Voice of the Arts WQED Multimedia

The 2024 City of Pittsburgh Bach, Beethoven and Brunch concert series concludes this Sunday, July 28th, with a performance by the Renaissance City Winds. Jim Whipple stopped by WQED-FM to talk about the program, the history of the group, the rich history of classical music composers in Pittsburgh and more.

Director and Homestead native, Montae Russell, and actor Roosevelt Watts, discuss their upcoming performance of August Wilson's last cycle play, Radio Golf. They will be performing in this production produced by the Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company on August 10th to September 14th outside, behind the August Wilson House on Bedford Avenue in the Hill District. Montae highlights the unique challenges of performing outside, and how Radio Golf, which is set in the Hill District in the 1990's, still resonates with the community today. Roosevelt describes his role in playing Harmond Wilks, and what drives this ambitious character throughout the play. Visit https://www.pghplaywrights.org/ to learn more.

Melessie Clark and Brett Mack star in Eugene O Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten with Quantum Theater at the Long Vue Club overlooking the Allegheny Valley August 2 -25. They spoke with Jim Cunningham about the play and why it is a masterpiece today having been judged a failure after opening night. Does it end happily? Spoiler alert. The power of Eugene O'Neill in the American theater is a topic, why theater matters in our mad mad world, and how the moon becomes a character in the unfolding events. Melessie and Brett share highlights from their careers so far including previous work with Quantum. Visit https://www.quantumtheatre.com/ to learn more!

Jacob Gruss closes out the final recital of The Westminster’s Annual Organ Summer Series on Thursday July 25th, at 5:00 pm. Jacob, an Organ Scholar entering his fourth year at the Juilliard School in New York City, came to WQED-FM to discuss his path to becoming an Organist, with Jim Cunnningham and volunteer Danny Flynn.

Artistic Director of Vocal Confluence, Brandon Rauch, spoke about the ensemble's upcoming performance at Bach, Beethoven, and Brunch, this Sunday, July 21st, at Mellon Park from 10:30 am to noon. The group will be performing a mix of pop songs, musical theater numbers, classic rock, and jazz in their program entitled, I Want to See You Be Brave. Brandon also discusses the groups recent performance at the Barbershop Harmony Society's International Convention in early July, and where the group will be performing next. Visit https://vocalconfluence.org/ to learn more about the group!

Miro Quartet cellist Joshua Gindele discusses his new CD, Home, speaking from Denver on his way to hear the Rolling Stones. Joshua remembers growing up in Pittsburgh , playing in the Youth Symphony and other formative influences. Celebrating 30 years as an ensemble in 2025, the GRAMMY-nominated quartet's new album "Home" explores the many meanings of “home” through music by four Pulitzer Prize-winning American composers, including two new commissions by Kevin Puts and Caroline Shaw paired with George Walker and Samuel Barber.