Alexi Kenney is the soloist this weekend with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  He'll play the Bartok Violin Concerto No. 2 with guest conductor Matthias Pintscher.  In this conversation with Jim Cunningham, Alexi talks about the concerto, being familiar with the PSO, and more.  

Matthias Pintscher is the guest conductor this weekend with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  He'll conduct Ravel's "Mother Goose" and "Alborada del gracioso," as well as Debussy's "La Mer."   Alexi Kenney will play the Bartok Violin Concerto No. 2.  Matthias talks to WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham about the concert, his recordings and composing and more.  

Nathalie Stutzmann makes her Pittsburgh Symphony debut May 6th, 7th, and 8th 2022 with Dvorak’s New World Symphony and the Brahms Violin Concerto played by Daniel Lozakovich, along with a Heinz Hall first of Missy Mazzoli. Maestra Stutzmann makes her Met debut in two Mozart operas in 2021 and her debut at Bayreuth as well as the new Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony. Then there’s the Kristiansand Orchestra in Norway and the recording career as a contralto. What’s next? Hear all about it in the interview with Jim Cunningham complete with an assessment of women in the composing and conducting world and a little light shopping in Market Square.

Daniel Lozakovich was born in Sweden just 18 years ago. He became the youngest artist ever signed to Deutsche Gramophone at 15 and he discusses his prior collaboration with Nathalie Stutzmann who he joins for a Pittsburgh debut playing the Brahms Concerto May 6th, 7th and 8th, 2022.  He tells Jim Cunningham about his instrument too.

WQED-FM's Jim Cunningham spoke to Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Music Director Manfred Honeck and pianist Yefim Bronfman during intermission of our live broadcast from April 22, 2022.  

George Daugherty, conductor and creator of "Bugs Bunny at the Symphony" discusses the world wide phenomenon of the scores of Carl Stalling and others that accompany cartoon classics. How do they do it so precisely? George explains.  He's a ballet conductor too and won an Emmy for a televised "Peter and the Wolf" on ABC. Pittsburgh began it all and Maestro Daugherty is delighted to be back in town sharing the updated version - now revised four times in the place where it began over thirty years ago.

During intermission of WQED-FM's live broadcast of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Jim Cunningham interviewed Music Director Manfred Honeck, guest soloist Leif Ove Andsnes, and PSO President and CEO Melia Tourangeau.