Dr. Barry Coutinho joins with colleagues from the Pittsburgh Symphony to play Schubert’s beloved Trout Quintet and with violinist Laura Motchalov, he will play the Spring Sonata by Beethoven to benefit the physician led "Shoulder to Shoulder Pittsburgh," which offers help for medical needs in Honduras. The concert takes place at the Herberman Conference Center of UPMC Shadyside Thursday, November 4th at 7:30 pm. The tickets are $20 to attend in person or receive a link for a live stream for $10. Student ticket are available.  

Dr. Coutinho was  a finalist in the Van Cliburn Competition Amateur Division having studied at the Guildhall School of Music in London along with his medical work. He now teaches Family Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, sees patients and serves as Vice Chief of the Department of Family Medicine at Shadyside. He will play three short pieces by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and Liszt for the program. Joining Dr. Coutinho in the Trout Quintet will be Pittsburgh Symphony members Laura Motchalov, violin; Brandon McLean, bass; Marylene Gingras Roy, viola; and cellist Will Chow. For more information:  https://www.shouldertoshoulderpgh.org/tickets?%3E

The album Transatlantic is available now, the debut album of the Berlin Academy of American Music with its founder and Artistic Director, Garrett Keast. Katie Brill talks with Maestro Keast about the album, which features excellent soloists such as Noah Bendix-Balgley! Here is the full list of music:

Stravinsky: Concerto in E-flat "Dumbarton Oaks"

Craig Urquhart: Lamentation for Flute and String Orchestra

Avner Dorman: Nofim (Sights), four songs for soprano, flute, violin, percussion and piano

Takemitsu: Toward the Sea II for alto flute, harp and string orchestra

Stravinsky: "No word from Tom" from The Rake's Progress

Copland: Appalachian Spring Suite, original version for 13 instruments

Zoe Abuyuan and Gabe DeRose, the Rosalind and Orlando from Shakespeare's "As You Like It" in the PICT Classic Theatre production, sit down to explain their roles in the first in-person play at the Fred Rogers Theater of WQED since the pandemic began. Love in all its forms is the subject with laughter and direction from Alan Stanford,  Rosalind and Orlando  get lost in the forest of Arden where mischief, passion, and mistaken identity have made the play a classic. PICT says "it's the perfect show to lift the spirits and open the season!" Zoe and Gabe reveal their path to the stage in this conversation with Jim Cunningham. They have high praise for the cast which is a big one and the music which plays an important part in "As You Like It."

The Music Plus Concert Series in Sewickley opens with a performance by tenor saxophone player James Houlik and pianist Vahan Sargsyan this Sunday, October 24 at 3pm. Jim talks about the concert program, teaching at Carnegie Mellon University, and his most memorable performances in this conversation with Katie Brill.

Kirby Dilworth will leave the stacks at the end of November 2021 after serving for 43 years as staff and music librarian at the Carnegie library of Pittsburgh main branch in the second floor music department. In this conversation with Jim Cunningham, Kirby considers the changes for libraries in the last half century and the continued relevance of the treasure found at Andrew Carnegie’s jewel in Oakland. Kirby has the story of several prominent guests who needed information from the library. Kirby Dilworth arrived with a degree from the University of Michigan and began a long singing career with the Bellefield Singers in Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Youth Chorus's 2021-2022 season began in September with in-person masked rehearsals, sliding scale tuition, and the new BIPOC artist-in-residence program. Katie Brill talks with artist-in-residence Michael Warren and the PYC's Executive Director, Lee Saville-Iksic, about how the residency is going and the PYC's upcoming performances.

Award-winning conductor and composer Lucas Richman talks with Katie Brill about his recent compositions, which include pieces about climate change in the Gulf of Maine, homelessness, gun violence, and a concerto called "A Meal with Luciana and Mario". Lucas has worked with orchestras for the past 40 years, and he is currently Music Director of the Bangor Symphony in Maine. He was Assistant and Resident Conductor for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra from 1998-2004 and has continued to be a great friend of the Pittsburgh community.

Pittsburgh Ballet Theater presents their season premiere at the Benedum Center October 22-24 with the PBT Orchestra conducted by Charles Barker. Artistic Director Susan Jaffe, in her first in theater extravaganza, joins company star Diana Yohe who is alone onstage when the curtain goes up. The dancers will present new and old with Jennifer Archibald and Helen Pickett, "Diamonds" from George Balanchine, hip hop, a Grand pas clasique set to music by Auber, there's Philip Glass to dance to, tutus and modernist moves all in an evening. Diana and Susan give the strongest possible case for why you should be in the theater but there is an online option for ticket holders who can't appear in person. They also reflect on Mick Jagger's moves in his recent visit to Pittsburgh and his American Ballet Theater muse Melanie Hamrick in this conversation recorded October 18th by Zoom from the Ballet headquarters in the Strip District.

"Stories From the Igloo: Pittsburgh's Civic Arena" is the new book chronicling the many amazing events at the now gone former home of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Civic Light Opera. Lance Jones joins Jim Cunningham to discuss his contribution of two chapters and tackles the question of how often the roof opened and what made it such a challenge. Along with 11 visits of Bruce Springsteen and a puzzled visit by Kenny Loggins when he noticed folks had their arms folded on their snack and drink tables or Bob Dylan observing that his fans "were eating cheese" at their tables in the Civic Arena, Lance has additional gossip dished by Tinsy Labrie, the former head of PR for the Pittsburgh Symphony. The book is published by History Press and available now with contributions from Chirs Fletcher former topper at Pittsburgh Magazine and the Association of Gentlemen of Pittsburgh Journalists.  Lance Jones recently retired from his job as Account Representative at WQED having spent years in Pittsburgh in various management roles for Live Nation (and its predecessors) including general manager of Star Lake Amphitheater.

"Stories From the Igloo: Pittsburgh's Civic Arena" is the new book chronicling the many amazing events at the now gone former home of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Civic Light Opera. Lance Jones joins Jim Cunningham to discuss his contribution of two chapters and tackles the question of how often the roof opened and what made it such a challenge. Along with 11 visits of Bruce Springsteen and a puzzled visit by Dan Fogelberg when he noticed folks had their arms folded on their snack and drink tables or Bob Dylan observing that his fans "were eating cheese" at their table in the Civic Arena, Lance has additional gossip dished by Tinsy Labrie, the former head of PR for the Pittsburgh Symphony. The book is published by History Press and available now with contributions from Chirs Fletcher, former topper at Pittsburgh Magazine, and the Association of Gentlemen of Pittsburgh Journalists.  Lance Jones recently retired from his job as Account Representative at WQED having spent years as a Vice President for Clear Channel and managing the Star Lake Amphitheater.