DARRYL DENNING BIOGRAPHY
Darryl Denning in 1970
FORMAL DEBUT - WIGMORE HALL, LONDON
Denning's formal concert career was launched by a debut in London's
Wigmore Hall in 1975. The debut was preceded by four concerts in
London, and interviews on the BBC and the London Broadcasting
Corporation. Due to this extensive pre-concert publicity, Denning
played to a full house. The concert was highly successful, and
was very well reviewed by the "Times of London", which praised the
concert for "the high level of musicianship and the professionalism and
insight of his performance."
PRINCIPAL TOURS
Denning's
first tour was in Mexico in 1971. This tour, which was conducted
under the auspices of the U. S. Embassy in Mexico City, featured music
for Guitar Duo (with guitarist Peter Kraus). Concerts were
presented in Mexico City, Cuernavaca, Taxco, Morelia, Guanajuato, San
Miguel de Allende, and Hermosillo.
Denning made a European tour in 1971 of music for Guitar Duo (with Peter Kraus) in conjunction with the Institute of European Studies in Vienna. Perfomances were in Strasbourg and Le Touquet in France, Blankenberg in Belgium, and Sierre in Switzerland.
In 1972, Denning was invited for a return tour of Mexico by the U. S. Embassy (this time with guitarist Pritchard Kneubuhl). Concerts were given in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Puebla.
Following his concert series and debut in London, Denning was signed as a soloist to do Community Concerts by Columbia Artists. He appeared throughout the Western United States for several years for Columbia Artists.
In 1991, Denning toured Russia with the Occidental College Chorus in a program for voice, guitar and piano. Performances were given in Moscow, Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), and Kalinin (the film capital of Russia).
Throughout the 1990's and the 2000's, Denning has concentrated on domestic concert series and performances both as soloist and as a chamber and Early Music musician. Some of the series have included the Los Angeles Bach Festival, The Dabney Lounge Chamber Series, The Southern California Early Music Series, and 30 annual Faculty Recitals at Occidental College. Concertos were performed with the Brentwood Symphony and the San Gabriel Symphony.
Pivotal to Denning's concert preparation, was his being invited to rehearse the Boccherini "Guitar Quintets" at Rudolf Serkin's Marlboro Festival in Vermont in 1967. Although still a student, Denning was able to work with famous names, such as cellist Alexander Schneider and violinist Felix Galimir. He also interacted with Vladimir Ashkenazy, Jaime Laredo, and Peter Serkin at the Festival. This same year, Denning also had the privilege to rehearse with the great cellist George Neikrug in Brussels.
Denning made a European tour in 1971 of music for Guitar Duo (with Peter Kraus) in conjunction with the Institute of European Studies in Vienna. Perfomances were in Strasbourg and Le Touquet in France, Blankenberg in Belgium, and Sierre in Switzerland.
In 1972, Denning was invited for a return tour of Mexico by the U. S. Embassy (this time with guitarist Pritchard Kneubuhl). Concerts were given in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Puebla.
Following his concert series and debut in London, Denning was signed as a soloist to do Community Concerts by Columbia Artists. He appeared throughout the Western United States for several years for Columbia Artists.
In 1991, Denning toured Russia with the Occidental College Chorus in a program for voice, guitar and piano. Performances were given in Moscow, Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), and Kalinin (the film capital of Russia).
Throughout the 1990's and the 2000's, Denning has concentrated on domestic concert series and performances both as soloist and as a chamber and Early Music musician. Some of the series have included the Los Angeles Bach Festival, The Dabney Lounge Chamber Series, The Southern California Early Music Series, and 30 annual Faculty Recitals at Occidental College. Concertos were performed with the Brentwood Symphony and the San Gabriel Symphony.
Pivotal to Denning's concert preparation, was his being invited to rehearse the Boccherini "Guitar Quintets" at Rudolf Serkin's Marlboro Festival in Vermont in 1967. Although still a student, Denning was able to work with famous names, such as cellist Alexander Schneider and violinist Felix Galimir. He also interacted with Vladimir Ashkenazy, Jaime Laredo, and Peter Serkin at the Festival. This same year, Denning also had the privilege to rehearse with the great cellist George Neikrug in Brussels.
RECORDINGS
Denning has recorded for Varese-Sarabande, Citadel, Legend and Vazan Records (link to CD's and CD Sales).
He has been heard on many independent film scores, and on the PBS production of "Ramona" for the Los Angeles History Project.
He has been heard on many independent film scores, and on the PBS production of "Ramona" for the Los Angeles History Project.
TEACHING POSITIONS
Denning created the Classical Guitar Program at Occidental College, Los
Angeles, in 1968, where he served as an Applied Professor of Music
(Guitar) for 31 years. He created a similar Guitar Program at
Caltech (The California Institute of Technology) in Pasadena in 1974, where he became a Lecturer in Music.
At Caltech, he has also served as Music Program Coordinator and
as Director of the Performing Arts (Music, Theater and Art). He
taught Classical Guitar at UCLA Extension for seven years.
PRINCIPAL TEACHERS
Denning's
first teacher was Diego Del Monte in Santa Barbara (while
Denning was a student at UCSB where he received a B.A. with honors in
mathematics). Del Monte was one of the accredited teachers
of Vicente Gomez. Del Monte trained Denning in both
Classical and
Flamenco guitar. Denning continued his studies privately with
Theodore Norman for many years, and studied with him for seven years
at UCLA. Norman was especially skilled and influential in
Contemporary Music. Denning studied the Rodrigo "Concierto de
Aranjuez" with Spanish guitarist Renata Tarrago and her father (and her
master teacher) Graciano Tarrago, in Barcelona in 1969. This gave
Denning a deeper understanding of Spanish music. Denning met
Robert Spencer (the other lutenist in the Julian Bream Consort) while
studying at an Early Music seminar at Cambridge University in England
in 1971. This led to many summers of studying with Spencer, which
gave Denning greater depth in interpreting Early Music. Denning
studied flamenco with Luis Maravilla in Madrid, and twice attended the
Flamenco Institute at the Unversity of New Mexico in Albuquerque.