Listen and Subscribe to These Great Podcasts from WQED Multimedia
Gumbands: A Podcast with Rick Sebak
GUMBANDS is a podcast about Pittsburgh, its people, its history, its neighborhoods, its small businesses, its food, its charms, its stories, and many of its surprises.
@ the Symphony
Conductors, soloists and composers involved in making great Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performances talk about their music.
Voice of the Arts
Insights and anecdotes from musicians, dancers, artists, actors and directors, as well as audience response.
Pittsburgh Symphony Radio
A complete two hour concert hosted by Jim Cunningham. Listen for interviews and features, historic recordings and the latest weekly concerts from Heinz Hall.
Encore!
Did you miss a recent live broadcast? Or do you just want to hear it again? Relive recent WQED-FM live broadcasts on the Encore podcast page. Stream full length broadcasts by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and others.
Artists in the World
Hosted by WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham and CMOA's Dana Bishop-Root, Artists in the World uplifts artistic voices and explores multiple histories, geographies, and current events.
Pittsburgh Symphony on Tour
Jim Cunningham reports from the PSO's domestic and international tours.
Latest Podcast Episodes
April 17, 2026
Performance in Pittsburgh – Sphinx Virtuosi – Chamber Music Pittsburgh
The Sphinx Virtuosi play music by Jessie Montgomery, William Grant Still, Prokofiev and more. From their Chamber Music Pittsburgh concert at Carnegie Music Hall on October 21, 2025.
April 17, 2026
Mayor O’Connor on the Draft, Pittsburgh Arts, and the Future
Ahead of the NFL Draft, WQED traveled down to city hall for a chat with Mayor Corey O’Connor. He spoke with Jim Cunningham about the draft, Pittsburgh’s arts community, and his vision for the city’s future.
Mayor O’Connor talks about how Pittsburgh has prepared to host the draft, and the opportunities to show off the city’s culture, arts, and businesses. He highlights the various projects being completed at Arts Landing, Market Square, and the Point, which will continue to be active gathering places for Pittsburghers long after the draft.
The mayor praises the city’s museums, arts organizations, and recreational areas, and emphasizes his administration’s intention to uplift those institutions. He is optimistic about the power of the arts to vitalize the city and bring new visitors and residents to Pittsburgh.
April 16, 2026
Carnegie Carnegie Commemorates Chernobyl 40 Years Later
The Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall are hosting a day of commemoration for the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Library Director Walker Evans and photographer Mike Haritan speak with QED’s Melissa Black about the event program and Mike’s work.
Walker details what the Carnegie Carnegie has planned for the day. They’ll kick off with a film screening of The Babushkas of Chernobyl, a portrait of older women who chose to return to homes in the Exclusion Zone, followed by a presentation by Mike entitled Chernobyl: 30 Years Later, which includes a slideshow of images he took at Chernobyl. There will be performances by the Ridna Shkola children’s choir, an original dance by the Kyiv Ukrainian Dance Ensemble inspired by Mike’s photograph Gasmask Doll.
The schedule wraps up with a panel discussion with four experts in public health, radiology, politics, and culture, and a discussion of the environmental recovery of the area in the forty years since the explosion. Mike talks about his work, his book, Chernobyl: Aftermath of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster, and his experience touring the Chernobyl area and the nearby city of Pripyat.
Commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall on Saturday, April 25th. Programs begin at 11:00am and run through 3:00pm. Plan your travel with the NFL Draft in mind. Guests are encouraged to register in advance at the Carnegie Carnegie website.
April 15, 2026
Jan Lisiecki – New Mozart CD with Manfred Honeck and the Bamberg Symphony
Calgary, Canada-born pianist Jan Lisiecki has been a favorite at Heinz Hall playing with the Pittsburgh Symphony. He speaks with Jim Cunningham about his latest release on Deutsche Grammophone with two Mozart Concertos, the 9th and 22nd. It was recorded with the Bamberg Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony Music Director Manfred Honeck. Jan also describes his recording Chopin’s complete Nocturnes, which had been available to contributors during the Classical QED fundraising drive.
You can learn more about Jan Lisiecki and his recordings on his website and purchase the Mozart CD from Deutsche Grammophon.
April 13, 2026
University of Pittsburgh Bands Host Their Inaugural Spring Festival!
Join the University of Pittsburgh Bands for an exciting evening of music at the Spring Festival of Bands, featuring performances by the Franklin Regional High School Wind Ensemble, the Allegheny Brass Band, and the University of Pittsburgh Symphonic Band! Pitt Director of Bands Brad Townsend, Assistant Director of Bands Michael Buckstein, and Allegheny Brass Band Director Steve Baldanzi spoke with Jim Cunningham about the event.
They talk about the spirit of the bands and the band movement in the US and on college campuses. This special event brings together high school students, community musicians, and collegiate-level performers for a celebration of artistry, collaboration, and the vibrant musical spirit of our region. Jim also gets a run-down of each ensemble’s program, notably a world premiere from a Pittsburgh composer by Franklin Regional.
The festival takes place tomorrow, April 14th at 7:00pm. It is free and open to the public. It will be held at Bellefield Hall on South Bellefield Avenue across from the Heinz Memorial Chapel. A livestream link is also available here.
April 13, 2026
Pittsburgh Symphony Radio – 2025-2026 Season – Program 2 – Part 2
Dima Slobodeniouk conducts Debussy’s “La Mer” along with two Pittsburgh Symphony premieres – Sigfusdottir’s “Oceans” and “The Oceanides” by Jean Sibelius. Vadim Gluzman makes his debut with the Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2.
