Unity opera prodigy to enjoy national spotlight on ‘Little Big Shots’Video
Victory Brinker has appeared at Carnegie Hall and has hit her mark before the camera for three yet-to-be-released films. On Sunday evening, the 8-year-old soprano will display her talents for her largest audience yet, singing a German-language aria from the opera “The Magic Flute” for millions viewing NBC’s “Little Big...
SummerSounds organizers hope for late-summer return of concerts
Although Greensburg’s upcoming SummerSounds concert series has been canceled, organizers have some hope that music could return to St. Clair Park before the season ends. At least two large sponsors have promised funds if shows can be organized at a later date, according to co-founder and chairman Gene James. “SummerSounds...
Museum artworks will accompany tonight’s PSO online concert
Tonight’s “Extraordinary Measures” online concert from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will provide viewers with an extra treat. The symphony’s rendition of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral,” scheduled for a future CD release, will be accompanied by images of artworks and photos from The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Carnegie Museum...
Pittsburgh food bank donors get free download of new song
A song that two Pittsburgh musicians kicked around for a couple of years suddenly gained new relevance when the covid-19 pandemic hit. Josh Shapiro and Nikki Moulios, partners in life and in the band Rocket Loves Blue, had worked intermittently on “The Great Indoors,” which Moulios describes as a song...
Taylor Swift cancels shows, won’t play again in 2020
Taylor Swift won’t be taking the stage for the rest of the year. The pop star announced Friday afternoon that she would be canceling her shows for the rest of 2020 because of the coronavirus. “Fighting COVID-19 is an unprecedented challenge for our global community and the safety and wellbeing...
Pitbull launches new song to inspire during the pandemicVideo
Pitbull is looking to uplift his fans around the world with a new dance anthem. The singer has teamed up with the Saban Music Group to release “I Believe That We Will Win” in the hope of turning the word fear into a positive. “Fear is either you can forget...
New Orleans JazzFest cancels 2020 event after postponing
After an initial hope to keep it going later in the year, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fesitval is off for 2020. The festival announced Thursday that the event would not take place this year and would pick up again April 22 to May 2 in 2021. “With the covid-19...
Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx says not to worry about concerts yet, while Tommy Lee is ready to go
Several big summer tours have already been postponed. The Rolling Stones, Reba McEntire, Ringo Starr, Roger Waters and others have postponed tours that were scheduled to swing through the Pittsburgh area. One tour that is still set to go, at least according to Ticketmaster, is Motley Crue’s return tour that...
Duquesne streaming ‘A Little Friday Night Music’ series featuring alumni, facultyVideo
Duquesne University’s Mary Pappert School of Music may not be open to students at the moment, but school officials are making sure both students and the public have access to the music created by those who’ve passed through its halls. On Friday nights the past few weeks — Good Friday...
Pittsburgh rockers join online concert to aid hospitality workers
Donnie Iris, Joe Grushecky, Norman Nardini, Bill Deasy and other Pittsburgh rock legends will perform during a 12-hour living room concert on Facebook Live. Set for noon to midnight April 18 on the Pittsburgh Service Staff AID page, the event will benefit area hospitality industry workers facing hardships due to...
Ticketmaster changes refund policy on coronavirus-related postponements
With stadiums, arenas and concert halls quiet in Western Pennsylvania and around the world because of the coronavirus pandemic, shows are being postponed. And that is leaving many who have bought tickets waiting to see whether the show goes on, and often without an option to get their money back....
Paul McCartney hopes Chinese government shuts down wet marketsVideo
Paul McCartney has some thoughts on the health crisis that has upended the entire world. The former Beatle called Howard Stern on Tuesday from Sussex, England, to update the Sirius XM radio host on his well-being during the coronavirus pandemic. McCartney explained that he was “locked down” with his daughter...
Three Rivers Arts Festival canceled as Pittsburgh Cultural Trust extends suspensions
Another signature Pittsburgh event has been canceled. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust announced Tuesday that the Three Rivers Arts Festival would be axed as the trust’s suspension of events was extended into mid-June because of the coronavirus pandemic. “As we continue to follow the leadership of Gov. Wolf and our public...
