Guest conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell, founder and director of Cleveland's acclaimed Apollo's Fire baroque orchestra, talks with Jim Cunningham about her approach to Bach's Six Brandenburg Concertos for her Pittsburgh Symphony debut. She talks about tempos, textures and solos - especially the florid harpsichord cadenza in the fifth concerto, and the great conductors she studied with including Bernstein, Norrington, and Leonhardt.

Pianist Denis Matseuv returns to play Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #2. He talks about receiving unknown Rachmaninoff pieces to record at the composer's piano, and about meeting an elderly PSO patron who remembered seeing Rachmaninoff in Pittsburgh. Matsuev also talks about hockey, Russian ballet, his Star on Baikal Music Festival. and the strength of the new generation of post-Soviet musicians.

English actress Maria Friedman worked with Marvin Hamlisch many times after he first heard her voice on radio. Ms. Friedman is on the roster for the Pittsburgh Symphony's Marvin Hamlisch tribute concert titled "One Singular Sensation" on January 29th, 2013. She recalls what he was like to work with, and talks about the memorial events she has been part of since Hamlisch's death in August 2012.

Making his Pittsburgh Symphony debut, violinist Christian Tetzlaff talks about Dvorak's violin concerto and chamber music. You'll also hear why he sometimes puts honey on his fingers before a performance.

English Guest conductor Michael Francis makes his Pittsburgh Symphony debut in a program featuring Mozart's Symphony #40, Dovrak's violin concerto with Christian Tetzlaff, and two powerful (and violent) Czech legends: Sarka from Smetana's Ma Vlast, and Taras Bulba by Janacek. Francis talks about his unplanned rise from the bass section of the London Symphony Orchestra to become one of the fastest-rising conductors.

For week 2 of his visit, the PSO's Victor de Sabata Guest Conductor, Gianandrea Noseda, conducts La notte di Plàton by de Sabata, a frequent and influential Pittsburgh Symphony guest conductor between the tenures of music directors Fritz Reiner and William Steinberg. Noseda talks about de Sabata's music and reputation as a conductor. He also gives an Italian's assessment of Richard Strauss' Aus Italien, and Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (to feature Benjamin Hochman.) Noseda also talks about his recording projects, an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange, and some favorite Italian films.

Cellist Enrico Dindo makes his PSO debut in the Shostakovich Cello Concerto #2, which he had the opportunity to discuss with Mstislav Rostropovich, the dedicatee of the concerto. Dindo talks about his relationship with Gianandrea Noseda, his work as Principal cello at La Scala from age 22, and his 11th-hour entry into competition that launched his transition to a solo career.

PSO favorite Gianandrea Noseda returns to Heinz Hall for two consecutive weeks. In the first, Noseda introduces Italian cellist Enrico Dindo, who will make his PSO debut in the Shostakovich Cello Concerto #2. Then, Noseda conducts Dvorak's Symphony #7, which the maestro finds to be very passionate.

Meet PSO Assistant Conductor Fawzi Haimor. The Middle Eastern/Filipino/American maestro is in his first season at Heinz Hall. He tells Jim Cunningham about his background and his conducting duties with the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Bass-baritone Gregg Baker will sing about three rivers on the PSO's Thanksgiving weekend program: Mancini's Moon River, Gershwin's Old Man River, and the Volga River. He'll also sing two Lehar songs chosen by Manfred Honeck that were written for tenor voice. Baker talks about his long association with the PSO, his work with Eartha Kitt, his role in an historic Porgy and Bess at Radio City Music Hall, and some pending new roles in his long career.