Voice of the Arts

Senior Producer at WQED, Minette Seate, discusses the upcoming 15th season of Filmmakers Corner that will premiere this Saturday, November 4th at 10pm on the WQED HD Main Channel. The first episode of Filmmakers Corner will feature a conversation with Morgan Overton, the Workforce Director for Create PA, a new initiative created by The Pittsburgh Public Theater and the Pittsburgh Film Office to help train technicians using IATSE training for television, film, and theater productions in the Greater Pittsburgh area. The second episode will feature two of Benjamin Carlucci’s films. To learn more about the Filmmakers Corner, visit https://www.wqed.org/filmmakers or on our Facebook page.

Lead Social Media and Events Specialist of Made in PGH, Channing Powell, and VP of Community Engagement at WQED, Gina Masciola, discuss with Jim Cunningham about The Great Yinzer Tailgate on Saturday November 4th, from 11 am to 6pm, at the Southpoint Towne Center in Washington County. Local Pittsburgh cuisine, drinks, live entertainment from Johnny Angel, and the marketplace to start your holiday shopping! There will also be a Little Yinzer zone, sponsored by WQED, with face painting, games and much more! This free event is rain or shine! Visit https://m.facebook.com/thegreatyinzertailgate/ to stay up to date!

Mariana Whitmer, Board Chair of the Friends of the Carnegie Music Department and Julie Hanify, Library Services Manager Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh speak with Jim Cunningham about the Music Sale taking place Saturday October 21st, 2023  from 10am to 4pm.  The sale takes place on the second floor of the main branch with compact discs five for a dollar featuring classical, pop and jazz, orchestral and opera scores, chamber music, and flute music; Suzuki how to do it books, books about music and much more at extraordinary bargain prices. The proceeds will benefit the library. They also discuss the extraordinary collection at the Main branch with a series of concerts for free, online streaming music services including one made in Pittsburgh, ‘Stacks’ and the Bakaleinikoff tablecloth signed by a huge list of the musical luminaries who visited Vladimir Bakaleinikoff’s home enjoying his wife’s post-concert hospitality  in his years as Fritz Reiner’s assistant conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Mariana Whitmer has been teaching film music for many years at the University of Pittsburgh where she has lead discussion with a special interest in the western film world with Jerome Moross, Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Dimitri Tiomkin as favorites.   How to spend your day in Oakland and much more in this conversation recorded in the office of the reference manager at the Main Branch CLP.

Artistic Director of the Bach Choir and Director of Opera Studies at Carnegie Mellon University, Thomas W. Douglas, discusses live on air with Anna Singer the Bach Choir’s upcoming 2023-2024 season. The season kicks off with two performances of “A Passion: Considering Matthew Shepard” by Craig Hella Johnson on November 18th and 19th. The rest of the season includes Requiem by Johannes Brahms in February, and Carmina Burana Africana in April. Thomas also briefly discusses the Bach Choir’s 90th anniversary and his 20th anniversary celebration at the Bitz Opera Factory on March 23rd. Visit https://www.bachchoirpittsburgh.org/ to learn more.

Director and PhD student at University of Pittsburgh, Alison Mahoney, and local actress Megan Michaels, discuss their upcoming performance of Will Arbery’s play Corsicana that explores grief, disability, and family. Open captioning, sign language interpretation, and live audio descriptions will be available for every performance in an effort in include everyone in the world of theater. Alison and Megan also discuss Megan’s shared experiences with her character Ginny, and Alison’s exploration of disability practices in theater. Visit https://www.play.pitt.edu/production/corsicana to learn more.

Chair of Violins of Hope Pittsburgh, Sandy Rosen, discusses in depth the next month of programming in the Greater Pittsburgh community. Sandy highlights the November 8th event, Resonance of Hope: Building Bridges Through Music at the university of Pittsburgh Alumni Hall, which features a premier new work with the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus. Tickets are also still available for the exhibit of 21 violins at Carnegie Mellon’s Posner Hall. Sandy also discusses the impact of these programs in schools, in our community, and in our lives. Visit https://violinsofhopepittsburgh.com to learn more about the upcoming events that run through November 25th.

Organist Titulaire of the grand organ at St. Eustache Church in Paris, Thomas Ospital is a young artist who has quickly earned a place amongst the world’s finest concert organists. He has won prizes at several international competitions including the Chartres Competition, the Xavier Darasse Competition, and the Saragossa and Angers competitions. He spoke with Jim Cunningham about his recital in Pittsburgh.  Dedicated to the art of improvisation in all of its forms, he typically includes improvisations in his concerts and frequently accompanies silent films as well. Topics included his church with the largest instrument in Paris St Eustache, where to get a good baguette in Paris, his work with composer Thierry Escaich, Ravel’s time in Bayonne and the new organ at the Maison de la Radio where he is artist in residence.  Mr. Ospital will showcase his amazing talent on the four-manual 120-rank Goulding & Wood organ at East Liberty Presbyterian Church. 7:30 Friday October 27th.

Artistic Director of Resonance Works, Maria Sensi Sellner and the cast of Cinderella discuss with Anna Singer their upcoming performance of Pauline Viardot’s Cinderella, this Friday October 27th to Sunday at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library Studio Space. Maria talks about Pauline’s connection to the opera world, and the intimacy of their performance. Visit https://www.resonanceworks.org to learn more!

Artistic Director of Prime Stage Theatre, Wayne Brinda, discusses with QED about Prime Stage’s upcoming performance of “The Miracle Worker,” written by William Gibson from November 3rd to 12th. Wayne discusses the challenges Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan faced as they tried to communicate with each other when Helen was a child, and the lasting impact their friendship had on their lives. There will also be a post show discussion with Gary Rogers from the Oakmont Historical Society about the Pittsburgh connection to Helen Kellers story. Audio description, ASL interpretation, live captioning, and sensory performances are available for select performances. Visit primestage.com to learn more.

Little Lake Theatre is celebrating it’s 75th anniversary this year with its ongoing season. Artistic Director, Patrick Cannon, discusses their last two upcoming plays, Mr. Burns A Post Electric Play and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Patrick also discusses the robust community in Canonsburg that continues to support Little Lake into its 76th season and beyond. Visit https://www.littlelake.org/ to learn more and find dates and tickets!

Director of Music and Organist at Holy Name Cathedral Chicago , David Jonies visits St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland to play Bach, Widor, Cabanilles, Artur Piechler, Hindemith and more in a 7:30pm free concert. Jim Cunningham joined St Paul Director of Music Brian Gurley and David to discuss the music scene in Chicago, the Bavarian mood in Wuerzburg,  David’s birthplace, the pride of South Germans as described in Thomas Mann’s Magic Mountain to mention only a few topics.

You know him as the Host of “From the Top” Saturday mornings at 9 on WQED-FM.  But he’s also a talented pianist.  You can see him perform with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra this Saturday night, 7:30, at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center in Johnstown. He’ll play the Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue.   He spoke to Jim Cunningham about the upcoming concert, the latest on From the Top and more.