Voice of the Arts

Jim Cunningham speaks with two of the newest cohort of Paul J. Ross Fellows, a two-year professional training program. Oboist Ben Goodley and trumpet Raúl Orellana share their journeys to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

The Fellowship was founded in honor of Paul J. Ross, the first African American musician to receive a full-time contract from the Pittsburgh Symphony. Ben and Raúl talk about the application process, learning from symphony members, and performing with the PSO. Ben hails from Atlanta, Georgia and received his second master's degree from Rice University. Raúl was born in Puerto Rico, lived in Florida, and joins the PSO after a year with the St. Louis Symphony.

Together with Christian Harvey, double bass, and Jacob Ogbu, trombone, Ben and Raúl began their Fellowship this season, and will remain with the orchestra through 2028. Learn more about the Paul J. Ross Fellowship, and find bios on current Fellows, on the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's website.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

Subscribe and follow to stay connected with the vibrant voices shaping Pittsburgh’s creative community. Visit https://www.wqed.org/ to see what else WQED is doing in our community. Until next time, keep supporting the arts and keep listening to Voice of the Arts.

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Carnegie Mellon University's Baroque Ensemble will premiere a new piece by Nancy Galbraith this Sunday, November 1st! Baroque Ensemble Director Stephen Schultz and Nancy speak with Jim Cunningham about the concert, the piece, and Nancy's new CD with the CMU Philharmonic Orchestra.

Along with Bach and Vivaldi, the Baroque Ensemble will premiere Ambivalent Journey, which Nancy says sounds energetic and "very lost." Nancy talks about her writing process, especially her treatment of second movements, from which she often draws the title of a piece. Stephen, who plays the baroque flute, says he loves playing Nancy's pieces. Stephen and Nancy also discuss their activities at CMU and other endeavors.

Nancy, Stephen, and Jim also listen to excerpts from two of Nancy's other pieces, The Forest Cathedral and Ominous Seasons, which were recorded with the CMU Philharmonic at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in 2024.

The CMU Baroque Ensemble premieres Ambivalent Journey on Sunday, November 1st at 7:00pm in Alumni Concert Hall. More information is available on the CMU School of Music website. The concert is sold out, but you can livestream the performance on the CMU School of Music YouTube channel.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

Subscribe and follow to stay connected with the vibrant voices shaping Pittsburgh’s creative community. Visit https://www.wqed.org/ to see what else WQED is doing in our community. Until next time, keep supporting the arts and keep listening to Voice of the Arts.

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Lucky to Live in Pittsburgh returns with a new cemetery program! Rick Sebak speaks with Jim Cunningham about the program, which airs Thursday, October 29th at 8:00pm.

In Lucky to Live in Pittsburgh and Ever After, Rick visits a native burial site in downtown Pittsburgh, Turner Cemetery in Squirrel Hill, America's first crematorium in Washington, and more. Rick features a story about the four Civil War soldiers who carried Abraham Lincoln from Ford's Theater, and who were all from the McKeesport area.

Following the program, a 1991 interview between Rick and George Romero will air, which took place after Romero was named Pittsburgher of the Year.

Tune in for Lucky to Live in Pittsburgh tomorrow, Thursday, October 29th on WQED13. The program will repeat on Saturday, October 31st at 12:00pm.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

Subscribe and follow to stay connected with the vibrant voices shaping Pittsburgh’s creative community. Visit https://www.wqed.org/ to see what else WQED is doing in our community. Until next time, keep supporting the arts and keep listening to Voice of the Arts.

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The Lindsay Theater's Director of Communications and Media Relations Josh Axelrod recently returned to the WQED-FM studio to give an update on all things Lindsay. He speaks with Anna Singer about movies and more.

Josh summarizes The Lindsay's upcoming showings, including Sense and Sensibility, How to Rob a Bank, and Hershey, a biopic about chocolate magnate Milton Hershey. This year, The Lindsay will also participate in Film Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Film Festival, screening seven feature films between November 6th-14th. They'll also show The Ocean--Five Years on November 12th, an Emmy-award winning documentary following Pittsburgh-based composer Brett McCutcheon as he honors his late brother.

Find more information, get tickets, and check out what's coming up on the Lindsay Theater's website.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

Subscribe and follow to stay connected with the vibrant voices shaping Pittsburgh’s creative community. Visit https://www.wqed.org/ to see what else WQED is doing in our community. Until next time, keep supporting the arts and keep listening to Voice of the Arts.

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The Pittsburgh Pride Choir returns for their 2026-2027 season! Artistic Director Kym Scott and Marketing Chair Endy Fierro speak with Anna Singer about the programs.

Endi provides a history of the choir and how it has continued to grow over the years. Kym and Endi share their favorites on the holiday program, including a PPC tradition, a raucous rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Kym also details her journey to the Pride Choir and her position as Director of Choral Activities at West Virginia University. In April 2027, the choir will perform a cabaret concert, followed by their annual Pride concert in June.

Join PPC for the holidays on December 5th at East Liberty Presbyterian Church! More information and season tickets are available on the Pittsburgh Pride Choir's website.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

Subscribe and follow to stay connected with the vibrant voices shaping Pittsburgh’s creative community. Visit https://www.wqed.org/ to see what else WQED is doing in our community. Until next time, keep supporting the arts and keep listening to Voice of the Arts.

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The Bach Choir opens their season with a Halloween concert titled "The Creation: When Man Plays God." Artistic Director/Conductor Thomas Douglas speaks with Anna Singer about the program.

The choir will accompany a silent version of the 1931 film “Frankenstein” featuring Boris Karloff, with live an original R&B-inspired soundtrack. Thomas created the music, and talks about being inspired by 1970s R&B and contemporary artists like Thundercat. He also discusses the challenge of accompanying a film, letting the screen dictate the musicians.

You can hear the Bach Choir sing along to "Frankenstein" this Saturday, October 24th at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 25th 4:00pm at the Row House Cinema Hollywood in Dormont. Performance details and tickets are available on the Row House's website. Check out the rest of the choir's season on the Bach Choir's website.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

Subscribe and follow to stay connected with the vibrant voices shaping Pittsburgh’s creative community. Visit https://www.wqed.org/ to see what else WQED is doing in our community. Until next time, keep supporting the arts and keep listening to Voice of the Arts.

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WQED continues its Dead Air celebrations with composer and arranger Christian Kriegeskotte! Christian speaks with Jim Cunningham about his broad career and upcoming event, "George A. Romero's 'A Night at the Symphony.'"

Christian studied bagpipes and composition at Carnegie Mellon University and interned here at WQED. He tells Jim about his work with John Williams as a copyist on Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds. Christian remembers those opportunities well, as well as his time at the Pittsburgh Symphony, working with hip-hop artist FRZY, and with New York Pops conductor Steven Reineke.

On March 26th, 2027, Christian will host "A Night at the Symphony" at the Byham Theater, a celebration of George Romero's life and work, featuring arrangements by Christian and composer John Harrison's iconic synth score from Day of the Dead. The program opens with "Beyond the Living Dead," an original overture written by Christian, inspired by Night of the Living Dead's stock score.

Find more information about "A Night at the Symphony" and get tickets on the Cultural Trust's website. Learn more about Dead Air and check out upcoming festivities at wqed.org/deadair.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

Subscribe and follow to stay connected with the vibrant voices shaping Pittsburgh’s creative community. Visit https://www.wqed.org/ to see what else WQED is doing in our community. Until next time, keep supporting the arts and keep listening to Voice of the Arts.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.