The Pittsburgh Philharmonic's Music Director Daniel Curtis talks about the Zoom sessions he is doing with the orchestra to stay connected and to prepare for their 2021-22 season. Next season, the Philharmonic is also launching a multi-year initiative to feature the music of Black American composers.

Miles Wallace, the Artistic Director of the Con Spirito Concert Series at Thiel College in the David Johnson Chapel, looks back at the thirty concert presentations over the past two decades during the pandemic year while the programs are on hiatus. The Con Spirito series is named for the woodwind ensemble that serve in residence at WQED-FM and concertized in 38 states, played New York to New York Times acclaim and toured China. The French horn was the late Lori Johnson Wallace. Following his degrees at Wittenberg and Yale, he served as assistant organist to Robert Sutherland Lord at the University of Pittsburgh then Miles was organist and choir director at First Lutheran Church where he met his wife in the Choir. Miles became a Vice President at Federated Investors and formed his own consulting company. He serves now as a board member at Thiel.  

Midori returns to Heinz Hall to perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.   You’ll hear Music Director Manfred Honeck conduct Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 and the Brahms’ Symphony No. 1.  

Midori returns to Heinz Hall to perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.   You’ll hear Music Director Manfred Honeck conduct Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 and the Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. 

In February 2021, Penguin Random House is publishing a new book: A Tip for the Hangman by Allison Epstein. A Tip for the Hangman tells the story of Christopher Marlowe getting recruited to spy on Mary Stuart during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. WQED-FM talks with Allison about her book, which will be available in written form and as an audiobook.

Jim Bonner, Executive Director of the Audubon Society of Western PA, describes trends in the Audubon Society's bird counts over recent years. In addition to updating WQED-FM on how the bald eagles are doing, he explains which bird species is currently the most under threat and how we can help to ensure that all local bird species continue to live in a healthy ecosystem. Funding from the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD) has helped the Audubon Society with a number of projects, such as maintenance on Beechwood Farms and conservation of large, old oak trees.