Ahead of the NFL Draft, WQED traveled down to city hall for a chat with Mayor Corey O’Connor. He spoke with Jim Cunningham about the draft, Pittsburgh’s arts community, and his vision for the city’s future.
Mayor O’Connor talks about how Pittsburgh has prepared to host the draft, and the opportunities to show off the city’s culture, arts, and businesses. He highlights the various projects being completed at Arts Landing, Market Square, and the Point, which will continue to be active gathering places for Pittsburghers long after the draft.
The mayor praises the city’s museums, arts organizations, and recreational areas, and emphasizes his administration’s intention to uplift those institutions. He is optimistic about the power of the arts to vitalize the city and bring new visitors and residents to Pittsburgh.
The Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall are hosting a day of commemoration for the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Library Director Walker Evans and photographer Mike Haritan speak with QED’s Melissa Black about the event program and Mike’s work.
Walker details what the Carnegie Carnegie has planned for the day. They’ll kick off with a film screening of The Babushkas of Chernobyl, a portrait of older women who chose to return to homes in the Exclusion Zone, followed by a presentation by Mike entitled Chernobyl: 30 Years Later, which includes a slideshow of images he took at Chernobyl. There will be performances by the Ridna Shkola children’s choir, an original dance by the Kyiv Ukrainian Dance Ensemble inspired by Mike’s photograph Gasmask Doll.
The schedule wraps up with a panel discussion with four experts in public health, radiology, politics, and culture, and a discussion of the environmental recovery of the area in the forty years since the explosion. Mike talks about his work, his book, Chernobyl: Aftermath of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster, and his experience touring the Chernobyl area and the nearby city of Pripyat.
Commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall on Saturday, April 25th. Programs begin at 11:00am and run through 3:00pm. Plan your travel with the NFL Draft in mind. Guests are encouraged to register in advance at the Carnegie Carnegie website.
Calgary, Canada-born pianist Jan Lisiecki has been a favorite at Heinz Hall playing with the Pittsburgh Symphony. He speaks with Jim Cunningham about his latest release on Deutsche Grammophone with two Mozart Concertos, the 9th and 22nd. It was recorded with the Bamberg Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony Music Director Manfred Honeck. Jan also describes his recording Chopin’s complete Nocturnes, which had been available to contributors during the Classical QED fundraising drive.
You can learn more about Jan Lisiecki and his recordings on his website and purchase the Mozart CD from Deutsche Grammophon.
Join the University of Pittsburgh Bands for an exciting evening of music at the Spring Festival of Bands, featuring performances by the Franklin Regional High School Wind Ensemble, the Allegheny Brass Band, and the University of Pittsburgh Symphonic Band! Pitt Director of Bands Brad Townsend, Assistant Director of Bands Michael Buckstein, and Allegheny Brass Band Director Steve Baldanzi spoke with Jim Cunningham about the event.
They talk about the spirit of the bands and the band movement in the US and on college campuses. This special event brings together high school students, community musicians, and collegiate-level performers for a celebration of artistry, collaboration, and the vibrant musical spirit of our region. Jim also gets a run-down of each ensemble’s program, notably a world premiere from a Pittsburgh composer by Franklin Regional.
The festival takes place tomorrow, April 14th at 7:00pm. It is free and open to the public. It will be held at Bellefield Hall on South Bellefield Avenue across from the Heinz Memorial Chapel. A livestream link is also available here.
Church of the Redeemer in Squirrel Hill joins with Opus:Impact in the Sanctuary at 8pm on Saturday April 18th to present the Faure “Requiem” and music for solo harp played by recent Pittsburgh Concert Society Competition winner Lace Hilboky. The program also includes the Schubert “Notturno.” Soprano Sydney Kaczorowski will sing the Pie Jesu and join baritone Adriel Baralt Jimenez with Fabio Gentili conducting a chamber choir and soloists in the Requiem. Audience members can light a candle to remember lost family and friends. A free will offering is encouraged with donations to the Women’s Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. Check their website for any urgent needs – https://wcspittsburgh.org/ways-to-give/ Sydney joined Jim Cunningham to talk about the work of Opus:Impact and her studies at Duquesne University and performing with the Tamburitzans.
Now Hear This, a Great Performances miniseries, returns for its seventh season tonight! Scott Yoo, creator and host, spoke with Jim Cunningham about the highlights.
Season seven explores the lives and works of Johannes Brahms and Scott Joplin, two celebrated composers whose careers did not go as planned; alongside the music scene of two major musical epicenters: Istanbul and Iceland. Tonight’s show features Brahms: a visit to his country house in Baden-Baden, listening to the Brahms Piano Trio No. 3, the Clarinet Trio and a piano sonata.
Next week’s show focuses on from Scott Joplin with Treemonisha, the Joplin opera and keyboard virtuoso John Novacek. Scott visits Istanbul and the Bue Mosque, with his wife, Alice Dade, playing flute, The Turkish Rondo, and Dave Brubeck with his Blue Rondo. And you’ll see volcanic craters enter into the Icelandic music scene.
The new season of Now Hear This premieres tonight at 9:00pm. Watch it on WQED13 and streaming on WQED+. New episodes every Friday night, culminating with the season finale on May 1st.
The Bands and Bids fundraising campaign benefits the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank through both an online auction and a live music event. Lance Jones, the events organizer, stopped by WQED-FM to talk to Jim Cunningham about the event, which features performances from the Polkamaniacs, the Jig-Offs and Ben Forbeck. The event takes place on Thursday April 16th at the Penn Hebron Garden Club in Penn Hills from 6:30pm to 10pm.
