Pittsburgh Symphony, Comcast play sweet music together
Hear the sounds of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra throughout the city — from your home.
Comcast will offer “Front Row: The PSO Virtual Experience” On Demand for Xfinity customers in Pittsburgh and throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania.
The first of five episodes, “Our Love for Pittsburgh” premieres at 7:30 p.m. Monday.
“The Pittsburgh Symphony is grateful to have Comcast as a partner in ‘Front Row’ through this important commitment they’re making to support great music, and to bring this innovative series to such a significant audience in the region,” said Melia Tourangeau, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
The symphony worked with Pittsburgh-based Flying Scooter Productions for the series, said Julie Goetz, director of communications for the symphony.
“Even though we will be celebrating the holidays in a different way this year, the music can be our gift to Pittsburgh,” Goetz said. “It would be hard to imagine a winter season without the Holiday Pops, that is a Pittsburgh tradition.”
Goetz said the orchestra wanted to continue to bring music to Pittsburgh and that people are really craving musical performances right now.
“These performances can be uplifting and are good for our souls,” said Goetz. “It is essential to our humanity.”
This is the first collaboration with the symphony, said Josephine Posti, senior public relations manager for Comcast.
“It really is such an unusual time right now,” Posti said. “This will be a love song to the city with music that is showcased throughout the city from different neighborhoods.”
Each episode will be 60 to 90 minutes. Music will be performed by ensembles of the orchestra accompanied by special interviews, behind-the-scenes looks, and an exploration of Heinz Hall with host Jim Cunningham, WQED-FM’s artistic director. There will be perspectives from the musicians, conductors and other members of the organization with interviewer Sydni Grant Goldman, working with Flying Scooter Productions and a former associate producer at WPXI-TV.
The virtual performances will include Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings” and music from composers such as Jessie Montgomery, Francesco Geminiani, Ennio Morricone and Billy Strayhorn. Violinist Alexi Kenney will perform as guest concertmaster.
Tourangeau said after they announced the reinvention of the 125th season in August, they worked to bring the sound of the orchestra to the world in this new digital series.
Music lovers without a Comcast connection can view the shows on the symphony’s website, pittsburghsymphony.org.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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