Jon Bon Jovi asks kindergartners to ‘Do What You Can’
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — A Florida kindergarten teacher took his virtual classroom to new levels on Monday when rock icon Jon Bon Jovi popped in on a writing lesson about life in the coronavirus quarantine. Last month, the Grammy award-winning 80s rocker released an incomplete version of “Do What...
Palace Theatre announces 3 new late-summer, fall concerts in Greensburg
Looking forward to lifting of coronavirus-related restrictions, The Palace Theatre in Greensburg has scheduled these new late-summer and fall shows: • Ronnie Milsap, July 17 — Grammy-winning country singer and pianist best known for late 1970s and early ’80s hits like “(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me” and “I Wouldn’t Have...
‘Penn State Presents’ airs nightly livestream featuring alumni, students
John Simpkins, head of musical theater at Penn State University, was not happy at having to cancel the performances theater students would have put on this spring due to the coronavirus pandemic. In an effort to continue bringing Nittany Lion students’ talents to the public, Simpkins is hosting “Penn State...
Bocelli says Easter Sunday appearance not a concert for coronavirus: ‘It’s a prayer’
NEW YORK — Andrea Bocelli will sing at the Duomo of Milan on Easter Sunday sending a message of love and hope to the world during the coronavirus pandemic, but the Italian tenor says it’s not a concert. Instead, he calls it a “prayer.” “I received this invitation by the...
Stuck at home, Alesso and Liam Payne still film music videoVideo
The coronavirus has halted many plans in the music industry, from tour cancellations to album pushbacks, but it didn’t stop Grammy-nominated DJ-producer Alesso and former One Direction singer Liam Payne from filming a new music video. The pair joined forces for the new dance song “Midnight” but couldn’t film a...
Coronavirus claims celebrated singer-songwriter John Prine
John Prine, the ingenious singer-songwriter who explored the heartbreaks, indignities and absurdities of everyday life in “Angel from Montgomery,” “Sam Stone,” “Hello in There” and scores of other indelible tunes, died Tuesday at 73. His family announced his death from complications from the coronavirus; he died at Vanderbilt University Medical...
Thursday face masks to aid New York, New Jersey hospitals
Thursday is stepping up to help protect others during the coronavirus pandemic. The New Brunswick, N.J.,-formed band is helping frontline medical workers and essential personnel by pulling merch stock and shipping it to “various grassroots organizations in NJ who will convert them into ‘fabric’ face masks to assist the frontline...
Lady Gaga raises $35M for coronavirus fight, curates all-star TV event
Lady Gaga and advocacy organization Global Citizen have raised $35 million to fight the coronavirus and will launch a TV special featuring Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Billie Eilish to combat the growing virus. Gaga said on Monday that the money was raised in seven days and will benefit The...
Selena Gomez reveals bipolar diagnosis to Miley Cyrus
LOS ANGELES — Selena Gomez opened up about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder during a social media chat with Miley Cyrus. Gomez spoke about her diagnosis during a 20-minute conversation Friday on Cyrus’ “Bright Minded” series on Instagram. The singer says she “realized that I was bipolar” after she recently...
Famous Pittsburghers ‘Rock’ thanks to city’s medical workersVideo
The Pittsburgh medical community is rocking the effort to address the coronavirus outbreak. And now a number of famous Pittsburghers have taken to YouTube to express their thanks for the work. And to remind everyone to stay home. In a video — “We Will Rock You Pittsburgh – Stay Home....
James Taylor postpones Pittsburgh concert, all upcoming dates
James Taylor and His All-Star Band have postponed their upcoming tour, including a June 16 date at PPG Paints Arena. The 26-city tour, with special guest Jackson Browne, was scheduled to kick off May 15 in New Orleans. The tour would have featured tracks from “American Standards,” Taylor’s 19th studio...
Pittsburgh Youth Chorus students create ‘virtual choir’ video performanceVideo
The children of the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus aren’t interested in waiting until the coronavirus pandemic is over to begin making music again. And while all 223 members of the organization’s six choirs weren’t able to fit, 18 students had a chance to be part of its first “virtual choir,” performing...
