Dance legend Virginia Johnson, Artistic Theater of Dance Theater of Harlem, discusses the collaboration with Pittsburgh Ballet Theater under way at the August Wilson Center through March 24 and the many events taking place around town. It’s the 50th anniversary of her company where she danced beginning in 1969.  In a corner of the arts world where not too long ago dancers could only purchase white satin pointe shoes Virginia thinks progress is being made. No matter what the ethnicity of the dancer body shape self-image is  an issue. Discussing  the great success of Misty Copeland, star of the American Ballet Theater, there may be more stars equal to her talent in the future and no doubt there have already been some we just didn’t know about while the spotlight was elsewhere as Virginia explains to Jim Cunningham.  

Dr. John Walker, organist and choir director  at Shadyside Presbyterian Church will bring the Organ Artists of Pittsburgh 40th Anniversary Season to a close with a free concert April 26 2019 at 7:30 at his former sanctuary. John is the past president of the American Guild of Organists and is now teaching at the Peabody Institute of Music in Baltimore.  He will be honored at a special fundraising event for the AGO Endowment Fund at the mansions on Fifth immediately after his recital.  He spoke with Jim Cunningham about his wide ranging career, his work with Michael Tilson Thomas, Raymond Ocock, Virgil Fox, Leo Sowerby and many others. Introducing John Walker is Edward Alan Moore of East Liberty Presbyterian Church in this conversation with Jim Cunningham.

Members of the Resonance Works production of Bach's St. John Passion stopped by WQED-FM to chat with Anna Singer. 

Ingrid Schaffner, Curator of the 57th Carnegie International joins Warhol Museum Curator of Performing Arts Ben Harrison to discuss A Night of Deep Listening featuring Joe McPhee, flutist and McArthur Foundation fellow Claire Chase and Peter Evans for an evening at Carnegie Music Hall Saturday March 23rd as part of the final weekend of the International.  They review greatest hits  of the International and describe the Dusty Groove exhibit within an exhibit which features art inspired by music and sound with reference to John Cage, Pauline Oliveros and Sun Ra. The concert will include Claire Chase playing Edgard Varese Density 21.5 , improvisation, poetry and music by Paulne Oliveros with her Sounds From Childhood and 13 Changes. Also on the program Lucia Dlugoszewski’s Space is A Diamond.  In conversation with Jim Cunningham at WQED-FM.

March 22nd and March 24, Resonance Works Pittsburgh present's Bach's "St. John Passion."   Artistic Director Maria Sensi Sellner stopped by WQED-FM to talk about it with Anna Singer.

Pianist Lukas Vondracek makes his Pittsburgh Symphony debut playing Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto -Friday March 15th at 8 and Sunday March 17th at 2:30. Here he talks about Rachmaninoff, working with Russell Sherman at New England Conservatory, what you should see when you visit Prague, where beer was invented, the Queen Elizabeth of Belgium Competition where he was the winner in 2016 and much more.  The conversation took place in his dressing room at Heinz Hall with Jim Cunningham.