Voice of the Arts

The Fred Rogers Institute at St. Vincent College is hosting a concert that features the pianos of Fred and Joanne Rogers on Wednesday, June 3rd at 7:30pm! The Institute's Director, Emma Swift Lee, speaks with Jim Cunningham about the evening.

The concert will feature pianists Gloria Cook and Cynthia Lawing, and marks the first time these pianos have been played publicly. Gloria and Cynthia will start the evening with "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" by Fred's nephew Daniel Crozier, an arrangement of music from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. The rest of the program has been selected...

New Product Company comes to the Cultural Trust's newest venue, Three Stories, with Whistleblowers! Writer and director Spencer Byham-Carson speaks with Jim Cunningham about the play.

Five employees at a fictional aerospace company are forced into a mandatory empathy course. When a whistleblower scandal goes public mid-session, the exercises stop being hypothetical. What follows is darkly funny, politically sharp, and uncomfortably human.​​ Spencer tells Jim about what inspired him to write this story, and how the cast has transformed the play, and his thoughts on the current state of theater in Pittsburgh.

Whistleblowers opens tonight, May...

Karla Boos, Founder and Artistic Director of Quantum Theatre, will be leaving the company at the end of 2026 after triumphant 36 years. She joined Jim Cunningham to talk about the new season, and her retirement.

For her final show with Quantum, Karla will direct a production of Shakespeare's The Tempest from July 17th through August 23rd. She tells Jim why she chose it and gives her thoughts on the play. Karla and Quantum have a long relationship with Shakespeare, the playwright making his first appearance with the company for Antony and Cleopatra in 1997. In addition to The Tempest...

Celebrate the grand finale of TRYPO’s season at Heinz Hall on Saturday, May 23rd at 7:00pm! Music Director Brian Worsdale stopped by the WQED-FM studio to chat with Anna Singer about the concert.

Classical QED's Jim Cunningham will host the evening, which brings together all of TRYPO's large ensembles! Brian talks about the program, which includes works by Arturo Márquez, Saint-Saëns, and Frank Ticheli, and concludes with Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony. The concert will also feature their Concerto Competition winner, guest artists, and the return of TRYPO alumni to the stage—making it a true celebr...

On Sunday May 17th, 2025 - WQED-FM broadcast the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra concert live from Heinz Hall. Jacob Joyce conducted music by Respighi, Rachmaninoff and Bernstein. During intermission, Jim Cunningham spoke with PYSO Music Director Jacob Joyce. He spoke about the first half of the concert, the dedication of the kids in the orchestra, the upcoming tour to Greece, and the Respighi which is coming up in the second half. Jim also spoke with cellist Albert Dong, who was the winner of the 2025-2026 Season Conducting Competition. Albert conducted the opening music on the concert - the Beethoven Overture to...

On Sunday May 17th, 2025 - WQED-FM broadcast the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra concert live from Heinz Hall. Jacob Joyce conducted music by Respighi, Rachmaninoff and Bernstein. Prior to the concert, Jim Cunningham spoke with A.J. Schmidt, a member of the PYSO Flute section. He spoke about his experience in the Youth Orchestra, being a Senior at Franklin Regional High School, attending Rice University for music in the Fall, and flute highlights in the program. Jim also spoke with PYSO Executive Director Bill Powers, who is moving on to be General Director of Pittsburgh Opera after this concert. Bill spoke...

Hear "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin on the mighty organ of East Liberty Presbyterian Church with the powerful pianist Nathan Carterette as the Arsenal Duo plays a free concert on Sunday May 17th at 3pm. Organist Edward Alan Moore and pianist Nathan Carterette joined Classical QED morning host Jim Cunningham to talk about the concert with new music dedicated to the duo, Cesar Franck for the organ, and Bach for the piano. The duo have full details about the concert, the history of the ensemble, plus the story of their recent American Guild of Organists concert in Las Vegas...

Pianist Chaeyoung Park makes her Pittsburgh debut on Sunday, May 17 at 3:00pm at the Kresge Theater at Carnegie Mellon University for the Steinway Society of Western Pennsylvania.

She explains in this conversation with Jim Cunningham how she put together Beethoven's Tempest Sonata with Ravel's La Valse as a combination of the storm with dance, adding Spanish pieces by Albeniz, Granados and Mompou plus Olivier Messaien. Chaeyoung was born in Korea but grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, then studied at Juilliard. She has had a great run with the most prestigious festivals including, Gilmore Rising Artists, Arthur Rubinstein...

