Pittsburgh Symphony Principal Cello Anne Martindale Williams discusses her Vivaldi Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in B flat, which she played with Berlin Philharmonic Concertmaster Noah Bendix Balgley on November 25 and 27 2022 at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony conducted by Music Director Manfred Honeck. She tells Jim Cunningham about her work with Noah dating back to his years as Pittsburgh Symphony Concertmaster and about her hiring in 1976 by former Music Director William Steinberg.

Dana Bishop-Root, Director of Education and Public Programs at Carnegie Museum of Art, talks about all of the holiday events taking place at the Museum, including the Carnegie Trees, live performances, the Neapolitan Presepio, and of course holiday shopping.

After 25 years as Principal Trumpet of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, George Vosburgh teaches at Carnegie Mellon University and organizes a concert with the Brass ensemble he founded in 1994 at the St. James Church in Sewickley. It’s just holiday hits on Sunday November 27th at 6:30 with no admission charge. In this conversation from the QED Morning Show, George remembers his 1997 performance with Heinz Wallberg of the Hummel trumpet concerto and has the story of the Holiday Favorites CD and concert at St. James, plus the latest music making with the Wind Ensemble at CMU.

Michael Seamans talks with WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham about Fungus Books and Records.

Kola Owolabi from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend Indiana presents a free Sunday 3:30pm recital at St Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh’s Oakland. Kola visited the WQED-Fm studio to speak with Jim Cunningham about the program he’s prepared with Bach Muffat and contemporary music for the king of instruments. He outlined his musical journey which includes stops in Monral at McGill University, the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, Nigeria, Ann Arbor Michigan, Yale University and South Bend. The state of the organ world, how young organists of color will increase in number and the topic diversity generally in the music world, the special qualities of the Beckerath instruments and the spirit of Notre Dame grads all turn up in this lively get together. Cathedral Director of Music and organist Brian Gurley introduces Kola and adds a cheer for Notre Dame.

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with Jessica Gaynelle Moss about the exhibit "Shrine" at the Mattress Factory through December 30, 2022. "Shrine" uplifts and recognizes Black m/others, artists, creatives and/or activists and honors sacred and holy spaces— or shrines– as sites of resistance and liberation struggle.

Jim Whipple is a founding member of the Renaissance City winds playing bassoon. He introduces a concert on December 20th in Oakland and November 26, 2023 at Holmes Hall on the north side. The program Tchochkes includes music for the holidays and special items rarely if ever performed in Pittsburgh with an emphasis on American composers. The concert on the 26th is in memory of the last owner of Holmes Hall, John Desantis, who has one of the world's most comprehensive collections of toy trains. Concert goers can tour the home after the concert.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck recently made his Metropolitan Opera debut with Mozart's "Idomeneo." WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with Metropolitan Opera Radio host Debra Lew Harder about her impressions of Manfred with the Met.

Anna Bulkina makes her Steinway Society debut on Sunday November 20 at 3pm in Kresge Theater at CMU. She explains in this conversation with Jim Cuningham her most unusual program of never before heard in Pittsburgh surprises including Leo Ornstein's Suicide n an Airplane as well as the George Antheil Airplane Sonata, music by Schoenberg, Henry Cowell, Igor Stravinsky's Ragtime, Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit and Prokofiev's Third Sonata. She arrived in Texas where she teaches now having traveled from the Rachmaninov Conservatory in Rostov Russia and she can be seen in many Youtube videos playing Bach and Czerny Etudes.

Chatham Baroque presents their "Virtuoso Recorder" set of concerts this weekend - Friday at St. Nicholas Church, Saturday at Calvary Episcopal Church and Sunday at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Learn more about the concerts in this podcast.