Now until 10pm on April 16th, you can also bid for auction items including a behind-the-scenes tour of Rich Engler’s autographed guitar collection; a Robert Plant autographed poster; a $300 gift certificate for redeeming on Pittsburgh Cultural Trust 2026/2027 shows; a chance to DJ at Independent Brewing with Rick Sebak and much more.
To bid now on the auction items and to get your tickets for the April 16th event, visit: http://www.pittsburghfoodbank.org/bands
The Three Rivers Community Band Festival returns for their 20th year! East Winds Symphonic Band Conductor Susan Sands and co-founder of the festival and EWSB Roger Schneider spoke to Jim Cunningham live on the QED Morning Show about the festival.
Hosted by WQED-FM’s Jim Cunningham, the festival is a celebration of the best of community band music from around the region, including performances by the 2026 Festival Band, Scottdale Concert Band, Community Band South, and the East Winds Symphonic Band. Roger explains the history and growth of the festival. Susan talks about East Winds’ program, this year’s festival band conductor, Dr. Christopher Marra, and the festival’s finale performance of The Stars and Stripes Forever. Roger and Susan are also both FM Angels, and they tell Jim how important WQED is to them and the community, and why they give to the station.
Jim, Susan, and Roger also listen to a recording of the East Winds Symphonic Band playing Shostakovich’s Festive Overture.
The Three Rivers Community Band Festival will be held at Franklin Regional High School this Saturday, April 11th, starting at 2:00pm. Auditorium doors will open at 1:00pm. The festival is free to attend. More information can be found on the East Winds Symphonic Band website.
Chatham Baroque presents Czech a cappella ensemble Tiburtina for Celestial Harmony, a concert of music written by Hildegard von Bingen. Director and soprano, Barbora Kabátková, joined QED’s Anna Singer from Prague to chat about the program.
Tiburtina is a group of female voices that specializes in interpreting Gregorian chant, Medieval polyphony, and contemporary music. They’ll bring a program of music by a female composer, abbess Hildegard von Bingen. Barbora recounts her musical journey and attraction to early music. She tells Anna how she chose the repertoire for this concert and discusses Hildegard’s situation writing in the twelfth century.
You can hear Tiburtina sing Hildegard von Bingen on Sunday, April 26th at 2:30pm at Calvary Episcopal Church. More information and tickets can be found on Chatham Baroque’s website.
Pittsburgh Baroque Orchestra have an upcoming concert titled “Bouquet de Baroque,” a candlelit evening of music and dance! Soprano Sarah Richards stopped by the QED studio to talk live with Anna Singer.
PBO is a community ensemble that performs original or reproduction instruments, in historical dress, and in historical venues. The program includes pieces never before performed in Pittsburgh, works by Vivaldi, Telemann, and Bach, and some Celtic music. Sarah talks about her pieces, performing in period costume, and why she became a singer.
“Bouquet de Baroque” will take place at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church’s Brooks Hall on Saturday, April 11th at 7:00pm. Light refreshments will be provided during intermission. More information and tickets are available on Pittsburgh Baroque Orchestra’s website.
Confluence Ballet Co. presents Images, an evening of storytelling which will feature a performance by pianist Amaury Morales and new ballet works. Amaury, joined by Confluence’s Resident Composer and Music Director Joshua Malavé, Co-Artistic Director Keeley Hernández, and Guest Composer Ayca Akin, spoke with QED’s Anna Singer about the program.
Josh, who wrote the piano concerto Amaury will perform, explains the conception of the program, which highlights Confluence’s music ensemble, as well as his journey to composition. Ayca composed two pieces for the program; she talks about the inspiration and process, and recounts her own roundabout path to music. Keeley talks about choreographing the ballet works and the opportunities afforded to artists when joining Confluence.
Images will take place this Thursday, April 9th at 7:00pm at Rodef Shalom’s Levy Hall. More information and tickets can be found on Confluence’s website.
The Lindsay Theater & Cultural Center’s Director of Communications and Media Relations, Josh Axelrod, talks upcoming Lindsay events with QED’s Melissa Black!
The Lindsay is hosting two upcoming Emerging Filmmakers Showcases. The first, on April 9th at 7:00pm, highlights the work of women in Pittsburgh’s film industry. It will include 13 short films created by members of Women in Film & Media Pittsburgh, and covers a wide variety of genres. The second showcase, on April 16th at 7:00pm, is the Pittsburgh premiere of The Haunting of Prince Dom Pedro, a film conceived and written by Butler native Joe Fishel and directed by Don Swanson, of Ebensburg. The film is described as a genre-mashing comedy that follows a group of high school students who fail to take their Latin American history studies seriously. Both showcases are free to attend and will feature filmmaker Q&As after the screenings.
There will also be a sensory friendly screening of the Super Mario Galaxy movie on Saturday, April 11th at 10:00am. House lights will be brighter, the movie will be quieter, and there will be constant access to the rest of the theater through an open exit. Josh emphasizes the Lindsay’s commitment to providing a low-stress environment for families, children, and adults impacted by autism and other special needs to watch films together.
Josh and Melissa, who both read the Andy Weir novel, also gush about Project Hail Mary, which is still playing at the Lindsay through April 9th.
More information, RSVP links, and tickets to these events and other films can be found on the Lindsay Theater’s website.