The Lindsay Theater has an upcoming screening of Robert Cochrane's Boys of Summer: Short Stop, the third installment of his documentary series chronicling precious time spent with his father, Dan Cochrane, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2001. Robert joined Jim Cunningham from California to talk about the film.

For this screening, the Lindsay is partnering with the Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania, for which Robert has been a keynote speaker. Robert hopes Short Stop will raise awareness of Parkinson's disease and help raise money for research and cure development.

The docuseries follows a baseball th...

The Millvale Music Festival takes place this weekend, May 15th & 16th! Anna Singer spoke with collaborators for concerts taking place at St. Nicholas Croatian Church about the festival's classical music programming.

St. Nicholas is the home of the murals of Maxo Vanka. Becky Gaugler, Director of Education for the Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka, talks about the ongoing restoration of the murals and the church's Croatian history. Jordan Speranzo will conduct the Millvale Festival Orchestra on Friday, May 15th at 5:30pm. The program includes music from Nancy Galbraith, Wagner, and Mahler. Jordan explains...

Phipps Conservatory opens their new show, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, this weekend! Associate Director of Exhibits Jordyn Melino stopped by to chat with Anna Singer live on the QED Afternoon Show about the exhibit.

Jordyn takes Anna through the process of bringing an exhibit to life. She started thinking about Alice in Wonderland two years ago, planning how to transform the original Lewis Carrol illustrations into plant sculptures. Jordyn's team builds topiaries, an internal metal frame wrapped in chicken wire, which is then covered in moss, to create the structure of the sculptures. Jordyn highlights parts of...

Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures recently announced its 2026-2027 season! Executive Director Sony Ton-Aime joined Anna Singer live on the QED Afternoon Show to talk about the series and other upcoming lectures.

There are four upcoming June lectures, featuring Winchester Thurston alum Alec Karakatsanis, Michael Lowenthal (Place Envy), Lisa Olszak Zumstein (The Brady's Bend Flood of 1980), and Isaac Fitzgerald (American Rambler). The first three are free to attend. The ticket cost to Isaac Fitzgerald's lecture includes a copy of American Rambler.

George Saunders opens the 2026-2027 season on September 14th, 2026. The series features 10 evenings connecting award-winning authors...

The Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra recently released a new recording of Mahler's Fifth Symphony! Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles joined Jim Cunningham from Berlin to talk about the CD.

Sir Donald discusses the orchestra's high caliber, the involvement of musicians from various major orchestras including Pittsburgh, and the evolution of the festival's recording agenda, highlighting the partnership with Reference Recordings and the technical improvements in their recording process. He elaborates on the interpretive aspects of Mahler's Fifth Symphony, particularly the Adagietto and the prominent trumpet and horn solos, and shared insights into the challenges and artistry...

QED's Jim Cunningham ventured to City of Asylum's campus to speak with their recently appointed Executive Director, Andrés Franco, about his transition, the organization's mission, and their 2026 Jazz Poetry programming.

Andrés previously served as the organization's Executive Director from 2020-2023, and comes back to City of Asylum after wrapping up his role as Executive Director of Attack Theatre. He recounts the story of the global City of Asylum movement, which was started by writer Salman Rushdie, and the founding of its Pittsburgh chapter. City of Asylum is currently presenting their Jazz Poetry month, a long-standing tr...

The North Hills Chorale has their 2026 spring concert this weekend at St. Vincent Hall at the Vincentian Learning and Engagement Institute. The choir's manager Tara Berdik speaks with Jim Cunningham about their program, "America in Harmony, 250 Years of Song."

Featured on the program are American favorites, including the Star-Spangled Banner, God Bless America, and Shenandoah. Tara's favorite is "The Midnight Ride Paul Revere," a seven-minute piece which has been a fulfilling challenge for the choir. Tom Koharchik serves as the Music Director of the choir, which was founded in the 90s and has grown to over 50 members.<...

Beth Corning, Artistic Director, choreographer, and performer for Corningworks, presents the latest installment of her Glue Factory Projects, Foolish Assumptions. Beth sat down with Anna Singer to speak about the production.

