ArtsPerforming Arts

@ the Symphony

WQED Multimedia

Insights and anecdotes from musicians, dancers, artists, actors and directors, as well as audience response.

Play

Open in

36 episodes
Avg 16 min
English

Episodes 36

Newest Oldest Longest

All16 Unplayed16 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

#218
September 1 · 20 min
PSO Tour Report - Morning - September 1, 2026
WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham calls in live from Hamburg, Germany to the QED Morning Show with Anna Singer. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will play their first of two concerts at the Elbphilharmonie tonight. Jim tells Anna about the Hall where the symphony will play, and talks about the highlights from the Warsaw concerts. He mentions what some of the musicians have been up to as well as Jim's side trip to Berlin.
#217
August 31 · 8 min
PSO Tour Report - Morning - August 31, 2026
WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham reports from Warsaw, Poland. He spoke with Principal Tuba Craig Knox. Craig talks about how nice it is to perform in a new city (the PSO has not been to Poland since 1989); the audience reaction to their performance and how he was able to see his teacher at the concert. Jim also spoke with Music Director Manfred Honeck who was pleased with how the orchestra has performed the first few concerts of the tour. He also talked about how he came up with the program for th
#216
August 28 · 12 min
PSO Tour Report - Morning - August 28, 2026
Fresh off their concert at the Salzburg Festival, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Principal Flute Nikolai Song and Assistant Principal Bass Michael Banks spoke with Anna Singer live on the QED Morning Show. They talk about the differences between performing in Merano, Italy and in Salzburg; the difference between Pittsburgh audiences and European audiences; and the concerts they are looking forward to. It's exciting for both players since this is the first European tour for both of them and whil
#215
August 21 · 12 min
Manfred Honeck on the 2026 European Tour
From August 26 to September 10, 2026, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra returns to Europe for a 13-concert tour across six countries and nine cities, the orchestra's 45th international tour in its history. Led by Music Director Manfred Honeck, the PSO will appear at many of Europe's most prestigious venues and festivals, including the Salzburg Festival, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, and the Vienna Konzerthaus. WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with Maestro Honeck
#214
July 15 · 26 min
Danny Elfman with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Danny Elfman brings a brand-new symphonic project featuring music from his celebrated film career to Pittsburgh! Danny speaks with Jim Cunningham ahead of the concert about the program and his career.
#213
July 8 · 29 min
Andrew Kierszenbaum - The Music of Arcane
Pianist and composer Andrew Kierszenbaum plays music from the hit show Arcane with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra! He speaks with Jim Cunningham about working on the show, classical inspirations, and what fans should expect.
#212
June 20 · 36 min
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Live Broadcast Interviews - 6/19/26
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra played an all-American program to finish their classical season on Friday June 19th, 2026. It was to celebrate American 250 and featured Manfred Honeck conducting a brand new piece by Michael Daugherty titled "Dancing in the Streets," Jesse Montgomery's "Strum" and Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" which included 10 members of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre on stage during the performance. Plus, Augustin Hadelich played the Barber Violin Concerto. WQED-FM broad
#211
June 11 · 26 min
F. Murray Abraham - Lincoln Portrait
Academy Award-winning actor F. Murray Abraham makes an appearance with the Pittsburgh Symphony as the narrator of Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait. He spoke with Jim Cunningham ahead of the performances about the piece.
#209
June 10 · 16 min
Manfred Honeck Renewed through 2033
On Wednesday June 10th, 2025, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra announced they have renewed the contract of Music Director Manfred Honeck through 2033, which will make him the longest tenured Music Director in the history of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra! WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with Manfred about why he decided to stay with the PSO, even though he's had offers from other orchestras over the years; his great relationship with the musicians of the PSO; the joy of having his family aro
#210
June 10 · 14 min
PSO Press Conference - Manfred Honeck Renewed
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra announced the renewal of Manfred Honeck's contract through 2033 at a Press Conference on Wednesday June 10th, 2026 at Heinz Hall. Speakers included PSO President and CEO Melia Tourangeau, PSO Board Chair Antony Bucci, PSO Concertmaster David McCarroll, Mayor Corey O'Connor, and Manfred Honeck.
#208
May 30 · 26 min
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Live Broadcast Interviews - 5/29/26
On Friday May 29th, 2026, WQED-FM broadcast the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert live from Heinz Hall. Led by Gemma New making her PSO debut, the orchestra played "Rainphase" by Salina Fisher and "Scheherazade" by Rimsky-Korsakov. Stefan Jackiw returned after more than 10 years to play the Korngold Violin Concerto. Before the concert, WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with PSO cellist Charlie Powers about the concert, as well two performances he's giving of the 1st 3 Bach Cello Suites - S
#207
May 14 · 20 min
Conductor Edward Gardner
Rising star British conductor Edward Gardner makes his debut May 15th and 17th at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Sitting down in his dressing room after a double rehearsal on Thursday afternoon, he told Jim Cunningham about his program with Oliver Knussen's "Flourish with Fireworks," Beethoven's First Piano Concerto and Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony. So was the Sixth a farewell to the world? Edward has chosen the approach that doesn't make the score dreary or heart on the slee
#206
April 9 · 22 min
Yulianna Avdeeva
The Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 is her favorite but she knows them all. Yulianna Avdeeva brings the 2nd to Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony April 10th and 12th conducted by Rafael Payare. Yulianna Avdeeva spoke with Jim Cunningham about the special features of the Second Concerto. It is filled with tricky writing but born in Moscow, Yulianna Avdeeva has special love for the complex composer who returned to Russia with Stalin in charge after success in Paris and Chicago where he hear
#205
April 9 · 22 min
Rafael Payare
Rafael Payare has been a rising star for more than a decade having worked with Gustavo Dudamel, Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim and Lorin Maazel on his way to the Music Director spot in Montreal and San Diego. In his dressing room with the portrait of former Pittsburgh Symphony Music Director Lorin Maazel looking over his shoulder, he tells Jim Cunningham he loved playing the French Horn in the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra, but his life is even richer with two daughters and wife Alisa Weilerst
#204
March 30 · 26 min
Daniele Rustioni
Daniele Rustioni speaks with Jim Cunningham about his March 27-29 appearances with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
#203
March 27 · 20 min
Yefim Bronfman
Jim Cunningham interview Yefim Bronfman about his Schumann Concerto performance with Daniele Rustioni and the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Showing 21–36 of 36 episodes