WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham interviews Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck, guest soloist Helene Grimaud and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra President and CEO Melia Tourangeau during intermission of our live broadcast on Friday September 29th, 2023. 

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham had a chance to interview Helene Grimaud at Heinz Hall before she plays the Schumann Piano Concerto this weekend with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  She talks about the concerto, her love of playing in Pittsburgh and if she celebrates Halloween.  

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra opens its 2023-2024 Mellon Grand Classics Season this weekend with music by Gabriela Ortiz and Sergei Rachmaninoff, with Helene Grimaud playing the Schumann Piano Concerto.  Music Director Manfred Honeck stopped by the QED Morning Show to talk with Jim Cunningham about the concert, the Gala with Renee Fleming and much more. 

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians John Moore and Neal Berntsen discussed with Jim Cunningham live on air during WQED-FM's fall funder about the Musicians of Steel 5k Run and Walk on September 30th at 10am in Millvale. 100% of the race entry fees go towards the PSO Musicians Care Fund that is a non-profit that support local community and school programs that have lost funding. They also talk about the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's newest CD featuring Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony. Visit https://www.musiciansofsteel5k.com to learn more.

Superstar soprano Renee Fleming sat down with Music Director Manfred Honeck in the Fifth Floor dressing room to talk about their Pittsburgh Symphony "Now is the  Time" Gala concert at Heinz hall September 23, 2023 recalling Renee’s first years in Indiana, PA and Ridgeway. Manfred Honeck answers the question - is Renee Fleming a diva?  Renee discusses her Kennedy Center honor at the end of the year with Dionne Warwick, Queen Latifah, Billy Crystal and Barry Gibb. Jim Cunningham asks about her series of Imax ‘Cities that Sing’ live to theaters concerts with Paris and Venice. Renee Fleming mentions her work with Andre Previn in "Streetcar Named Desire" and his last music, "Penelope." They run down the concert program with 4 Black Dances by  Carlos Simon, John Kandar’s "Letter From Sullivan Ballou," La Boheme by Leoncavallo, "Till There Was You" from the Music Man, and Andrew Lippa’s "The Diva." 

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Assistant Conductor Moon Doh stopped by the QED Morning Show with Jim Cunningham to talk about the "Summer Shorts" series of concerts the orchestra is doing this summer.   

WQED-FM's Anna Singer spoke with Manfred Honeck and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra President and CEO Melia Tourangeau about the PSO's concert this Friday through Sunday that features the Pittsburgh Ballet, two commissions and features Igor Levit with Gershwin's piano concerto.   They also talk about the League of American Orchestra meetings taking place in Pittsburgh.