KUHF’s new arts magazine puts listeners in “The Front Row”

By Leticia Vasquez
Editor

You don’t need to pay outlandish prices to hear some of today’s most celebrated artists play live in a studio.

“The Front Row,” the station’s new arts magazine, debuted on the air Jan. 19.

Featuring live in-studio performances, concert recordings, interviews and news features, “The Front Row” already has attracted such guests as Ruth Slencyznska, world-renowned pianist and guest artist at this month’s University of Houston Moores School of Music International Piano Festival, Hans Graf, Houston Symphony music director, and artist Michael Davis, creator of the water screen at Main Street Square in downtown.

“Back in September, we took a look at what we do here at KUHF, areas which needed improvement and which we could make some changes, and “The Front Row” presented itself as a means of solving those problems,” host Dean Dalton said. “At the same time, we wanted to do more to support the local arts scene. That was our main goal.”

With that in mind, “The Front Row” is quickly making a name for itself among the who’s who of the Houston cultural arts community. Still an infant program, the show is gaining so much popularity that some requests for appearances on the program have to be turned down.

“Just in the last week or so, calls to the station have tripled,” said Brad Sayles, senior recording engineer. “It’s amazing the exposure the Houston arts are going to get because of this show. It’s wonderful for both of us.”

Dalton, who also is KUHF’s cultural programming director, echoed his sentiments, adding that it’s been a pleasure listening to his guests talk about their work.

“Ruth Slencyznska was an exciting woman with whom to talk,” he said. “I’m excited by people who are excited about their work, and it’s rare that you get to hear that kind of raw excitement from these artists. That’s exactly what we want.”

More than 30 years after working at such media outlets as the Washington Post, Washingtonian magazine, Dalton is thankful for the opportunity to focus on his greatest passion — the arts.

After studying the piano at 8 years old and picking up the viola at 11, Dalton earned his bachelors and masters degrees in music from the University of Arkansas. His passion for the arts has poised him for success on “The Front Row.”

“When I first started in this business, I did everything from recording live concerts, interviews and lectures on music appreciation. My experience with the Washingtonian magazine got me involved in the local arts scene, and I really enjoyed that aspect of it.”

Looking ahead, Dalton anticipates great things for the future of “The Front Row.”

“We’ve been incredible pleased with the success of the first few weeks. We want this show to have an audience, and we want them to give us feedback,” Dalton said. “We also want people to listen to us and then go out and see some of the people we are featuring. Go out and participate.”

“The Front Row” airs weekdays from 3 to 4 p.m. on KUHF-FM 88.7. Tomorrow’s guest will be pianist Lola Astanova, who will perform. She is a 1996 Laureate of the Second International Competition for Young Pianists and a featured performer on UNESCO’s "Prodigies of the 20th Century.”