Voice of the Arts

Conductor Brian Worsdale checks in live from Leipzig, Germany at the statue of Johann Sebastian Bach outside the Thomas Kirche where Bach is buried. The Three Rivers Young People’s Orchestra is on tour in Europe with concerts in Jena, Leipzig and Dresden, Germany plus a visit to Prague. Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region...

The first of the many Italian operas based on the works of Sir Walter Scott, La donna del lago (The Lady of the Lake), features another operatic rarity: a heroine with agency, who - spoiler alert! - does not die! Filled with dueling high notes and coloratura fireworks, this story of love, loyalty, (and lochs!) in the Scottish highlands is a unique bel canto experience not to be missed! Resonance W...

Curator of Performance Events at the Frick Pittsburgh, Catio Amorose, spoke about their upcoming Summer Fridays at the Frick concert series that starts the evening of Friday, June 14th, with three more on July 12th, August 2nd, and August 23rd. Catio highlights the featured musical guests on the big stage, including Vocal Confluence on June 14th, and Cello Fury on August 2nd. This free event will...

Pianist James Iman presents his new CD James Iman: Album III at PYCO in Wexford at 6 pm Friday, June 14 with a concert featuring the Alban Berg Sonata Opus 1. It’s a CD release party with refreshments and a chance to have the new disc autographed. James talks with Jim Cunningham about the new recording which features the Alban Berg Sonata, Morton Feldman’s Last Pieces, Betsy Jolas' B for Sonata an...

Visit janicecoppola.com to hear more of KleZlectic's music, and find the full calendar for Bach, Beethoven and Brunch at www.wqed.org/fm/brunch 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 Pittsbur...

Director of Horticulture at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Ben Dunigan, talks about their new summer flower show titled, Under The Sea. This new exhibition that runs until September 8th features more topiary’s than usual, animatronic sharks, giant clamshells, and so many flowers! Ben talks about the different kind of flowers in this show, including some easter egg ones with names that...

Communications Manager with the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), James Santelli, spoke about their new on-going program, Summer Staycation, running until the end of August. This program offers over 100,000 free admissions to some of Pittsburgh's favorite attractions, like the Heinz History Center and the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. All you need is a Allegheny County library card and a RAD...

President of the Pittsburgh Symphony Association, Diane Unkovic , describes to Jim Cunningham what to expect at the Symphony Splendor Garden Tour Sunday, June 23 from 11 am to 4 pm in Shadyside. 8 Beautiful Shadyside Gardens will be opened for a self guided tour or an air conditioned bus tour. Over 20 members of the Pittsburgh Symphony will perform throughout the welcome center and gardens with al...

Opera singer Marianne Cornetti and Broadway star Jay Armstrong Johnson, spoke about their upcoming performance this Sunday, June 9th at 3 pm at the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland. This performance is for the 3rd annual Marianne Cornetti and Friends Benefit Concert and Art Auction that benefits the UPMC Western Behavioral Health Foundation. This concert will feature an unforgettable afternoon of Br...

Co-Artistic Directors of Chatham Baroque, violinist Andrew Fouts, and theorbo and baroque guitar player Scott Pauley, spoke with Anna Singer about Chatham Baroque's newly released 2024-2025 season. The season includes Handel's Apollo e Dafne with Twelfth Night, Roderick Williams, and Nola Richardson, French vocal and dance music from the time of Louis XII and XIV, and a world premiere of newly rel...

Attend the tale of PMT! Pittsburgh Musical Theater's Conservatory Director, Quinn Patrick Shannon, and PMT students, Ilyssa Bails and Eli Fisher, spoke with WQED-FM about their upcoming summer camps this year in the West End. Ilyssa and Eli discuss the Teen camps end of semester performance of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Quinn discusses the different tracks and camps offered fr...

Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh presents "As Spring Turns to Summer" - a program that includes Strauss, Honegger, and Copland, with performances on June 1, 2024, 7:30pm, at Levy Hall in Rodef Shalom and June 2, 2024, 3:00pm at Bower Hill Community Church. Soprano Zuly Inirio joins the orchestra for a performance of Richard Strauss’s cycle Four Last Songs. The program rounds out with Appalachian Sp...

Interim Vice President of Programming, Manager of DEAI Initiatives, and Festival Director with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Sarah Aziz, spoke about the Three Rivers Arts Festival that begins this Friday, May 31st. Sarah discusses the artists market with over 326 artists, as well as the musical acts at three different stages downtown. Check out the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on Monday, June 3r...