The Glue Factory Projects are original productions created by Beth that feature dancers over 40 years old. Foolish Assumptions examines the "foolish assumptions" we as people make about each other. Beth stars in the performance alongside Evan Fisk, with an extremely sparse stage (just two dancers and two chairs). Beth tells Anna that the story of the performance is entirely up to the audience--what we assume about...

The Bach Choir recently wrapped up their 2025-2026 season with "Oscar Nods!" Assistant Director Jon Erik Schreiber and Choir President Tybe Brett spoke with Anna Singer live on the QED Afternoon Show about their upcoming event, Sing Democracy 250.

Sing Democracy 250 is a national choral odyssey commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It will feature performances by choir across the country; the Bach Choir will host their concert at the O'Reilly Theater on July 3rd. Jon Erik will share conducting duties with Artistic Director Thomas Douglas.

Jon Erik and Tybe...

Ginger Brooks Takahashi is the only Pittsburgh-based artist that will be featured in the 59th Carnegie International! WQED Digital Correspondent Nick Tommarello ventured down to the Carnegie Museum of Art to speak with Ginger about her International exhibition.

Ginger's work for the exhibition includes a garden of perilla frutescens, a plant in the mint family that is a staple of Japanese and Korean cuisine. Through her art, she examines the importance of perilla to the Japanese and Korean diaspora. Perilla is considered an invasive species to many areas in the United States, and Ginger has created a...

Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh have commissioned a new piece for their 2026 season finale concert! Composer Trevor Weston, Artistic Director Edward Leonard, and Executive Director Andrew Swensen sat down with Anna Singer live on the QED Afternoon Show to talk about the program.

Trevor speaks about his piece, Steel City Sounds, which draws inspiration from August Wilson, Billy Strayhorn, and Franco Harris's Immaculate Reception. The concert will also feature performances from COP's two Young Artist Concerto Competition winners and Beethoven's Symphony No. 2. Eddie and Andrew give a run-down of COP's upcoming season, which has just been announced.

Christine Brondyke, Executive Director of the Sweetwater Center for the Arts in Sewickley, stopped by the WQED-FM studio to chat with Anna Singer about the organization.

Sweetwater celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, and it continues to be the epicenter of Northwest Pittsburgh's arts community. Christine talks about their recent move into the old Sewickley post office, their new brand campaign, and their mission as a nonprofit to serve all members of the community. She also discusses Sweetwater's mobile art unit, SweetRide, a retrofitted truck that takes their programming out into the community.

Christine takes...

SERIO has an upcoming production of Gaetano Donizetti's opera, Don Pasquale, opening May 8th! Founder Louisa Jonason, director Rebecca Kerr, and tenor George Milosh sat down with Anna Singer live on the QED Afternoon Show to talk about the show.

Louisa, who will be leading the production from the keyboard, explains her history with Don Pasquale and praises the cast's talents. George is returning to SERIO after appearing in their production of La Bohème as Rudolfo. He will sing Ernesto in this opera. The production will be at the Cultural Trust's newest venue, Three Stories, on L...

Prime Stage Theatre will present the world premiere of the stage adaptation of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Playwright Tammy Ryan sat down with Melissa Black to talk about the show.

Speak follows Melinda, a teenage girl who struggles with sexual assault and uses art to find her voice. Tammy talks about adapting the story for the stage, working with the production's director, Dana Hardy Bingham, and how the cast of young actors has taken on the project. She details the decision to cast both sides of Melinda, having one actor for her outward self and one...

The 59th Carnegie International, If the word we, opens this weekend on Saturday, May 2nd and will run until January 3rd, 2027. Senior Director of Marketing and Communications for the Art and History Museums Stefanie Cedro Mohr and Carnegie Museum of Art Director of Education and Public Programming Dana Bishop-Root spoke with Jim Cunningham live on the QED Morning Show about the exhibition.

Dana explains the meaning of the exhibition's title, If the word we, as an intentional vehicle for communal listening and learning. The Museum of Art is collaborating with the Children's Museum, Kamin Science Center, the...

Joe Calarco's vibrant adaptation of Romeo & Juliet comes to the City Theatre Mainstage, blurring the line between dreams and reality! The show's co-producers, Julia He and Alexander Farrell, and scenic designer, Sebastian Zavalza, spoke with Melissa Black about it.

