WQED’s Rick Sebak joins pianist Tom Roberts and cartoonist Wayno playing ukulele and graphic artist Dave Klug on drums to narrate ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” in their Christmas Spectacular Saturday December 15 at the Elks lounge on the Northside with dancing and stickers. A preview with music recorded at WQED-FM and conversation with Jim Cunningham.

Kim Kashkashian, a Grammy winning violist and faculty member at the New England Conservatory, spoke with Jim Cunningham about her new recording of the Bach Suites. In her interview, Kashkashian touched on her work with Music for Food, her unconventional ordering of the Bach suites, and the current state of musical performance education.

Stage Director Linda Brovsky talks to WQED-FM's Anna Singer about this production of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" being performed by Pittsburgh Opera through October 14th.

Dan Griffin, Chair of the Regional Asset District Board and a board member since 1998, describes the many events of Radical Days running through October 14th. He tells Jim Cunningham how to get a RAD grant and explains the history of the program. He also explains the top 3 changes you should make in your life to live longer and healthier.  Dan is  currently the President of Griffin-Spence, specializing in Energy and Development projects.  He has worked in the health and fitness field since 1979 as the General Manager of the Oxford Athletic Club until its sale in 2017. Dan Griffin was also the founder and president of the Downtown Athletic Club of Pittsburgh from 1995 until mid 2009. He served as an instructor at the first Nautilus equipped club in the region in 1977 (Steel City Nautilus). From 1981 through 1995, he was employed by Club One as a fitness instructor, was promoted to fitness director and finally to Vice President and General Manager.

Toby Greenwalt, Director of Digital Strategy & Technology Integration at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, tells Jim Cunningham, who serves as a curator for the new Stacks program at the Carnegie Library, how the program works and how to enter a recording to be included in a digital library of area musicians. The Carnegie is looking for about ten minutes of music from each submission which will result in a $200 stipend and digital access to library users. Toby tells us about the selection process and discusses other digital initiatives of the library.

Karla Boos, Artistic director of Quantum Theater takes Jim Cunningham on a tour of the set of “Chatterton” a production in which the audience movies through various spaces of Trinity Cathedral. Chatterton premieres on September 14th and runs through October 28th as part of the Pittsburgh Festival of Firsts.

Simon Cummings and Nicole Myers from the progressive rock cello ensemble, Cello Fury, stopped by WQED-FM. They discussed topics from their yearly summer rock day camps for young string players as well as the release party for their third studio album, “X," celebrating the group’s 10th year together, at the Hard Rock Café in Station Square on September 21st.

Ben Locher and Paul Fireman of Fireman Creative in Point Breeze encourages you to take part in the .5Krun/walk/hobble/ride/crawl on Sunday September 16th at noon at Westinghouse Park raising awareness for the park and community where the George Westinghouse mansion once stood. The Taylor Allderdice Marching Band will play, an accordion virtuoso and puppeteer will be there with prizes, and a victory party will take place at the Evergreen Lounge in Penn Avenue. A portion of the proceeds will go to purchase of park benches for Westinghouse Park.

The founder and conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh, Edward Leonard joins composer Chris Massa  to discuss their Friday night September 14th concert at First Unitarian Church with the world premiere a symphony called Apologia, plus a  Haydn symphony known as the Hen and Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll.

Conductor of the CMU Baroque Orchestra Stephen Schultz recorded the Bach Flute Sonatas with harpsichordist Jory Vinokur at the Skywalker Sound ranch in Marin County this year. He fills us in on he new disc and the plans for an upcoming concert with Chatham Baroque and his ensemble, his Beatles course at CMU and for Osher life long learning.