Executive Director of Contemporary Craft, Rachel Rearick, spoke about their upcoming exhibition, Hereafter, opening on Friday, May 31st. This exhibit features craft work by 13 regional artists mostly in the Pittsburgh area that delves into the feeling of grief. There will be a free opening reception on May 31st, and an Artists Talk on June 1st. Rachel highlights the work done by all the artists, a...

This Friday, May 31st, 7pm at the James Laughlin Music Hall, Kamratōn's Anna Elder performs Schoenberg's PIERROT LUNAIRE with guest artists Futaba Niekawa, piano and Jeffrey Turner, conductor. Other works on the program include OI KUU by Kaija Saariaho and the premiere of NOCTURNES by Emily Cook. Jim Cunningham spoke with Jeffrey Turner and Emily Cook about the concert, which they'll perform in Ne...

Music Director of the Mendelssohn Choir, Daniel Dinger, and violinist, Andrew Sords, discuss their upcoming concert at the Third Presbyterian Church on Saturday, June 1st at 7 pm. This free concert includes Cleveland-based pianist Elizabeth DeMio, and Pittsburgh Symphony cellist, Mike DeBruyn. Andrew and Daniel talk about the concerts program, how all the performers met at college, and what is nex...

Artistic Director of Renaissance City Choir, Kym Scott, discusses the choirs upcoming concerts for Pride Month, starting with a performance at Pittsburgh Pride this Friday, May 31st at 2 pm at the Allegheny Commons Park West. They will be tabling all of the pride events in the Pittsburgh area during the month of June, and will celebrate the month with their own Pride concert on June 29th and 30th...

Jim Cunningham spoke with Ben Bugaile about their new Summer Concert Recital Series beginning in July. 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 mus...

Ukrainian pianist and scholar Dr. Taras Filenko and Pittsburgh dancer Elsa Limbach spoke with WQED-FM about their upcoming Ukrainian benefit concert, Standing Against the Suppression of Expression, at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild on Sunday, June 2nd at 7 pm. All proceeds will go towards the Brother's Brother Foundation, and the concert will feature Ukrainian artist Ostap Stakhiw (Bandurist), a...

President and CEO of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum, John McCabe, recently spoke with Jim Cunningham about the Hall's upcoming Memorial Day celebration on May 27th from 11 am to 4 pm. John highlights all the fun things to do during this celebration, including a free tour of the Museum, family-friendly activities, and a concert by the Camp Chase Fifes and Drums. Parking is free a...

Organist Dr. Edward Alan Moore, composer Nancy Galbraith, and percussionist Abby Langhorst, spoke about the East Liberty Presbyterian Church's upcoming final concert of their 12th season of Cathedral Concerts with the Brass Roots. This event will be this Friday, May 24th at 7:30 pm and will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Brass Roots in residence at ELPC with a newly composed piece by Pittsb...

Playwright and Founder of the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company, Mark Clayton Southers, spoke with WQED-FM about his upcoming world premiere play of The Coffin Maker, running at the Pittsburgh Public Theater from May 29th to June 16th. Mark describes the story of an enslaved wife and freed husband working for an undertaker in Oklahoma, when a bounty hunter comes in and changes everything. He...

Director, playwright and Co-Artistic Director of City Theatre, Monteze Freeland, spoke with WQED-FM at the Pittsburgh Public Theater about the upcoming play, The Coffin Maker. This world premiere featuring a Pittsburgh playwright, Mark Clayton Southers, runs from May 29th to June 16th at the O'Reilly Theater. Monteze talks about his first introduction to the play almost 2 1/2 years ago, the challe...

Actors Randy Kovitz and Connor McCanlus spoke with WQED-FM about their upcoming roles as the bounty hunter and the photographer in the Pittsburgh Public Theater's world premiere, The Coffin Maker. This world premiere featuring a Pittsburgh playwright, Mark Clayton Southers, runs from May 29th to June 16th at the O'Reilly Theater. Connor talks about his field trip to the Photo Antiquities Museum of...

Former Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony, and former director of the Carnegie Mellon University Philharmonic, Andres Cardenes, spoke with Jim Cunningham about his past 36 years in the city of Pittsburgh, and why he is moving to Florida to continue his work. Both reminisce about Andres' start with the PSO in the 1980s, and talk about the future of classical music for young musicians in conse...