@ the Symphony
Insights and anecdotes from musicians, dancers, artists, actors and directors, as well as audience response.
Episodes
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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May 30, 2025 • 24 mins
Nemanja Radulovic makes his Pittsburgh debut playing the Khachaturian Violin Concerto with Guest Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero May 30th and 31st plus a matinee on June 1st at Heinz Hall. The Serbian born violin virtuoso talks with Jim Cunningham in the grand lobby about his music study in Serbia, Serbian history, his love of Bach and his two Bach CDs, plus his Khachaturian and Rimsky Korsakoff CD. He discusses his two ensembles whic...
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May 16, 2025 • 20 mins
Pittsburgh Symphony guest conductor Yuraj Valcuha made his American debut at Heinz Hall and has become a favorite appearing here many times including this weekend and next season. In this conversation in the conductor’s dressing room surrounded by the portraits of previous music directors, he spoke of how much he enjoys his visits and his family ties to Pittsburgh referencing the historical marker next to Heinz Hall commemorating C...
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April 29, 2025 • 29 mins
Vikingur Olafsson speaks with Jim Cunningham in the Heinz Hall Fourth Floor rehearsal Room about his work with Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony playing Brahms First Concerto. He spoke about his path to playing Bach’s Goldberg Variations around the globe more than 88 times, being called the Icelandic Glenn Gould, loving the Musicians of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra since hearing them in Berlin where he performed with ...
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April 11, 2025 • 9 mins
After our live broadcast, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Principal Cello, Anne Martindale Williams, spoke with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham about the concert; the PSO Disrupt Concert that took place the night before; and how her daughter has changed from playing the cello to practicing medicine. Jim was also visited by Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra President and CEO Melia Tourangeau, who gave a review of the concert; upcoming events sh...
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April 11, 2025 • 13 mins
During intermission of our live broadcast, WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham first spoke with the weekend's guest conductor - Daniele Rustioni, who made his 2nd appearance with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He talked about the program, getting appointed as Principal Guest Conductor at the Metropolitan Opera and more. He was followed by guest pianist Kirill Gerstein, also making his 2nd appearance with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestr...
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April 11, 2025 • 13 mins
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Associate Conductor Jacob Joyce spoke with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham before our live broadcast to talk about this evening's concert. He also spoke about the latest news on the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, of which he is the Music Director.
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March 7, 2025 • 5 mins
What did Jeremy Reynolds, classical music critic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, think of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's concert with conductor Elim Chan and pianist Jan Lisiecki? Listen to his immediate reactions as he spoke with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham at the end of the concert during our live broadcast of March 7, 2025.
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March 7, 2025 • 18 mins
During intermission of our live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with guest conductor Elim Chan, guest pianist Jan Lisiecki, and PSO Vice-President of Artistic Planning Mary Persin about the just release 2025-2026 Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra season.
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March 7, 2025 • 9 mins
WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke to Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Horn Michelle Hembree and Principal Contrabassoon James Rodgers prior to the concert of March 7, 2025 which was broadcast live. Both spoke about the concert, working with conductor Elim Chan, significant parts for their instrument in the pieces and more.
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February 20, 2025 • 9 mins
Maestro Manfred Honeck talks about the program for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's concert this weekend, on February 21st and 23rd.
The program features Hannah Ishizaki's new composition "Spin", Korngold's Symphony in F Sharp, and Mozart's 25th Piano Concerto. He also speaks about how delighted he was to receive an honorary Doctorate at Duquesne University this past week. Manfred looks forward to seeing the newest WQED docume...
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February 20, 2025 • 14 mins
Pianist Emanuel Ax talks with Jim Cunningham about Mozart's 25th Piano Concerto, which he will play February 21st and 23rd at Heinz Hall.
He also discusses his return next year to play Brahms' First Concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, his tour with clarinet Anthony McGill from the New York Philharmonic, and his tribute to Sir Andrew Davis in Toronto. Emanuel also highlights his favorite Mozart pianists, and his projec...
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February 20, 2025 • 20 mins
Composer and violinist Hannah Ishizaki talks about her commissioned music "Spin", which will receive its world premiere at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on February 21st and 23rd.
Hannah talks about how the Pittsburgh Symphony influenced her as she knew several players growing up in Pittsburgh. She also describes how she wove in electronic dance music, or EDM, into her piece. She even divulges the conversation she had with Ma...
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February 13, 2025 • 7 mins
Violinist Maria Duenas shares her thoughts on the Saint-Saens Third Violin Concerto with Jim Cunningham. She plays it February 14th, 15th and 16th with Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony. She is delighted to return to Pittsburgh on the very day her new 2-cd set on DG with all the Paganini Caprices is released on cd, download, vinyl, and special edition with Polaroid photos for fans. Is she doing anything romantic for Valent...
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February 13, 2025 • 21 mins
Composer Carlos Simon talks with Jim Cunningham about his "Four Black Dances," which Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony will record for the Reference label on Valentines weekend 2025 along with the Dvorak New World Symphony. He also speaks about his Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson music written for Sandra Seaton’s play as performed in Pittsburgh with Pittsburgh Opera and Washington DC. What he’s working on next and his adm...
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February 3, 2025 • 28 mins
Maestro Elder talks with Jim Cunningham in the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel downtown Pittsburgh about his Pittsburgh Symphony concerts of January 31st and February 2nd, 2025 with principal Oboe Cynthia Koledo de Almeida playing Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto, Pohjohla’s Daughter by Sibelius, and the Shostakovich Symphony No. 15. What does it all mean? The William Tell Overture quote, Wagner, and self reference along the way. Even wi...
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