Composer Jonathan Leshnoff has the world premiere of the Concerto he’s written for Pittsburgh Symphony Principals Michael Rusinek, clarinet and Nancy Goeres, bassoon. Can you tap your foot to it?  He thinks you can and tells Jim Cunningham  his composing story so far from Brunswick, New jersey to Towson State in Baltimore. Why is he third only to John Williams and John Adams on the list of most often performed American composers? Some ideas are discussed.  There is also an edited version of this interview with video on Youtube and Vimeo.

Beatrice Rana makes her Pittsburgh Symphony debut playing the Prokofiev Third Piano Concerto. Talking with Jim Cunningham, she describes her musical life to age 26, shares her thoughts about the Prokofiev Third, talks about her Warner Classics recordings of the Goldberg Variations and concertos by Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev, her appearance at the Hollywood Bowl, how she makes her sauce for pasta and whether Italians are exactly as portrayed in the Federico Fellini film Orchestra Rehearsal.

Pietari Inkinen makes his Heinz Hall debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony conducting the Pittsburgh premiere of the Sibelius "Pohjola’s Daughter," the Tchaikovsky Fourth Symphony and the Third Concerto by Prokofiev with pianist Beatrice Rana. In this conversation with Jim Cunningham recorded in the Dorothy Porter Simmons Regency Rooms with the Friends of the Pittsburgh Symphony, Maestro Inkinen talks about the program and Finnish musical life and culture including making small talk and the perfect sauna.

Pittsburgh Symphony Violinist Jennifer Orchard of the Clarion Quartet has the story on their May 30th concert at the Gerald Lee Morosco Architects office in East Liberty. Shostakovich is part of the plan.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performed at Geffen Hall in Lincoln Center on Sunday, May 19. With guest pianist Till Fellner, the orchestra performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 and Mahler's Symphony No. 5. WQED was there to speak with several musicians including violinist Marta Kruchkovsky, principal contrabasoonist Jim Rogers, and principal french horn Bill Caballero. There is even a special appearance from television star Alec Baldwin.

Pianist Till Fellner returns to Heinz Hall with Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto Friday May 17 8pm in a send off preview of the Pittsburgh Symphony concert Sunday May 19 3pm at Lincoln Center’s Geffen Hall. Till has played all the Beethoven Concertos and worked on them with Alfred Brendel. He talks about his Viennese countryman Manfred Honeck, his favorite recent movies and books and much more in this conversation with Jim Cunningham.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck  talks to WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham about this weekend's concerts at Heinz Hall with Vilda Frang playing the Beethoven Violin Concerto and Matthias Goerne singing the Mahler "Song of the Earth."  Maestro Honeck also talks about the orchestras upcoming concert in New York City, as well as celebrating Mother's Day.

WQED-FM's sat down with both Leonard Slatkin and pianist Garrick Ohlsson about this weekend's concerts at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  It's a birthday celebration for Leonard Slatkin and Garrick Ohlsson plays the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 4.

The Music Director of the Orchestre National de France Emmanuel Krivine makes his Heinz Hall debut April 5 2019 with Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, Boris Blacher's Paganini Variations and the Brahms Haydn Variations. He remembers his work with Lorin Maazel and how his father nearly disowned him when he discovered he was studying with Karl Bohm who had once enthusiastically supported the Nazi party. Maestro Krivine expresses hsi admiration for American Orchestras and looks forward to his first concert with the Pittsburgh as he explained to Jim Cunningham and Pittsburgh Symphony vilist Marylene Gingras Roy  who helped with smooth translation from French to English.

Julian Rachlin talks with the Friends of the Pittsburgh Symphony on March 21, 2019 in the Dorothy Porter Simmons Rooms at Heinz Hall.  He describes his American debut with Lorin Maazel and the Orchestra, his first recording of Sibelius for Sony at Heinz Hall and his 57 subsequent performances with the Pittsburgh Symphony. Julian talks about his conducting career and advice from Mariss Jansons, the Mendelssohn Concerto and much more.