Dr. Robert Denham,
who often visited Sutter Creek as a child, will perform the world premier of a
song cycle of 21 songs based on the town‘s history and his experiences visiting
here as a youngster. Denham will perform on Sunday, Aug. 31 and Monday, Sept 1,
3 p.m. at the American Exchange Hotel, 53 Main Street, Sutter Creek. There is
no admission cost, but freewill donations are welcome to cover costs of travel.
While reservations are not necessary, it is recommended that people send their
RSVP to: Robert.denham@biola.edu.
Denham’s grandparents, Bob and Mabel Fry, now deceased, were long-time
residents living in Sutter Creek from 1944 on. Denham wrote the song cycle in
2007 following his grandmother’s death at age 97. Inspiration for the song
cycle derived from many sources: his grandparents’ home on Spanish Street
brought Denham to comment, “For us grandkids, that house was straight out of
C.S. Lewis, where a rainy day is not really such a blow to morale, and where
unknown worlds might suddenly present themselves behind the next door, cupboard
or panel.” His family visited summers and holidays at the Frys’ home at the top
of Spanish Street . Denham recalled the most exciting part about Sutter Creek
“was the drive to get here. Every landmark along the way reminded us of the
love and adventure we would find at our grandparents’ house.” He captures many
fond memories in his song cycle including the many community organizations and
events in which the Frys were involved.
Robert Denham earned his bachelor of music degree in trumpet performance in
1997 at Biola University in La Mirada, southern California. He holds a DMA in
composition from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music,
and an MA in composition from UCLA. He was previously at West Texas A & M
University where he taught theory and composition.
“I often borrow from the poetic style of William Carlos Williams whose works I
have admired,” the musician said about his compositions. In the song cycle, he
created three essential music symbols that are recurring motifs. They appear in
his musical allusions to church bells, arousing memories of the bells at the
Methodist Church Sunday mornings; the effect of logging trucks on Highway 49
heard from the Spanish Street house, and music swelling through their car as he
and his family headed to Sutter Creek.
Denham’s works have
been performed by the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music Philharmonia, the Los
Angeles Flute Quartet, the Orion Saxophone Quartet, and the Academia Musicale
di San Casciano Orchestra e Coro di bambini in Florence, Italy. Denham’s
compositions have also earned numerous awards including the Havar International
Competition in Croatia and the Gluck Brass Quintet Composition Competition. He
was the 1998 recipient of the Stanley Wilson Composer’s Award. He and his wife
Jolene (Rowland,) a Biola alumna, have two young children.
The song cycle promises an abundance of memory-making music for long-time Sutter Creek residents and newcomers. Don’t miss this musical homage to the Gold Country’s most charming town.