Coming up on TFR for Monday, 6/1/09

Considered America's greatest living playwright, Edward Albee chats with us.

We explore exhibitions by two resident studio artists at the Lawndale Art Center, Stephanie Martz & Robert Sennhauser. [Photo by Robert Sennhauser; Image courtesy of Lawndale Art Center]

And we enjoy a recorded performance by the Texas Festival Orchestra & Maestro Pascal Verrot.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on The Front Row for Friday, May 29th, 2009

We have a performance from soprano-pianist Lama Devries and pianist Mariam Haddad featuring selections from their upcoming concert Salon a la Francaise in parntership with the French-American Chamber of Commerce taking place this Saturday at Ovations in the Rice Village. Works include pieces from Debussy, Faure, and De Falla. Also, the Houston area gears up for the seventh annual Big Range Dance Festival kicking off this weekend and continuing for two more weekends at Barnevard Theater. Tradition comes to Houston through Broadway Across America's production of Fiddler on the Roof, featuring Actor/Singer Topel. We chat with him about his role in this beloved Broadway musical.

Join us for an up close look at the Houston area's diverse and vibrant art scene on "The Front Row", weekdays at noon on KUHF 88.7 and KUHF HD-1...and 10 PM on KUHF HD-2!

Coming up on The Front Row for Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Restoration Chamber Music previews their upcoming concert Garten Verein: Legacy of Friendship featuring the works of Brahms and Strauss. Also, we chat with choreographer Christopher Wheeldon about his piece entitled Of An Era being featured by Houston Ballet (photo: www.houstonballet.org). We round out the show with a bit of the theater, featuring a conversation with Classical Theatre Company about their latest production of Sophocles Antigone.

Join us for an up close look at the Houston area's diverse and vibrant art scene on "The Front Row", weekdays at noon on 88.7 & KUHF HD-1...and 10 PM on KUHF HD-2!

Coming up on The Front Row for Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

We're featuring two conversations with local theatrical productions. The Third Side by Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company explores the life of Henry Darden and his dilemma with Darwin's evolution theory. Actor Mark Carrier and playwright Tom Vaughn discuss the controversial themes in this play. And Stages Repertory Theatre closes out their current season with the regional premiere of the comedic Broadway musical Grey Gardens featuring the portrayal of Jackie O's most outrageous relatives. Also, we chat with New York Times bestselling author Lee Child (photo: www.leechild.com) about his new literary thriller Gone Tomorrow jammed packed with his signature story telling.

Join us for an upclose look at the Houston area's diverse and vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row", weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1...and 10 PM on HD-2!

Coming up on The Front Row for Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

A live performance by the performers participating in the final week of the Opera Vista Festival, in collaboration with Nova Arts Project. We also find the connection between Dilemmas and Innocence through the works of visual artist Teresa Dunn featured at the Hooks-Epstein Gallery (photo: paiting entitled Festa by the artist). Also, a conversation with Founder/CEO Pierre Schwob of the musical website http://www.classicalarchives.com/

Join us for an upclose look at the Houston area's diverse and vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row", weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1...and 10 PM on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Monday, 5/25/09

As a Memorial Day Holiday Special, we spend an hour with one of the world's most energetic, skillful and prolific concert and recording artists, Idil Biret [photo by Sefik Yuksel]. The Turkish pianist plays for us, and talks about her flourishing career.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on The Front Row for Friday, May 22nd, 2009

A live performance by Folk-Pop Singer Songwriter Shake Russell (photo courtesy of www.shakerussell.com) who will be performing at McGonigel's Mucky Duck this weekend. Also on the program, A performance by Aperio's Artistic Director and Pianist Michael Zuraw, preveiwing the concert entilted Paisajes Armoniosos: A Musical Portrait of South America featuring compositions from Latin roots.

Join us for an up close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant art scene on "The Front Row", weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1...and 10 PM on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Thursday, 5/21/09

The Two Star Symphony plays music from their score to the 1924 comedy, Girl Shy, featured on the KUHF Silent Film Concert Series at Discovery Green Park.

