Voice of the Arts

Prime Stage Theater’s Artistic Director, Wayne Brinda, and Board Member, Sueanne Zoratto, discuss with WQED about their upcoming Cemetery Walk at the Homewood Cemetery on September 30th from 1:30-4pm. They also discuss their upcoming free RAD day at the MuseumLab in partnership with the Children’s Museum that showcases a sneak peak of their season opener, “The Miracle Worker.” Featuring Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan’s story, “The Miracle Worker” at Prime Stage Theater will include sensory performances, and performances with live captioning and ASL interpreters. “The Miracle Worker” runs in November, from the 3rd to the 12th. Wayne also discusses a Pittsburgh connection with Helen Keller. Visit https://primestage.com/events to learn more!

Hill Dance Academy Theater’s Director of Operations Jennifer Phillip, and Pittsburgh jazz drummer Thomas Wendt, discuss HDAT’s upcoming free Rad Day Concert at their site on Bedford Avenue on September 22nd at 5:30pm. Thomas Wendt, Ava Lintz and Mark Strickland will be playing some traditional jazz as HDAT kicks off their new Jazz series, Jazz at BWW. Visit 5678hdat.org/events to learn more.

Director of Music Ministries at Aspinwall Presbyterian Church and former WQED intern, Danny English, discusses their upcoming 8th annual Worship by the Water at the Allegheny River Trail Park on September 24th at 11am. There will be featured live music from Mark Jackovic and the Jazz Influence throughout the service. Danny also discusses his new music programs at the church that feature his own compositions and community musicians, as well as his reviving of the church’s singing program after the pandemic. To learn more, visit http://www.aspinwallchurch.org.

Former Chicago Symphony Principal Oboe, ALex Klein, joins with former Vancouver Symphony Principal Harp Rita Costanzi for a new CD named Amoroso. It features Debussy. Faure, Massenet, Piazzola, de Falla,Rachmaninoff, Rodrigo and Michael Cohen with Michael Amorosi. It’s an hour plus of contemplative music that seems right for the post pandemic, war torn, politically charged world of today. Rita explains how it happened and what she and Alex have done in South America to bring the harp to the continent starting in Brazil. In addition, Rita has a long time connection to Pittsburgh Symphony Principal Harp Gretchen van Hoesen through their work as young musicians at the Eastman School and she know Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University professor Charles Stegeman having worked together a lot at the Sunflower Music Festival. In this conversation with Jim Cunningham she talks about the new Navona CD and her hopes for a better world.”

The co-artistic director’s of Squonk, Jackie Dempsey and Steve O’Hearn, discusses the Pittsburgh based outdoor theater group’s next spectacular show, Brouhaha. This show features an enormous musical instrument with huge playable bellows and towering tubas that ends with a 30-foot tall head complete with blinking eyes and smoke pouring out of it’s ears. Interactive and fun for the whole family, Jackie and Steve dive deep into how they created this spectacle, and how years of a friendship continue to create playful art for all. See the premiere of Brouhaha on September 3rd and 4th at The Kickoff and Rib Festival at Acrisure Stadium. Visit squonk.org/brouhaha for more information.

Chairman of the AmeriServ Flood City Music Festival, Ronald Carnevali, discussed the upcoming music festival which runs next weekend, August 4th and 5th, in this Voice of the Arts podcast. Discover the all-star line up for this year’s festival including headliners Los Lobos and Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass featuring The Hillbenders with smaller groups such as Johnstown based The Evergreens and The Platelets. Two nights of Americana music with some of the best bands. Visit www.floodcitymusic.com to learn more and see ticket prices.

The North Pittsburgh Symphonic Band is this week’s performer at the City of Pittsburgh Office of Special Events Bach, Beethoven and Brunch – Sunday July 23rd, 10:30am at Mellon Park.  Their Music Director, Tad Greig, stopped by to chat about the band, how much they enjoy playing at BBB, what they’ll play and more.

Jim Cunningham interviewed Violinist and Musical Director of the Mexico City Philharmonic, Scott Yoo. They talked about PBS Great Performance Series “Now Hear This,” which is hosted by Scott Yoo.  They discussed  Schumann’s mental health, Andy Akiho’s episode in the 4th season, and some information on the development of the 5th season, which will include an episode about child prodigies. It is streaming online and on the PBS App.

The Negro Motorist Green Book exhibition at the Senator John Heinz History Center offers an immersive look at the reality of travel for African Americans in mid-century America and how the annual guide served as an indispensable resource for the nation’s rising Black middle class.  WQED-FM’s Anna Singer spoke to the History Center’s Director of African American Program Samuel Black about the exhibit.

This Summer, Carnegie Museum of Art is once again presenting “Inside Out” in the Sculpture Court – a free event series celebrating Pittsburgh’s rich cultural landscape with performances, workshops and gatherings, DJs, art activities, food trucks, and local drinks.  On Thursday nights from 5 to 9 p.m., a lineup of some of the city’s most dynamic DJs transforms the outdoor space into a can’t-miss happy hour destination for friends and dancing during the week. On Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m., enjoy performances from regional arts organizations and performers, soak in summer sounds from bands and DJs, grab a bite from local food trucks, and get creative with artists and art-making.

This Saturday, June 24th, the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh will be performing in the Sculpture Court.  The Orchestra’s Artistic Director Edward Leonard and Carnegie Museum of Art’s Director of Education and Public Programs Dana Bishop-Root spoke with WQED-FM’s Anna Singer about this weekend’s concert and the “Inside Out” series in general.

The League of American Orchestras is holding it’s annual conference in Pittsburgh.  The conference opened on Wednesday June 14th.  WQED-FM’s Anna Singer had a chance to talk with League of American Orchestras President and CEO Simon Woods.

The League of American Orchestras is holding it’s annual conference in Pittsburgh.  The conference opened on Wednesday June 14th with performances by the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras and a keynote by National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Rosario Jackson.  WQED-FM’s Anna Singer had a chance to talk with Dr. Jackson.