Known for her spice-filled performances in Georges Bizet's, Carmen, Denyce Graves has brought her passion for music and food to a new stage--her kitchen! The 2020 global pandemic inspired the commencement of "Cooking with Denyce." As opera houses and concert venues around the world were closed to most musicians, Graves would bring her industry friends together-virtually to cook a variety of recipes with a twist of opera. April 1-4, 2021, Graves will bring "Cooking with Denyce" to the home of Marc & Diana Reid Chazaud of Pittsburgh for her first off-site taping and introduce The Denyce Graves Foundation and its first philanthropic project with the National Opera House.   WQED-FM's Anna Singer had a chance to talk with Denyce about her "Cooking with Denyce" project, as well as the Denyce Graves Foundation.

In this series, WQED-FM's Anna Singer interviews powerful women in the Pittsburgh Arts scene.   This interview features composer and educator Nancy Galbraith.

Anthony Rudel is the General manager of WCRB Boston and the son of conductor Julius Rudel who led the New York City Opera to greatness in a career that stretched over a half century and a total of nearly 70 years before the public. Rudel escaped the nazi Germany tension in 1938 to continue music making in America. He took over the people's opera folowing Erich Leinsdorf and insisted on inexpensive tickets at NYCO even as the company moved to Lincoln Center. Rudel made over 100 recordings and appeared in Pittsburgh with the Pittsburgh Symphony on at least three occasions as well as conducting Rossini at Pittsburgh Opera and Kurt Weill's Lost in the Stars for Jonathan Eaton at Opera Theater Pittsburgh. Anthony Rudel chooses his favorite recordings by his Dad and recalls career highlights as well as the singers he championed such as Beverly Sills and Jose Carerras. Anthony Rudel having worked in the arts in many roles including nearly a decade at WQXR is the author of Hello Everybody The Dawn of Radio in America and he has family ties to Pittsburgh through his niece Dr. Rachel Berger, a pediatrician at Children's Hospital.

Dr. Rachel Berger of UPMC Children's Hospital knows Julius Rudel the conductor as her grandfather. On the occasion of his centennial, she remembers Julius Rudel's work at New York City Opera and with Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, growing up with Beverly Sills around the house and loving Mozart. What would Julius Rudel like to be remembered for and what was the secret of his longevity be having pursued a love of music to 93? Dr. Berger also fills us in on the latest music makes you smarter research, addresses burn out in the field of child advocacy and medicine and suggests how we'll get back to concerts as the pandemic lets go. Dr. Berger describes her latest research. She serves as Division Director, Child Advocacy and Professor of Pediatrics and Cinical and Transitional Science Director Child Abuse Research, Safar Center for Resuscitation Research at the University of Pittsburgh as well as Chief, Division of of Child Advocacy UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and she teaches at Duquesne University School of Nursing when she isn't practicing the flute.

In this series, WQED-FM's Anna Singer interviews powerful women in the Pittsburgh Arts scene.   This interview features Rene Conrad, Executive Director of New Hazlett Theater since January of 2011.  Rene talks about the challenges of making theater during this pandemic and the importance of supporting and being an "incubator" for all types of artists.

In this series, WQED-FM's Anna Singer interviews powerful women in the Pittsburgh Arts scene.   This interview features Kristin Helfrich, Director of Programming for New Hazlett Theater since May of 2019.  She talks about the upcoming virtual performances that start at the end of May and continue through June.

The Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations organized a Youth Creative Arts Contest in Fall 2020 in which Pittsburgh students shared what "angelic troublemakers" mean to them. WQED-FM speaks with three of the contest winners and follows up with Tracy Baton, a Vice Chair of the Human Relations Commission.

Tenor Steve Wilson discusses the latest cd from New York Polyphony on the Bis label "And the Sun Darkened: Music For Passiontide" wqith Loyset Compere, Josquin Desprez, Andrew Smith, Adrian Willaert, Kreek and Pierre de la Rue. Steven is also the Director of Marketing and Design for Chamber Music Pittsburgh. In this conversation he also covers the special qualities of the composers of our time and the 16th century recorded with extraordinary sound and technology and the contemplative mood that seems to resonate whether you are a devoted follower of faith or looking for calm during a troubled time.

In this series, WQED-FM's Anna Singer interviews powerful women in the Pittsburgh Arts scene.   This interview features former Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra pianist Patricia Prattis Jennings.

In this series, WQED-FM's Anna Singer interviews powerful women in the Pittsburgh Arts scene.   This interview features Pittsburgh Concert Chorale Music Director Susan Medley.