And cast members from Theater LaB Houston perform songs from China: The Whole Enchilada.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Wednesday, 5/20/09

Artistic Director Vishwa Subbaraman [photo courtesy of Opera Vista] previews the 2009 Opera Vista Festival, known for its contemporary and often provocative productions, as well as its opera competition (co-presented this year by Nova Arts Project). Soprano Vanessa Beaumont sings an excerpt from Edalat Square by R. Timothy Brady, last year's festival-competition winner.

Director Cheryl Kaplan & actor Steve Garfinkel chat about Main Street Theater's production of Clifford Odets' Awake and Sing!, the story of a boisterous family in the Bronx, struggling with the hardships of the Great Depression.

And we listen to songs from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, as cast members from Unhinged Productions chat about this cult rock-musical.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Tuesday, 5/19/09

It's an all-theater edition, as we chat with actors & directors from three very different productions in the Bayou City: The Miss Firecracker Contest, a heartfelt Southern comedy, at Texas Repertory Theatre ... The Timekeepers, a psychological drama set during the Holocaust, presented by Theatre New West ... and Masquerade Theatre's staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, Evita.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Monday, 5/18/09

Cellist Barrett Sills [photo courtesy of the artist] talks about Cellos, Cellos, Cellos and a Premiere -- a concert for 8 cellos & other instruments that he's organized as the season-finale for the St. Cecilia Chamber Music Society.

We meet actors Matt Merchant & Matt Walker, who play the Malachi Brothers (the goofy "bad guys"), from the national tour of Happy Days - A New Musical, presented by Theatre Under The Stars.

And Artistic Director James Knapp gives us a preview of Africa: A Night of Celebration, the next concert by the Bayou City Women's Chorus.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Friday, 5/15/09

We meet the Trio Formosan [photo courtesy of the artists], who play passionate selections from their recital program, Music from Three Continents, featuring pieces from Argentina, China, the U.S. & Taiwan! Their concert is Friday, May 15, 7:30pm (free) at Bethany Christian Church.

And the band Clandestine [pictured at the 2008 Texas Scottish Festival], known for its particular brand of Texas Celtic music, performs live for us, previewing its weekend shows at McGonigel's Mucky Duck and the Houston Highland Games!

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Thursday, 5/14/09

We chat with Houston Symphony Music Director Hans Graf & 20 year-old St. Petersburg-born virtuoso, Eugene Ugorski, hailed as "one of the most exciting young violinists of today."

Musicians from Mercury Baroque, led by Artistic Director Antoine Plante, join us live to perform excerpts from Jean-Baptiste Lully's 1686 opera, Armide.

And jazz trumpeter Barrie Lee Hall [photo courtesy of the artist] of the Duke Ellington Orchestra & Houston Chamber Choir Artistic Director Robert Simpson chat about Come Sunday: The Sacred Music of Duke Ellington.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Tuesday, 5/12/09

Clarinetist June Garrison, cellist Anthony Kitai & pianist Shannon Hesse give us a taste of their eclectic recital program, which features Brahms, 20th-century Argentine composer Angel Lasala, Balazs Szunyogh & a World Premiere by Texan Eric McIntyre. (Sunday, May 17, 4pm, First Cumberland Presbyterian Church)

Artistic Director Carole Nelson & composer Robert Nelson talk about the Houston Boy Choir's Ode to My Nurses Project -- original song-settings of poems by patients at Texas Children's Hospital. [Photo by Jeff Grass Photography]

And we travel back to the '70s and meet a family on a tight budge, who suddenly find themselves in possession of a large sum of money! Director Eileen Morris and actors BeBe Wilson & Byron Jacquet chat about The Ensemble Theatre's Spring comedy, Livin' Fat.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Monday, 5/11/09

Clarinetist Hakan Rosengren & the Juilliard-based Biava Quartet return to the studio to perform selections by Weber and Berwald, previewing this coming final weekend of the Fayetteville Chamber Music Festival.

Artistic Director Gregory Boyd & company actor Todd Waite [pictured as "Jan" in Rock 'n Roll; photo by T. Charles Erickson] talk about the Alley Theatre's production of Tom Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll, the story of a Czech student, a communist English Professor and a Flower Child ... and the effects of rock music & politics on their lives over the course of two decades.

