The Washington Symphony Orchestra and Washington Festival Chorale are joining forces for a 9/11 remembrance concert on September 12th. WSO Music Director Yugo Ikach and WFC Artistic Director Mitchell Stenker spoke with Jim Cunningham about the event.
This year marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks. The concert highlights Requiem for the Living by Dan Forrest, a modern version of the traditional Requiem. Barber’s Adagio for Strings opens the program, joined by additional choral works reflecting themes of remembrance, hope, peace, and the dream of a better world. Yugo and Mitchell hope the evening can provide healing and hope for concertgoers.
The concert takes place at Immaculate Conception Church in Washington on Saturday, September 12th at 7:00pm. Admission is free, but guests are strongly encouraged to RSVP on the Washington Symphony’s website.
Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks returns next weekend, September 4th, with The Merry Wives of Windsor! Founder Jennifer Tober, director Cat Aceto, and Jo Getting (Falstaff) spoke with Anna Singer live on the QED Afternoon Show about the show.
It’s Merry Wives with a twist—set in the 1980s, Cat’s adaptation channels the spirit of self-expression, desire, and getting what you want. The play includes MTV references, timely fashion, and many nods to Pittsburgh. Cat and Jennifer explain the power of the merry wives and debate the comedy of Falstaff’s pursuit. Jo talks about playing Falstaff as a woman and returning to the character after a previous portrayal with PSiP.
You can see The Merry Wives of Windsor in five different Pittsburgh parks on weekends through October 11th. Check out the full list of performances on the Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks website.
Angela Godin is the Executive Director of the Community Arts Center of Cambria County. Located in Johnstown, the center provides an inspiring and creative gathering place where the arts improve the quality of life for everyone.
WQED-FM’s Bryan Sejvar spoke with Angela about the many events taking place at the Center during the Fall, including Log Art Theater productions; the 55th Log House Arts Festival (September 5th and 6th); Artoberfest (October 10th); and the Holly Bazaar (November and December). Angela also talks about the many art exhibits at the Center and why the Arts are important for one’s soul.
Rishi Sethi, resident filmmaker at the Lindsay Theater and Cultural Center in Sewickley, joined Anna Singer live on the QED Afternoon Show to talk about upcoming Emerging Filmmakers Showcases and the Lindsay’s 2026 Documentary Series.
On September 3rd, Fedeltà. Soldier. Prisoner. Bloomfield-raised director Steve Mancini focuses on Italian soldiers captured during World War II who ended up at a POW facility outside of Chambersburg, leaving a lasting impact on the region. Then, on September 17th, three projects from JMQ productions (owned by local filmmaker Jameson Quinn) will premiere at the Lindsay—two shorts and a television pilot.
The Lindsay will also kick off its 2026 Documentary Series on Friday, September 11th. Featured films cover renowned artists, nature, relationships, and relevant issues.
Get all the details and explore other upcoming events on the Lindsay Theater’s website.
The Pittsburgh New Works Festival kicks off this weekend at Duquesne University’s Genesius Theater! Colleen Hammond, who will direct a show during the festival’s second weekend, speaks with Melissa Black about her production, Ruth is Dead.
The New Works Festival is an annual event that fosters the creation of original one-act plays produced by local theater companies. Colleen is working with the Heritage Players for Ruth is Dead, which was written by Donnie Buckingham, a Swissvale native and first-time playwright. Ruth is Dead follows an interview between a grieving husband and a documentarian, and Colleen says she was drawn to the script because of her own experience as a crime reporter.
Ruth is Dead runs at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival September 3rd-6th at Duquesne University’s Genesius Theater. More information about the festival, other featured plays, and tickets are available on the Pittsburgh New Works Festival website.
In her third album, María Dueñas conveys a heartfelt tribute to Jascha Heifetz, one of the greatest violinists of all time. She speaks with Anna Singer about Homage to Heifetz, releasing August 28th.
María remembers listening to Heifetz and other great violinists while growing up taking inspiration from him as a player. She explains working with Gustavo Dudamel for this album, which features Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole, Korngold’s Violin Concerto, Debussy, and Manuel Ponce. María will also return to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra next season for a performance of Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto, and she tells Anna about her relationship with Manfred Honeck and the PSO.
Homage to Heifetz will be out on the Deutsche Grammophon label on August 28th. Read more about the album and purchase your own copy on Deutsche Grammophon’s website.
Cameron Gunsbury-Massey has been announced as the new Executive Director of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh! He and the choir’s conductor, Daniel Singer, speak with Jim Cunningham about the appointment and MCP’s upcoming season.
