Mezzo Soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano returns to Pittsburgh October 5 and 7 2018 to sing the Jeremiah Symphony No 1 by Leonard Bernstein which she recently recorded with the Baltimore Symphony. She describes the beauty of the music and the dramatic premiere in Pittsburgh in 1944 with Bernstein conducting his own music a the Syria Mosque. She also fills us in on the role she will sing this season at the Metropolitan Opera, Meg Page in Falstaff in March 2019. She returns at the end of the season to sing Beethoven’s Ninth with the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Pittsburgh Symphony Assistant Conductor Andres Franco leads a free Regional Asset District Radical Days  concert opening with the Barber School for Scandal Overture Tuesday October 9 2018 at 7:30 at Heinz Hall with the Duquesne University Young Artists Competition playing the Samuel Barber Violin Concerto plus Dvorak’s American Suite and Bernstein’s Candide Overture. All the latest from the Music Director  of the Tulsa Signature Symphony who knows rich coffee flavor when he experiences it having been born in Colombia.   

It’s intermission time at Heinz Hall on opening night  with a live WQED-FM broadcast and guest violinist Pinchas Zuckerman heard in the Bruch g minor Concerto and just after he played Happy Birthday for Manfred Honeck, the Music Director speaks as does composer Mason Bates with a first reaction to the world premiere of Resurrexit his new commission, the President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Symphony Melia Tourangeau has a few opening night observations and chooses some don’t miss concerts.

Pittsburgh Symphony Music Director Manfred Honeck recaps opening weekend and looks forward to the celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s 100th anniversary and the premiere of the Jeremiah Symphony No 1 in 1944 at the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh. The debut concert will be presented at Heinz Hall Friday October 5 and Sunday October 7th with soloist Jennifer Johnson Cano, Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No 3 , Haydn’s 88th Symphony and Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. Maestro Honeck remembers his conversation with Leonard Bernstein when as a member of the Vienna Philharmonic  viola section he asked for Bernstein’s advice about his conducting career.     

Manfred Honeck describes the fun surrounding his 60th birthday and the live broadcast on Friday September 28 at 8pm of the Bruch g minor Concerto with Pinchas Zuckerman, a world premiere from Mason Bates  and the Brahms Symphony No 2. Manfred tells us about renewing his contract through 2022 and what might happen after that.

The Pittsburgh Symphony’s new Board Chair Tony Bucci who serves as the Chairman of Marc International has the latest from the PSO Annual Meeting announcing the renewal of Manfred Honeck’s contract, looking beyond 2022, his take on how to avoid another contract dispute, how to fill seats at Heinz Hall, the financial health of the orchestra and about Pittsburgh based Marc USA, the firm with worldwide  influence and $350 million in sales where he has worked for 46 years.

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham met Pittsburgh Symphony Music Director Manfred Honeck at Heinz Hall to discuss the 2018 Gala Concert featuring Renee Fleming.