@ the Symphony
Insights and anecdotes from musicians, dancers, artists, actors and directors, as well as audience response.
Episodes
December 7, 2025 • 16 mins
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra played Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man;" Beethoven's Violin Concerto with PSO Concertmaster David McCarroll as soloist, and the Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 at Heinz Hall the weekend of December 5th, 2025. WQED-FM was there to broadcast the concert on Sunday December 7th live.
After the concert, WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with violist Sean Juhl about their busy schedule the last week or ...
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December 7, 2025 • 16 mins
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra played Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man;" Beethoven's Violin Concerto with PSO Concertmaster David McCarroll as soloist, and the Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 at Heinz Hall the weekend of December 5th, 2025. WQED-FM was there to broadcast the concert on Sunday December 7th live.
During intermission, WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with PSO Music Director Manfred Honeck, who spoke about the rave...
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December 7, 2025 • 12 mins
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra played Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man;" Beethoven's Violin Concerto with PSO Concertmaster David McCarroll as soloist, and the Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 at Heinz Hall the weekend of December 5th, 2025. WQED-FM was there to broadcast the concert on Sunday December 7th live.
Before the concert, WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with PSO violist Tatjana Mead Chamis and PSO Violinist Lorien Ben...
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November 24, 2025 • 10 mins
Violin prodigy Himari makes her debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony on November 28th with Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1. She joined Jim Cunningham to talk about the Bruch, her first EP with Decca Records, and playing with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Himari began playing the violin at the age of three and by the age of six, was already performing with professional orchestras. In 2022, she became the younges...
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November 13, 2025 • 20 mins
Houston Symphony Music Director Juraj Valcuha returns to conduct the Richard Strauss "Ein Heldenleben," A hero's Life, which reveals the autobiography of the composer complete with his thoughts on music critics but does it end with a triumph? Not exactly. It is a giant piece and 45 minutes of delightful music. Maestro Valcuha tells Jim Cunningham in his dressing room after rehearsal on Thursday evening that he has already given t...
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November 13, 2025 • 5 mins
Just as he left the stage Thursday afternoon at Heinz Hall, Pablo Fernandez talked with Jim Cunningham about his Saint-Saens Cello Concerto No. 1 with Juraj Valcuha and the Pittsburgh Symphony. They've worked together with great success in Paris, he loves working with the Pittsburgh, and remembers well his debut with John Williams in December of 2023. He's been playing the Saint-Saens since he was very young and of course he plays ...
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November 6, 2025 • 10 mins
Pianist Helene Grimaud talks with Jim Cunningham about her wide-ranging tour with the Gershwin Piano Concerto marking its 100th anniversary. She recorded it live with David Zinman two decades ago and is delighted to return to it in Pittsburgh, Houston, Washington DC and opening the new era in Cincinnati with Christian Macelaru. She's recently driven across the country from her California home to return to a place in Westchester, Ne...
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November 6, 2025 • 11 mins
Domingo Hindoyan makes his Heinz Hall debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony on November 7th and 9th leading "Alegria" by Roberto Sierra, the Gershwin Piano Concerto in F with Helene Grimaud as soloist and the Cesar Franck D minor Symphony. Maestro Hindoyan talks about his family growing up in Venezuela and playing the violin in the youth orchestra which is part of the highly successful training program El Systema. He discusses his new...
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October 17, 2025 • 17 mins
She loves being the champion of the new in classical music. Leila Josefowicz, violinist with an Avery Fisher Career Prize and a Macarthur Genius Award, hasn’t found being anointed brainy to be a detriment to her social life or connecting with listeners. She joins Dalia Stasevska for the new Saturday Sessions concert on Saturday October 18, 2025 at Heinz Hall and Friday and Sunday for the Stravinsky Violin Concerto. The Stravinsky ...
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October 16, 2025 • 19 mins
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Associate Conductor Jacob Joyce joined Jim Cunningham on the QED Morning Show to discuss the Orchestra's first Saturday Session of the season. These concerts bring you iconic classical repertoire in a more guided, approachable way. Jacob hosts from the stage, sharing insights and stories as the music comes to life. Jacob explained what people can expect at this Saturday's session which includes Caro...
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October 15, 2025 • 21 mins
Leaving on a jet plane finds Dalia Stasevska wearing a Metallica t shirt but arriving at Heinz Hall for her Pittsburgh Symphony debut without her luggage. She was projecting teen spirit during this conversation with Jim Cunningham in the guest conductor’s dressing room - after all, her husband plays in a metal band. Metallica worked with the Berlin Philharmonic and both the Symphony Orchestra and metal bands make a mighty roar.
...
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October 10, 2025 • 20 mins
Francesco Piemontesi returns to Heinz Hall to perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with Robin Ticciati conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He spoke with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham about the piece, working with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, what he has upcoming in his performance schedule and much more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
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September 29, 2025 • 7 mins
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Music Critic Jeremy Reynolds stopped by our broadcast location to talk to Jim Cunningham about his immediate post-concert thoughts on the season opening concert by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
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September 29, 2025 • 19 mins
During intermission of WQED-FM's live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on September 26, 2025, WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with Music Director Manfred Honeck, soloist Alexi Kenney about his performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto, and composer Christopher Theofanidis, whose "Rainbow Body" opened the concert. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
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September 29, 2025 • 16 mins
WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Assistant Conductor Jacob Joyce about the pre-concert talk he held with composer Christopher Theofanidis. Jacob also talked about the November 2025 concert by the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, in which he is the Artistic Director. Jim also spoke with violinist Karin Hoppo, a member of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. She played in the lobby prior t...
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June 13, 2025 • 5 mins
WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with Jeremy Reynolds, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Classical Music Critic, after the Friday June 13, 2025 Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert. Jeremy gave his quick review of the concert - he loved the 2nd movement of the Shostakovich and thought Beatrice Rana brought impressive energy to the Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No. 1. He also gives a sneak peak of some upcoming stories he has in the works. ...
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June 13, 2025 • 17 mins
During intermission of our live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on Friday June 13, 2025, WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with Music Director Manfred Honeck about the Shostakovich Symphony No. 10; the world premiere of Lera Auerbach's "Frozen Dreams;" and his summer plans. He then spoke with guest pianist Beatrice Rana about the Mendelssohn Piano Concert she just finished playing. She told Jim the encore was a piano ...
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June 13, 2025 • 18 mins
Prior to Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert on Friday June 13, 2025, WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with PSO Violist Stephanie Tretick, who is retiring after 45 years with the orchestra. She talks about her musical journey; memories of the PSO over the years; and how she'll miss visiting hardware stores in different countries on the orchestra tours. Jim also spoke with PSO Principal Tuba Craig Knox, who is celebrating his 20t...
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June 6, 2025 • 24 mins
Chopin Piano Competition winning pianist Bruce Liu makes his debut at Heinz Hall Friday June 6 and Sunday June 8th with a 360 concert on the 7th playing the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3. He sat down in the Grand Lobby at Heinz Hall after the dress rehearsal with Jim Cunningham to talk about the delights of the Beethoven Third. Beethoven was already experiencing hearing trouble playing the Third from memory at the premiere and gi...
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May 30, 2025 • 17 mins
Pittsburgh Symphony Guest Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero speaks in the conductor’s dressing room about the program of May 30th through June 1st, which features "Sprout" by Sean Shepherd, the Khachaturian Violin Concerto with Nemanja Radulovic, and the Brahms Fourth Symphony. He tells Jim Cunningham he is delighted to return and thrilled to see Jeremy Black as Concertmaster of the Grant Park Orchestra which he will lead as Music Direc...
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