment exhibition that features 13 different artists and captures the complexities of b...

Dean of the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University, David Allen Wehr, stopped by to talk about The Dean's List concert series at the school. He talks with Jim Cunningham live on the WQED-FM morning show about the second concert, Strike Up the Band, on October 21st at 7:30 pm, with a pre-concert talk with James Gourley at 7:00 pm. David talks about how this concert got put together, af...

The 10th Anniversary season of Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh continues! Music Director Edward Leonard and Executive Director Andrew Swensen spoke with Anna Singer live on the WQED-FM morning show to discuss their upcoming concert. COP will be performing Honegger's King David Oratorio with the Pittsburgh Camerata and special narration by Amy Landis on October 19th and 20th at the Calvary United M...

The Steinway Society of Western Pennsylvania is starting up a new season this weekend! President of SSWPA, Marina Lupinacci, and pianist Sean Chen, spoke about their upcoming concert on October 20th at 3 pm at the Kresge Theater on Carnegie Mellon University's campus. Sean highlights his program for the concert, which includes Chopins 4 Ballades, Nikolai Medtner's Sonata-Tale, Ligeti's 4 Etudes, a...

Members of the Carpe Diem String Quartet, Sam Weiser, Marisa Ishikawa, Korine Fujiwara, and Ariana Nelson, spoke about their upcoming concert at The Frick Pittsburgh on October 19th, at 7 pm at the Frick Auditorium. This special night highlights the fusion of Islamic Art and Music across the ages as The Frick's latest exhibition, Treasured Ornament: 10 Centuries of Islamic Art, ends on October 20t...

The land of J.R.R. Tolkien is coming to Pittsburgh in a new adaptation for the stage! Voice of the Arts takes a peak backstage of The Hobbit at the Pittsburgh Public Theater. In Part 1 of this 2 part series, actor Russell Saylor (Bilbo), and Director Marya Sea Kaminski talk about this fun production that draws you into the world of the Hobbit through the role-playing game of Dungeons and Dragons....

The land of J.R.R. Tolkien is coming to Pittsburgh in a new adaptation for the stage! Voice of the Arts takes a peak backstage of The Hobbit at the Pittsburgh Public Theater. In Part 2 of this 2 part series, we talk with puppet Artists in Residence at the PPT, Matt Acheson and Jamie Agnello about their creation of some of the most famous characters from the Hobbit. Jamie talks about the creation o...

There is a new film festival in Pittsburgh! Local filmmaker and Creative Director of the Strong Mind Project, Benjamin Carlucci, spoke about their new film festival, the Strong Mind Showcase premiering on October 20th at 5:30 pm at the Lindsay Theater in Sewickley. Ben highlights the Strong Mind Project's goal of raising awareness around mental health and its challenges in all of us. He highlights...

The Heritage Winds of the United States Air Force Heritage of America Band are on tour in Southwestern Pennsylvania. They've already played Carnegie Mellon University, and will play at Latrobe Presbyterian Church (10/13), Seton Hill University (10/14) and the DeYor Performing Arts Center in Youngstown (10/15). Senior Airman and horn player Cooper Johnston is a CMU grad and was an intern at WQED-FM...

It is the start of the Organ Series of Pittsburgh concerts! The first one on October 11th at 7:30 pm at St Paul's Cathedral, features German native Felix Hell. Felix and Co-Director of the Organ Series, Jon Tyillian, spoke with Anna Singer live on the WQED-FM morning show to discuss the concert. Felix talks about his first introduction to the organ at 7 years old, and how he has travelled all over...

Johnstown Symphony Orchestra is celebrating 96 years with their season opener! Music Director, James Blachly, spoke about their upcoming concert, Steel and Innovation, on Saturday, October 19th at 7:30 pm. He runs down the program that includes Stacy Garrop's Forging Steel, a composition that places a cello soloist against an AI version of itself, and ends with Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances. Jam...

What kind of a musical uses 10-15 gallons of fake blood per show?! Why it is of course Pittsburgh Musical Theater's production of Evil Dead: The Musical, running until October 26th at the West End Canopy. Director Nick Mitchell, and actor Brett Goodnack, discuss in this episode about the logistical challenges for this production, and how it takes pieces from all of the Evil Dead movies and TV show...

Dive into the vibrant world of art with Sweetwater Center for the Arts! In this episode, we explore the new exhibition, "Visions in Motion," featuring the powerful work of the Women of Visions community, on display at Sweetwater Center for the Arts until November 2nd. Board member Bonita Penn, and curator Janet Watkins, discuss the rich history of Sweetwater, the significance of the Mavuno festiva...

Join host Emily Brunner in her talk with Latin American Studies Association Deputy Director, Manuel Roman-Lacayo, to learn about the Latin American Cultural Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Find out the inspiration behind the LACC, current exhibitions, and how to visit yourself! Visit https://lacc.lasaweb.org/ to learn more about the Center and the Latin American Studies Association that keeps...

What does it take to create lasting art and community over a decade and a half? In this episode of WQED's Voice of the Arts podcast, Beth Corning, founder of Corningworks, shares her journey as she celebrates the company’s remarkable 15-year anniversary. Beth reveals exciting details about their one-night-only anniversary event, "A (Not So) Quiet Evening with Beth" on October 19th. The evening pro...