And Houston playwright Joe Barnes introduces his new drama, The Good Son, which will be presented in a staged reading by Wordsmyth Theater.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekday at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Friday, 5/8/09

"Which is more enduring? Beauty or Pleasure?"

That question is the subject of Handel's oratorio, Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno (The Triumph of Time and Truth), which Ars Lyrica Houston [photo courtesy of the artists] presents this Sunday at the Hobby Center. Artistic Director Matthew Dirst and a group of his musicians, including countertenor Gerrod Pagenkopf & tenor Joseph Gaines, join us live for excerpts from this stunning musical setting of the battle of the wills.

And violinists Kevin Hwang & Natalie Lin, cellist Anna Nayanova and pianist Jessica Zhu of the Moores School of Music perform selections by Cesar Franck & Johannes Brahms, previewing their Concert for a Cure: Music to Benefit Breast Cancer Research (Saturday, May 9, 5pm, Christ United Methodist Church in Sugar Land; free admission; donations accepted).

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Thursday, 5/7/09

The Biava Quartet and Texas pianist, Rick Rowley, perform selections from the 3rd Annual Fayetteville Music Festival, founded by clarinetist Hakan Rosengren.

[Left to right: Jason Calloway (cello), Hyunsu Ko (violin), Mary Person (viola), Austin Hartman (violin); photo courtesy of the Biava Quartet]

Violinist Christian Tetzlaff [photo by Alexandra Vosding] talks about soloing with the Houston Symphony this weekend, and Music Director Hans Graf chats about the program of Beethoven's Violin Concerto & Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.

Plus, actress Ella Joyce gives us a preview of the Ensemble Theatre's A Rose Among Thorns: A Dramatic Tribute to Civil Rights Pioneer, Rosa Parks.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon at 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Wednesday, 5/6/09

Pianist Omar Herrera-Arizmendi joins us live to perform music from Cinco on Cinco, his recital celebrating this week's Mexican holiday of liberation, to be presented at MECA.

National Geographic Society archeologist & curator, Fredrik Hiebert, gives us a tour of Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul, on view at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.

And artists Kenny Browning & Bryan Taylor chat about their mobile creations, "The Iron Maiden and Party Boat," inspired by a Viking warship [photo courtesy of the Orange Show & the artist] and "Santa Car III." Those are a couple of the 250 sublime & absurd vehicles in this Saturday's 22nd Annual Houston Art Car Parade.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Tuesday, 5/5/09

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

We meet visual artist Javier de Villota, an important Spanish artist living in Houston who is devoted to issues of human freedom and human rights. Mr. Villota shows us paintings in his exhibition, DeHumanization Echo, on view at The Station Museum.

[Pictured: Las Cosas del 98 by Javier de Villota; courtesy of the artist]

We preview the Houston Symphony Spring Special, a one-night-only concert featuring Yo-Yo Ma in Schumann's Cello Concerto and the Hebraic Rhapsody, Schelomo, by Ernest Bloch. Don't have tickets to this virtually sold-out concert? We have our own mini-version of it, with an excerpt from Yo-Yo Ma's recording of one of those pieces.

And Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch & Managing Director C.C. Conner tell us about Classically Contemporary, this weekend's free program at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area's diverse & vibrant arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon on 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm on HD-2!

Coming up on TFR for Monday 5/4/09

Singers from Bayou City Concert Musicals perform for us, previewing their next series of Cabaret Evenings, You're the Cream in My Coffee: The Music of DeSilva, Brown and Henderson. [Pictured: singer Danica Dawn Johnson; photo courtesy of BCCM]

We tour Beneath the Seen, an exhibit of works on paper by artists better known for their work in other media, on view at Wade Wilson ART.

And we preview Vida del Baile, a Latin Dance Festival presented by Dance Houston, coming up just in time for Cinco de Mayo.

Join us for an up-close look at the Houston area arts scene on "The Front Row," weekdays at Noon at 88.7 FM & KUHF HD-1 ... and 10pm at HD-2!