Shakespeare's R&J follows four male students, living under strict rules, who defiantly and curiously act out Shakespeare's play. Alexander and Sebastian talk about the students' interaction with the play as they discover and identify with Shakespeare's words. Julia tells Melissa how she put the show together and her love for City Theatre's space. Sebastian explains how the...

Chief Naturalist Brian Cunningham of Wild Birds Unlimited speaks with Jim Cunningham about birdsong in music and nature with references to Vivaldi's Goldfinch Concerto and Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony.

Brian tells Jim how to attract hummingbirds, a good starter kit to bring birds to your back yard, and what birds are in Western PA now. He discusses whether bird feeders interfere with Mother Nature, and how to prevent rats and squirrels from getting in your feeder.

Brian hosts a podcast called Nature Centered, where he talks about feeding birds and enjoying nature right in your own...

Hold On to Your Music: A Mother's Legacy with pianist Mona Golabek will be screened for the JFilm Festival on Saturday, May 2nd at 6:30pm in McConomy Auditorium at CMU. Mona joined Jim Cunningham to chat about the documentary.

Mona will play the piano with selections from the documentary inspired by her book The Children of Willesden Lane and the Hershey Felder-directed play, The Pianist of Willesden Lane, telling her mother's story and the story of her family during WWII. The family story involves the Kindertransport, which transported 10,000 children from Nazi occupied Europe to England but asked...

North Pittsburgh Symphonic Band's spring concert is coming up on May 3rd, 2026! Conductor & Musical Director Tad Greig and President, Board Chari, & French horn Melissa Corso spoke with Anna Singer live on the QED Afternoon Show to talk about the program.

The band will play excerpts from Copland's Appalachian Spring, Sousa's Manhattan Beach March, Naohiro Iwai's arrangement of El Cumbanchero by Rafael Hernandez, and more. Melissa's pick was Eric Whitacre's Godzilla Eats Las Vegas; she and Tad praise the musicians' rise to that piece's challenge. There will be a projection accompaniment with the piece in classic Godzilla style...

Written and performed by Yvonne Hudson, Mrs. Shakespeare returns for William Shakespeare's birthday this Thursday, April 23rd! Yvonne talks to Anna Singer about her ever-evolving solo show, which she will perform at the Shakespeare statue outside the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Yvonne has been performing as Agnes "Anne" Hathaway for almost 40 years. She was inspired to create this labor of love out of a personal curiosity about the Shakespeare family and the historic treatment of Anne. Yvonne talks about Anne's life, losing their son Hamnet, and performing excerpts of Shakespeare plays through a feminist lens.

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Pittsburgh Opera presents Verdi's "Falstaff" April 28th through May 3rd at the Benedum Center. It's the final production of their 2025-2026 Season, as well as Christopher Hahn's final opera as General Director. WQED-FM's Anna Singer spoke with Michael Chioldi about his role as Falstaff; growing up in Pittsburgh; how he ended up in opera and working with Marianne Cornetti for 30 years. 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...

Pittsburgh Opera presents Verdi's "Falstaff" April 28th through May 3rd at the Benedum Center. It's the final production of their 2025-2026 Season, as well as Christopher Hahn's final opera as General Director. WQED-FM's Anna Singer spoke with Marianne Cornetti about her role as Mistress Quickly; how the role fits her voice perfectly, although it's still a difficult sing; and how Verdi is her favorite opera composer. 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 he...

Pittsburgh Opera presents Verdi's "Falstaff" April 28th through May 3rd at the Benedum Center. It's the final production of their 2025-2026 Season, as well as Christopher Hahn's final opera as General Director. WQED-FM's Anna Singer spoke with Stage Director Crystal Manich about this being Verdi's final opera; enjoying the play within the play aspect of the opera; and working with a bunch of Pittsburghers!! 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 br...

Pittsburgh Opera presents Verdi's "Falstaff" April 28th through May 3rd at the Benedum Center. It's the final production of their 2025-2026 Season, as well as Christopher Hahn's final opera as General Director. WQED-FM's Anna Singer spoke with Music Director Antony Walker who says it's one of his favorite opera's. He also talks about the Pittsburgh-centric cast and how's it's an opera that is always on the go. 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...

