The Carnegie Mellon Chamber Series presents violinist Alexi  Kenney with pianist Dimitri Papadimitriou on Tuesday March 22nd, 7:30pm in a free concert with limited seating and live YouTube streaming. Jessie Montgomery's Rhapsody No. 1, John Adams' "Road Movies," and Dvorak's Piano Quartet No. 2 are on the program. Alexi talks about his latest recordings, his Bartok Concerto he’ll play in May with the Pittsburgh Symphony, his recipe for lumberjack cake and whether he’s still interested in the job of Pittsburgh Symphony concertmaster in this conversation with Jim Cunningham recorded in the CMU recording studio March 21st 2022.

Unisound is a hub for unifying Youth Music Organizations with a Black Teaching Artist Residence Program. Each year starting in November, the Teaching Artists put together a workshop, recital or lecture. Hear all about it with Jim Cunningham and the artists for this season.

The trumpet studio at Duquesne University working with the Pittsburgh Symphony's Chad Winkler is off to San Antonio Texas where they will share their performance of the Glinka Rusland and Ludmila Overture arranged for brass by Erik Morales. They explain what is happening with the Guild, their studio, provide brass talk about mouthpieces and manufacturers, what it's like to be a woman in a musical world traditionally filled with men and the players they admire in the orchestral world. You can support their crowd funding effort with a link and video on the Duquesne Music website. Jim Cunningham learned it is a worthy cause.

The Grammy winning choir The Crossing and their conductor Donald Nally make their Pittsburgh debut Saturday March 26th at 3pm in Shadyside Presbyterian Church. Based in Philadelphia, they have made dozens of recordings with a special focus on living composers but they sing Buxtehude and Hubert Parry. Donald Nally tells Jim Cunningham what to expect including "In a House Besieged" by Stacy Garrup set to a text from Lydia Davis having to do with aging and memory. It will have had the world premiere the previous evening in Cleveland. Also Lansing McLoskey, The Memory of Rain (from The Month of Moderns 2010) from poetry by Philip Levine suggesting that clouds watch us and Arvo Pärt, Salve Regina. Nally explains what the choir is all about and what to listen to in their large catalog of recordings. He  has some travel tips for music lovers who visit Philadelphia. His favorite restaurant and museums. But his favorite isn’t Geno’s or Pat’s for steaks. He’s a vegetarian.

Dr. Susan Medley conducts the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale in "From Pittsburgh to Salzburg" with a preview of the program the tour party will bring to Europe in the summer of 2022. The concerts are March 5th at the Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church and March 6th at Ingomar United Methodist Church. A rousing spiritual, Clara Schumann, Mendelssohn and Mozart appear on the program. Where will they sing and what’s involved in taking a tour of 70 across the pond after a pandemic and with the threat of European conflict in the air. Also Mozart at Washington and Jefferson in April with Dr. Medley explaining the plan to Jim Cunningham.

Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks presents their first indoor Spring concert with the Complete Works of William Shakespeare ( Abridged) (Revised) starring company founder Jennifer Tober, Stoney Richard and Aaron Crutchfield with Charles Beikert directing. The principal players have a preview of Shakespeare’s most famous lines from the field of battle. The actors share thoughts on the stage setting in the Threadbare Cider and Meadery at 1291 Spring Garden Avenue with Jim Cunningham. Stoney Richards, the longtime host on Y108 is a legend among country music fans. The cast promises the great success of Reduced Shakespeare at Pittsburgh Public Theater will be exceeded with even more laughs.  No rodents, insects, or thunderstorms from March 30th through April 9th 2022.  Visit pittsburghshakespeare.org for details.

The Carnegie Museum of Art opens their next exhibition, "Working Thought," on March 5th.  It includes artwork, films, music, and conversations.   WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke with the Henry J. Heinz II Director of Carnegie Museum of Art, Eric Crosby about the exhibition.

The Tuesday Musical Club presents "Made in Pittsburgh" at Levy Hall of Rodef Shalom Temple organized by Nanette Kaplan Solomon. Ethelbert Nevin, David Stock, Nancy Galbraith and Robert Schulz are the stars at 1pm March 8th. In this conversation, Nanette explains the special nature of the unpublished songs by David Stock and much more talking with Jim Cunningham.

Chamber Orchestra Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Camerata collaborate on two concerts March 5th and 6th at Levy Hall and Shadyside Presbyterian. Argentinian composer Martin Palmeri, a cantata by Felix Mendelssohn, Hear My Prayer; and Villa Lobos with the Bachianas Brasiliera No. 9 with exceptional soloists, bandoneon, piano and a swinging bass from Jeff Mangone. The Camerata's Mark Anderson, also of Shadyside Presbyterian, has prepared the singers. Mark joins Edward Leonard, Artistic Director and Andrew Swensen, Executive Director of the Chamber Orchestra in a conversation with Jim Cunningham.

Pianist Matei Varga makes his Pittsburgh debut for the Steinway Society Sunday February 27th at 3pm in the Kresge Hall of CMU. Born in Romania he lives now in New York. Matei talks about his Romanian beginnings, his program for Pittsburgh, George Enescu, Dinu Lipatti and other Romanian composers he has championed plus recording the Heifetz arrangement of White Christmas. Does he listen to the radio?  A little. He tells Jim Cunningham there's never enough time to practice. He's now an American citizen and loves living in New York.  Recognizing that world events might include Romania in the days to come, he prefers to think about Beethoven.