Some composers from the opening weekend of Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble's 2018 season stopped by the QED Morning Show to talk about their works.  

Violinist Ray Chen talks about his new album, "The Golden Age," with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham.

Patrice Michaels and James Ginsburg discuss their new album, "Notorious RBG in Song"; an album dedicated to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Kevin Noe talks to WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham about the 2018 Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble.

Mrs. Fred Rogers, Joanne Rogers,  reflects on the 50th Anniversary of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood as produced at WQED and her 50 year marriage to Mr. Rogers. She talks about the new documentary "Won’t You Be My Neighbor," the puppets in the Neighborhood and who they represent, early WQED history from 1954, the plans and script for a forthcoming film with Tom Hanks, many of the musical people in the program including Van Cliburn, the Metroplitan Opera’s John Reardon and Officer Clemmons, Francoise Clemmons as well as her love of playing the piano and learning how to play with Hungarian virtuoso Ernst von Dohnanyi. Exactly how she met Fred at Rollins College in Florida, whether the Neighborhood was derived from the Ten Commandments, when the sweater got into the program and where they are today. She also remembers Fred’s work on the first broadcast on NBC of "Amahl and the Night Visitors," working on the Kate Smith Hour, and with Gabby Hayes who gave the advice of “thinking of one little buckaroo out there.”

WQED Producer Rick Sebak discovers treasures at the Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer in Lawrenceville, his latest Nebby program, airing Thursday at 8pm on WQED-13. Tom Roberts provides the music to accompany a nice man who sells Hawaiian things, two people who buy a phone in the shape of a concert grand piano, a gigantic animatronic bunny, a Radio Shack robot, Gumby makes a brief cameo appearance, a toy Shop named Do Not Destroy, Badamo’s Pizza is made, 100% Polyester Universe turns up. You’ll see  silverware from Allegheny Ludlum, Kaufmann’s and Horne’s nostalgia regulars, hipsters, vinyl fanatics –all in a fast paces half hour and interview.

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.