Soprano Katy Williams is a Marge in the musical Bridges of Madison County with Director Connor Bahr who joined Katy Williams to visit the WQED-FM studio to preview the production of Carnivale Theatrics at the New Hazlett Theater opening on June 29 running through July 7. Connor plays the violin -- his instrument is in the show with musical direction from Bob Neubauer. It’s a Pittsburgh premiere based on the best-selling novel, and developed by the Pulitzer- and Tony Award-winning creative team of Jason Robert Brown  and Marsha Norman,  Katy Williams runs through her work with the Pittsburgh Symphony, singing with the Opera and her church job and much more. Connor explains the mission of the company to perform at the highest level and remain affordable. He also reveals what it’s like to be the son of Steelers Royalty the kicker, Matt Bahr.  Love is what it’s all about in the play and the interview.  

Cellist Amit Peled discusses his new album "To Brahms With Love" and the influence that cellist Pablo Casals had on his inspiration to play the instrument.

Dr. R. Tad Greig will conduct the North Pittsburgh Symphonic Band this weekend (7/1) at the Bach, Beethoven, and Brunch concert. The concert is at 10:30am on the lawn in Mellon Park. Dr. Greig talks about conducting for an outdoor event, the North Pittsburgh Symphonic Band and its members, and being a professor of music at Westminster College.

The Three Rivers Young People’s orchestra is in Budapest Hungary where they will wrap up their first tour of Europe with a final concert on June 23.  Executive Director Lindsey Wood Nova spoke live from Budapest just after the rehearsal at the Pesti Vigado where Bela Bartok gave his first concert and  Franz Liszt, Johann Strauss, and Ernst von Dohnanyi played. Conductor John Wilcox remembers his 12 years of work with the musicians and his earlier experiences on the road including a dramatic night at the Acropolis in Athens with Antal Dorati conducting. Clarinet Jamar Lee and violinist Tommy Bauer add their thoughts on the experience of touring Europe.

Pianist Norman Krieger has two recent cds out on the Decca labels with Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and the Third Concerto with Joann Faletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic plus Brahms Second Concerto with the London Symphony conducted by Philip Ryan Mann. Norman remembers his Pittsburgh debut at Point State Park with a passing tugboat adding to the sonic palette and talks about his work in Buffalo.

Joshua Bell has recently recorded the Max Bruch Scottish fantasy and the g minor Violin Concerto with the Academy of St martin in the Fields. He talks about Bruch and his unhappy business sense and the delights of these two favorites. Joshua remembers his early visits to Pittsburgh and long association with the Pittsburgh Symphony in this conversation with Jim Cunningham.

Monday June 25, 2018, Chamber Music Pittsburgh presents "Hebrew Melodies" - a Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival concert.  It takes place at Rodef Shalom at 7:30pm and features members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as guest musicians.  Cellist Aron Zelkowicz, director of the Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival, stopped by to talk about the concert with Jim Cunningham.