Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck stopped by the QED Morning Show to talk about this weekend's Season Opening concerts with Saint-Saens' Organ Symphony, the Brahms Violin Concerto with Christian Tetzlaff, and a new piece to honor Manfred Honeck's 10th Anniversary as Music Director by Boris Pigovat.  Manfred also gives his feedback as to the authenticity of a Swiss folk music recording Jim plays for him!

The Enso String Quartet make their debut for Chamber Music Pittsburgh September 18, 2017 at Carnegie Music Hall. Violist Melissa Reardon and cellist Richard Belcher explain the name of the ensemble, fill us in on the history of the group, and introduce Ginastera, Pleyel and Puccini.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's 2017 Gala concert is Saturday September 16th at Heinz Hall.  Lang Lang is joined by 14 year old prodigy Maxim Lando to perform Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, along with special arrangements of Saint-Saëns’s Aquarium from The Carnival of Animals, Bernstein’s America from West Side Story, and Tchaikovsky’s Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker.  Music Director Manfred Honeck stopped by the QED Morning Show to talk about the Gala Concert, as well as to recap the orchestra's recently concluded European Festivals Tour.

The Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation presents “Meet me at the Station” - Saturday September 30th at 6pm. Tom Roberts and the Allegheny City Ragtime Orchestra will play and present silent films with Attack Theater dancing. Marlee Gallagher, Communications and Outreach Coordinator, and Sophia Yeung, Development Coordinator for the WCDC, explain why they are focusing their efforts on redeveloping Wilkinsburg’s train station built in 1917. The gala participants will have a chance to see inside the station with an architect led tour.  Marlee and Sophia  also fill us in on the many exciting efforts being made to further develop Wilkinsburg as a place to live and start a business.

It's the final day of the European Festivals Tour for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.   WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham checks in to talk about spending the day in Bucharest, reaction from last night's concert, and gives a preview of tonight's final tour concert.   You'll also hear from cellist Mikhail Istomin and Principal Trombone Peter Sullivan.  

Well, it's over.  The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concluded their European Festivals Tour tonight in Bucharest - the 2nd of 2 concerts.   WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham checked in moments after the concert ended to give a final recap of the concert and the tour.  He chatted with Music Director Manfred Honeck, PSO President and CEO Melia Tourangeau, patrons the Squires, and composer James MacMillan, who composed a work for the PSO to celebrated Manfred Honeck's 10th Anniversary with the PSO.   Plus some hear musical highlights from tonights concert in Bucharest.  

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra traveled to Bucharest today, where they will perform a concert tonight of Dvorak, Mahler and Tchaikovsky.  WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham was in flight, so he was unable to call in at 8:30am.  But our own Anna Singer played some interview clips from violist Tatjana Mead Chamis and tympanist Ed Stephan prior to their Lucerne Festival concert.   

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham checks in after the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's concert in Bucharest.  The concert actually started late because of the orchestra's flight being delayed leaving Lucerne.  You'll also hear from some concertgoer reaction to the orhcestra's Lucerne Festival concert.   

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra bass Micah Howard joined WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham on this morning's tour report.   Micah talks about the tour so far and about the being in the city of Lucerne.   You can also hear an encore by the orchestra from the BBC Proms concert.   

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham calls in from a post-concert reception in Lucerne after the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's performance at the Lucerne Festival.  He is joined by Manfred Honeck's Manager, Lothar Schacke, who talks about the concert in Lucerne and how he first got to know Maestro Honeck.