Simone Porter violinist talks about the Samuel Barber Violin Concerto she’s playing in her Pittsburgh premiere. Topics include appearing on "From the Top" three times, practicing in Jascha Heifetz studio, coffee in Seattle, her passion for books, and her love of music plus the story of her life so far.

Sir James Macmillan, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Composer of the Year, talks about his Symphony No 4 in the East Coast Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra premiere and the other music the Orchestra and Resonance Works will perform this season. Topics included his composing philosophy, his Scottish dancing, visiting Andrew Carnegie’s home in Dunfermline, the Queen, and whether Scotland should go it alone from the UK.

British born conductor and Music Director of the Oregon Bach Festival Matthew Halls makes his Pittsburgh Symphony debut in a special subscriber concert with the East Coast premiere of the Symphony No. 4 by James Macmillan, the Samuel  Barber Violin Concerto with Simone Porter in her Heinz Hall debut, and the Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3, "Scottish." Matthew reveals his favorite English tea and how to enjoy it in the final minutes of the conversation with Jim Cunningham.

Finnish conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste returns to Heinz Hall to conduct Beethoven's 7th and Sibelius' 5th.  WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham chats with the conductor about this week's program as well as what American TV he is watching these days.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck stopped by the QED Morning Show to talk about the opening of the Pittsburgh Symphony season with the Moonlight Masquerade featuring Gil Shaham - September 17th. Topics include how he spent his summer vacation touring to China with the Australian Youth Orchestra and Helene Grimaud, the beautiful Tyrolean scenery in western Austria, and Austrian voting irregularities.

Pittsburgh Symphony Assistant Conductor Andres Franco discusses the Classical Mixer for the end of the summer season concert with the 1812 Overture, the correct tempo for the Brahms Third Symphony, sunsets at Hartwood Acres, the best coffee, composer of the year James Macmillan, concerts in Tulsa, Symphonic rappers and much more.

Noah Bendix-Balgley and Manfred Honeck stopped by the QED Morning Show to talk about the Season Finale weekend of concerts. Noah plays a couple short excerpts from his Klezmer Concerto that he will premiere.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero talks about the program of Adams, Strauss, Prokofiev and Copland. He also talks about his position at the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, and if he has a 10-gallon hat and cowboy boots!

A conversation with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Archivist Carolyn Friedrich.

Jim Cunningham talks to guest percussionist Martin Grubinger about the Hartl Percussion Concerto he is performing with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, along with his thoughts on joining the PSO on their European Tour.