@ the Symphony

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra cellist Charlie Powers, and Dr. Mark Meyer of UPMC joined WQED-FM’s Jim Cunningham on the QED Morning Show to talk about the next “Shoulder to Shoulder” concert with doctor and pianist Dr. Barry Coutinho. The concert takes place on February 5th at the Herberman Conference Center at the UPMC Conference Center at Shadyside Hospital. The concert features Charlie and other PSO Musicians joining Dr. Coutinho in music of Chopin, Liszt, Piazzolla and Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” Shoulder to Shoulder’s mission is to improve health outcomes in San Jose del Negrito, Honduras and the surrounding rural communities by empowering these communities to provide sustainable comprehensive primary health care.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed Samy Moussa’s “Elysium,” Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 with pianist Janice Carissa and conductor Osmo Vanska. WQED-FM broadcast the concert on Friday January 17, 2025 live! Jim Cunningham spoke to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Classical Music Critic Jeremy Reynolds to get his initial thoughts on the concert, as well as some of the other articles he’s writing.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed Samy Moussa’s “Elysium,” Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. WQED-FM broadcast the concert on Friday January 17, 2025 live! During intermission, Jim Cunningham spoke to the pianist Janice Carissa, who was making her Heinz Hall debut; guest conductor Osmo Vanska; and composer Samy Moussa.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed Samy Moussa’s “Elysium,” Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 with pianist Janice Carissa and conductor Osmo Vanska. WQED-FM broadcast the concert on Friday January 17, 2025 live! Jim Cunningham spoke to PSO Violinist Louis Lev and PSO Contrabassoonist James Rodgers prior to the concert to get their thoughts on the program.

Jim Cunningham sat down with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck to talk about this weekend’s concerts. The program includes Reena Esmail’s “REImember;” Faure’s “Cantique de Jean Racine”, arranged by Manfred Honeck; Brahms’ “Schicksalslied;” Hailstork’s “Lacrimosa” and Faure’s “Requiem.” The concert features the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and soloists Jeanine De Bique and Joshua Hopkins.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Classical Music Critic Jeremy Reynolds stopped by the WQED-FM location after the live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on November 15, 2024. He gave a glowing review of the orchestra, Lorna McGhee and conductor Jacob Joyce. PSO President and CEO Melia Tourangeau also stopped by to speak with Jim Cunningham about the concert; the orchestra trying to get out into more communities and upcoming concerts she’s looking forward to seeing.

During intermission of WQED-FM’s live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Jim Cunningham spoke with the soloist in the Rautavaara Flute Concerto – PSO Principal Flute Lorna McGhee; PSO Associate Conductor Jacob Joyce, who found out he was going to be conducting the concert just a few hours before showtime; and PSO VP of Artistic Planning Mary Persin about some of the exciting concerts taking place at Heinz Hall for the holidays.

WQED-FM’s Jim Cunningham spoke with WQED President and CEO Jason Jedlinski and former WQED Board Chair Dr. Millie Myers prior the November 15th, 2024 Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert. They spoke about what they were looking forward to in tonight’s concert, as well as upcoming initiatives at WQED.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Association volunteers have tirelessly raised well over a million dollars to keep the music playing. The effort continues with Christmas On Broadway at the Holiday House Tour in Shadyside November 22-24 and November 29- December 1. Over thirty musicians from the area including Pittsburgh Symphony members, Mendelssohn Choir singers and many others will add to the holiday mood. There are candlelight tours available and parking can be arranged nearby. Long time volunteer and Musician Liaison Christine Thompson joined Past Symphony Association President Diane Unkovic and Jim Cunningham with details. They also discussed the Mendelssohn Choir Faure Requiem, Handel Messiah and Brahms’ Song of Destiny which will be performed in a very busy holiday season with multiple Holiday Pops programs put together with Byron Stripling conducting, playing the trumpet, and singing.

Diane Unkovic discusses her husband ‘s new book “The Fragility of China: Breaking Points of an Invincible Regime” and the Pittsburgh Symphony visits to China. Christine Thompson gave on update on her husband, E flat clarinet Thomas Thompson who retired after fifty years in the orchestra but recently had the saxophone out once more for a bit of Pictures at an Exhibition.

Questions about the Holiday House Tour can be sent to psamember@gmail.com and there is more information at the Symphony Association website. Tickets are $50 in advance and $55 at the event.

Members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra joined WQED-FM live on Public Radio Music Day (October 23, 2024), to play three pieces from Stravinsky’s Tale of the Soldier (Histoire du soldat). They played The Soldier’s March, Airs by the Stream, the Little Concert. Anna Singer talked with Douglas Rosenthal, David Sogg, and Jeremy Branson about the piece and the group.

Members of the group included: Ron Samuels, clarinet; David Sogg, bassoon; Neal Berntsen, trumpet; Douglas Rosenthal, trombone; Jeremy Branson, percussion; Dennis O’Boyle, second violin; John Moore, bass.

Pianist and Conductor Christoph Eschenbach returns to Pittsburgh after many years as Music Director of the Philadelphia, Houston and National Symphony orchestras. He talks about his program of Schumann’s Second Symphony, and the Brahms Violin Concerto with Ray Chen. He remembers his first Pittsburgh concert in 1972 with William Steinberg and hundreds of other concerts he played and conducted at Heinz Hall. He points to the recent Ukraine benefit concert he gave at Carnegie Hall in New York as a highlight added recently with Anne Sophie Mutter. Jim Cunningham also asks him about his years in Washington DC, Philadelphia and Houston and if he could share any wisdom having had such a vast range of musical experiences dating back to his extremely challenging youth during the years of WWII.

WQED-FM broadcast the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra concert live on Friday September 27, 2024. Jim Cunningham spoke with WQED-FM’s Anna Singer, PSO Principal Cellist Anne Martindale Williams and Post-Gazette Classical Music Critic Jeremy Reynolds after the concert.