On Sunday April 19th, 2026, WQED-FM broadcast the 2026 Heinz Chapel Choir Spring Concert titled "The Heavenward Path." The concert served as a warm up for the choir's tour to Estonia and Latvia in May 2026. After the concert, host Anna Singer spoke with Heinz Chapel Choir Director Dr. Susan Rice about putting the program together and her thoughts on the upcoming tour. Anna also spoke with Alto Lydia Roberts, who was named the winner of the John Goldsmith Award for Choral Excellence recipient. Lydia talks about her surprise of winning the award as well as her favorite parts of the concert. Finally...

Ahead of the NFL Draft, WQED traveled down to city hall for a chat with Mayor Corey O'Connor. He spoke with Jim Cunningham about the draft, Pittsburgh's arts community, and his vision for the city's future.

Mayor O'Connor talks about how Pittsburgh has prepared to host the draft, and the opportunities to show off the city's culture, arts, and businesses. He highlights the various projects being completed at Arts Landing, Market Square, and the Point, which will continue to be active gathering places for Pittsburghers long after the draft.

The mayor praises the city's museums...

The Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall are hosting a day of commemoration for the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Library Director Walker Evans and photographer Mike Haritan speak with QED's Melissa Black about the event program and Mike's work.

Walker details what the Carnegie Carnegie has planned for the day. They'll kick off with a film screening of The Babushkas of Chernobyl, a portrait of older women who chose to return to homes in the Exclusion Zone, followed by a presentation by Mike entitled Chernobyl: 30 Years Later, which includes a slideshow of images he took...

Calgary, Canada-born pianist Jan Lisiecki has been a favorite at Heinz Hall playing with the Pittsburgh Symphony. He speaks with Jim Cunningham about his latest release on Deutsche Grammophon with two Mozart Concertos, the 9th and 22nd. It was recorded with the Bamberg Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony Music Director Manfred Honeck. Jan also describes his recording Chopin's complete Nocturnes, which had been available to contributors during the Classical QED fundraising drive.

You can learn more about Jan Lisiecki and his recordings on his website and purchase the Mozart CD from Deutsche Grammophon.

Thanks for...

Join the University of Pittsburgh Bands for an exciting evening of music at the Spring Festival of Bands, featuring performances by the Franklin Regional High School Wind Ensemble, the Allegheny Brass Band, and the University of Pittsburgh Symphonic Band! Pitt Director of Bands Brad Townsend, Assistant Director of Bands Michael Buckstein, and Allegheny Brass Band Director Steve Baldanzi spoke with Jim Cunningham about the event.

They talk about the spirit of the bands and the band movement in the US and on college campuses. This special event brings together high school students, community musicians, and collegiate-level performers...

Church of the Redeemer in Squirrel Hill joins with Opus:Impact in the Sanctuary at 8pm on Saturday April 18th to present the Faure "Requiem" and music for solo harp played by recent Pittsburgh Concert Society Competition winner Lace Hilboky. The program also includes the Schubert "Notturno." Soprano Sydney Kaczorowski will sing the Pie Jesu and join baritone Adriel Baralt Jimenez with Fabio Gentili conducting a chamber choir and soloists in the Requiem. Audience members can light a candle to remember lost family and friends. A free will offering is encouraged with donations to the Women’s Shelter of Greater Pi...

Now Hear This, a Great Performances miniseries, returns for its seventh season tonight! Scott Yoo, creator and host, spoke with Jim Cunningham about the highlights.

Season seven explores the lives and works of Johannes Brahms and Scott Joplin, two celebrated composers whose careers did not go as planned; alongside the music scene of two major musical epicenters: Istanbul and Iceland. Tonight's show features Brahms: a visit to his country house in Baden-Baden, listening to the Brahms Piano Trio No. 3, the Clarinet Trio and a piano sonata.

Next week's show focuses on from Scott Joplin with...

The Bands and Bids fundraising campaign benefits the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank through both an online auction and a live music event. Lance Jones, the events organizer, stopped by WQED-FM to talk to Jim Cunningham about the event, which features performances from the Polkamaniacs, the Jig-Offs and Ben Forbeck. The event takes place on Thursday April 16th at the Penn Hebron Garden Club in Penn Hills from 6:30pm to 10pm. Now until 10pm on April 16th, you can also bid for auction items including a behind-the-scenes tour of Rich Engler's autographed guitar collection; a Robert Plant autographed poster; a $300...