Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Archives

On an evening in early June, people lounged in camp chairs and blankets on the grass at Point State Park, lines formed at food booths on the edge of the lawn and people stood shoulder-to-shoulder, swaying to the sounds of blues rock and soul music performed by Celisse on the main stage. It was more …

The Curtain Rises, At Last Read More »

Opinion

On a Pedestal, Summer 2021

by PQ Staff

Raising a racquet and more Armed with six years of success helping African American students prepare for the future through the game of squash, Steel City Squash (SCS) is preparing to build a new facility in the Larimer neighborhood that will dramatically transform its offerings. Built on a successful model, the athletic and academic program …

On a Pedestal, Summer 2021 Read More »

Regional Annual Report

Bold Action Needed: Richard V. Piacentini, Melia Tourangeau, J. Kevin McMahon, Bill Hunt

by PQ Staff

At a time when the Pittsburgh region is continuing to lose population and has been seeing regional job losses the past few months, we asked a group of regional leaders to respond, in 200 words or less, to this question: What action do we need to take to create the kind of growth, vitality and dynamism that will stem …

Bold Action Needed: Richard V. Piacentini, Melia Tourangeau, J. Kevin McMahon, Bill Hunt Read More »

Events

Gala Kicks Off PSO’s 124th Year

by PQ Staff

Glamour met classical at Heinz Hall on Saturday, September 14 when the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Gala celebration “A Night in Black and White” kicked off the organization’s 124th year. The annual event paired festive black-tie parties with spectacular music, raising nearly $1 million to benefit the symphony’s extensive Learning & Community Engagement initiatives and to …

Gala Kicks Off PSO’s 124th Year Read More »

Arts

The Peak of Its Powers

by Teake Zuidema

The No. 1 seat in the grand stage box is the best place to be at Heinz Hall. And that’s exactly where I sit with my noiseless camera. All the other seats in the concert hall are empty. On stage, the musicians are tuning their instruments as conductor Manfred Honeck makes his entrance. I’ll be …

The Peak of Its Powers Read More »

Events

PSO’s “Voyage at Sea” Takes Guests on a Musical Journey

by PQ Staff

On Saturday, September 15, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra hosted its annual gala at Heinz Hall. This year’s theme, Voyage at Sea: A Passage to the Mediterranean, took attendees on a musical journey around the world. The evening began with a cocktail hour in the Heinz Hall Garden, followed by the Gala concert, featuring Maestro Manfred …

PSO’s “Voyage at Sea” Takes Guests on a Musical Journey Read More »

Leadership

Aftermath of a Strike

by Douglas Heuck

When Melia Tourangeau joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as President and CEO in July 2015, she immediately faced a problem she hadn’t anticipated: massive debts from a nearly insolvent pension program. Last fall, the PSO endured a 55-day strike that ended when two donors made one-time gifts and musicians agreed to concessions. Tourangeau discusses the …

Aftermath of a Strike Read More »

Opinion

Cleaner Air for Pittsburgh and More

by PQ Staff

When a Detroit company announced earlier this year that it would close its Shenango Coke Works on Neville Island, the news accounts led with the loss of 173 jobs. While we don’t cheer job losses in Pittsburgh, there is another, more important side to this story. Shenango was the smaller of the two coke works …

Cleaner Air for Pittsburgh and More Read More »

Arrivals

Taylor, Ocampo, Pearson, Bennett, Hansen, Hissrich, Schörnich, Block

by PQ Staff

In March, James Taylor will become the chief diversity and inclusion officer at UPMC. A native of Rochester, N.Y., he comes to Pittsburgh from Charlotte, N.C., where he previously was the chief learning and diversity officer of Carolinas HealthCare System. He received his undergraduate degree in applied psychology from Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY and …

Taylor, Ocampo, Pearson, Bennett, Hansen, Hissrich, Schörnich, Block Read More »

Opinion

Stocks & Pedestal, Summer 2014

by PQ Staff

When the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians started seeing an increasing number of empty seats in Heinz Hall during their concerts for students, a group of them started making inquiries. They learned that, because of funding cuts, a number of schools could no longer afford to hire the buses to bring youngsters Downtown for the concert. …

Stocks & Pedestal, Summer 2014 Read More »