Cameron began his musical journey as a child in Croatia and studied flute performance at the University of Texas. He most recently served as the Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. Daniel gives a preview of the MCP season, which kicks off with In Time of War, featuring Haydn’s mass and pieces by Florence Price and Arvo Pärt.
Jim, Cameron, and Daniel also listen to excerpts from the choir’s performances of Eric Whitacre’s The Sacred Veil and Steven Paulus’s “The Road Home.”
Read more about Cameron’s appointment and explore the upcoming season on the Mendelssohn Choir’s website.
The Johnstown Symphony Orchestra is gearing up for it’s 98th Season, titled “Symphonic Visions” with concerts in October, November, December, February, March and April.
Executive Director Erin Codey spoke with WQED-FM’s Jim Cunningham about the season – giving a rundown of each concert. She also talks about Music Director James Blachly; the Johnstown Symphony Chorus and their Director Jeffrey Webb; Inclined to Sing; the Subscriber concert in May in Johnstown’s Grand Halle; and some other special concerts members of the orchestra do throughout the year.
Erin is enthusiastic about the state of classical music and gives some ideas of places to visit and eat when you come up to hear the Johnstown Symphony perform at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center. She says she’s see “Slap Shot” plenty of times and says some of the extras in the movie are still in town.
Get tickets and information on their season by visiting www.johnstownsymphony.org.
New music ensemble NAT 28 will perform Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians at CMU’s Kresge Theater on August 22nd! Jim Cunningham speaks with Music Director/pianist Brian Gilling and conductor Daniel Nesta Curtis about the concert and their recent recording of Nancy Galbraith’s Piano Concerto No. 4.
Brian and Daniel will both play piano in the Reich piece, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. They talk about the difficulty of the music and stress the role of a sound technician in the performance. Brian is featured as the soloist on the Galbraith CD; he and Daniel discuss working with Nancy and the recording process.
Check out NAT 28 at Kresge Theater for the 50th anniversary of Music for 18 Musicians on August 22nd at 7:30pm. Admission is pay-what-you-wish, and event details are available on NAT 28’s website. More information and streaming links to Piano Concerto No. 4 are available on Nancy Galbraith’s website.
Trombonist Jim Pugh and recording engineer Jim Anderson have reunited for a new album featuring the first-ever recording of Roy Harris’s long-lost Trombone Symphony. WQED-FM’s Jim Cunningham speaks with both of them about the piece, originally written for Tommy Dorsey in 1938.
Jim Pugh talks about discovering the piece, tracking down Harris’s archivist, and searching through the Library of Congress. The album also features Nightsuite, a contemporary work by Scott Nimner, which brought together Jim Pugh’s jazz connections from across his career, including former student and fellow Steely Dan players. Jim Anderson walks through his recording process, which took place at Power Station in New York City.
Jim and Jim both grew up in Butler, Pennsylvania, and remember playing together in various ensembles, including the Butler County Symphony. Jim Anderson also recalls his experiences on the set of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood while at Duquesne, citing Marcel Marceau’s episode as a favorite.
Read more about New American Symphonies, which releases on Friday, August 14th, here.
Classical QED’s Anna Singer will take part in a concert Friday, August 14th at The Church of the Assumption in Bellevue honoring Father Tim Deely. She spoke with Father Tim and organizer Samuele Bozzolla live on the QED Afternoon Show about the concert.
The concert marks the end of Father Tim’s seven-year tenure at the church. He’ll soon leave for Italy to study canon law for three years. Sam organized this concert as a farewell for Father Tim, bringing together various singers to perform sacred music. Anna will perform, as well as Timothy Ore and Chelsea Cockburn of the Mendelssohn Choir, and members of the Assumption Choir.
Join Anna Singer for Father Tim’s farewell concert at 7:00pm on Friday, August 14th at The Church of the Assumption in Bellevue. More information is available on the Regina Coeli Parish website.
The New Hazlett Theater celebrates its 20th anniversary with a screening of the new film, Making Space: The Story of the New Hazlett Theater. The film’s producer, WQED Digital Content Manager Emily Brunner, spoke with Jim Cunningham live on the QED Morning Show about the documentary and the event.
Emily explains how the film got its start, originating from Voice of the Arts interviews she had done during her tenure as WQED-FM’s producer. She spent a lot of time last year filming interviews with the New Hazlett and Pittsburgh Public Theater, visiting the University of Pittsburgh archives, and getting drone shots from the New Hazlett. Emily also talks about accessing the film on WQED+, which she curates.
Please join WQED and the New Hazlett Theater to watch Making Space on Thursday, July 30th at 7:30pm. The screening is free to attend—guests are encouraged to RSVP on the New Hazlett’s website. You can also stream the documentary on WQED+ starting on Friday, July 31st.