Compositions
Matthew Denman’s compositions reflect his deep love for storytelling through sound. Drawing from classical traditions while embracing contemporary colors, his works often bridge genres, cultures, and histories—mirroring the same vision that guides his teaching and leadership.
From intimate solo guitar pieces to collaborations with harp, voice, organ, and orchestra, Denman’s music invites listeners into landscapes both personal and universal. His compositions have been performed by students and celebrated artists alike, affirming his belief that music can be both timeless art and living conversation.
Explore selections below to discover the breadth of his creative voice.
Program Notes
Every piece of music carries both a story and a lineage. These notes invite the listener to step behind the score—into the inspirations, dedications, and traditions that shape each work. Whether rooted in history, philosophy, or personal reflection, the following commentaries aim to illuminate not only the music itself but also the connections it forges: between past and present, teacher and student, sound and silence.
Blood Moon
Guitar Solo and Guitar & Cello
Composed by Matthew Denman
Blood Moon was inspired by an enchanted evening beneath the stars, when the night sky became both eerie and wondrous. Overhead hung the spooky, supernatural glow of the blood moon, casting its mysterious light across the landscape. In the stillness, a flicker appeared—then another—until fireflies filled the periphery, transforming the darkness into a living constellation of their own.
This piece seeks to capture that interplay of mystery and magic: the unsettling aura of the moon balanced by the delicate, ephemeral dance of fireflies. Together, they create a nocturnal tableau where the natural world feels touched by the supernatural.
Picture on a Train
Guitar Ensemble
Composed by Matthew Denman
“This is a substantial work, but all the part scores have well-chosen page turns. The score tells a story: there’s mist, a train, its whistle, and then we meet Passenger 1, and the effect that the titular ‘picture’ has on each character. Passenger 2 is nervous and the picture reminds them of an unpleasant memory. Passenger 3 receives a spiritual awakening from the picture and there is a conversation about art. The piece concludes with the performance marking ‘Three passengers having three different experiences because of one picture on a train.’ … I feel a good ensemble could make magic out of this ‘intermediate’ piece.”
— Classical Guitar Magazine
Inspired by Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, this piece shifts the perspective. Rather than the spirit of an artist moving from canvas to canvas, Picture on a Train places three passengers in the same train car, gazing at a single work of art. Each responds in a wholly unique way: one adventurous, one anxious, and one spiritually transformed. Their musical voices diverge, overlap, and converse until the work resolves in a reminder that art is never singular—one picture, many stories.
If I Have Seen Further
(Dedication to Maestro Celín Romero)
Guitar Ensemble
Composed by Matthew Denman
The title If I Have Seen Further comes from Isaac Newton’s famous reflection: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” This idea of honoring the masters who came before resonates deeply in music. The work is dedicated to Maestro Celín Romero on the occasion of his honorary doctorate ceremony at Oklahoma City University, in recognition of his role as both a bearer and a builder of legacy.
In this piece, Denman also draws inspiration from Joaquín Rodrigo’s profound words: “In heaven we will all be sounds.” Taken together, these two statements shaped a vision of an ethereal waiting room where the great Spanish nationalist composers—Francisco Tárrega, Manuel de Falla, and Joaquín Rodrigo—speak once more through music in their own distinctive voices. Each musical figure contributes until the arrival of Celedonio Romero, symbolizing his death and entry into the great hall of immortality. At this moment, the room erupts with joy, culminating in a triumphant canon woven from Celedonio’s own work, affirming his eternal place among the giants.
Lindley House
Guitar Duo
Composed by Matthew Denman
Written for guitar duo, Lindley House is both a personal reflection and a musical homage. The piece draws inspiration from the warm, openhearted sound world of Aaron Copland, whose works such as Appalachian Spring and Rodeo embody a distinctly American voice—expansive, lyrical, and rooted in folk spirit.
The title refers to the Lindley House Bed and Breakfast, where my family gathered for a reunion. The setting—charming, rustic, and filled with memories—carried with it a feeling of Americana: a blend of simplicity, joy, and belonging. In the spirit of Copland, the work includes a gentle nod to the Shaker tune Simple Gifts, weaving a familiar thread of heritage into a new musical tapestry.
Wolves of Winter
Guitar Solo
Composed by Matthew Denman
“For, in the end, we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.”
— Baba Dioum, Senegalese Environmentalist, 1968
I am driven by a profound passion to create music that celebrates and immortalizes the beauty and wonder of our national parks. These sanctuaries of nature, each with its own voice and character, have been the backdrop for some of my most cherished memories. Through composition, I hope not only to capture their grandeur in sound but also to inspire others to seek them out firsthand—to listen, to learn, and to fall in love with them.
Wolves of Winter is set in Yellowstone National Park, specifically in the snow-covered expanses of the Lamar Valley, where packs of wolves roam against a backdrop of austere mountains and vibrant wildlife. The piece evokes the haunting calls, restless energy, and primal beauty of this landscape, inviting listeners into a sound world where wilderness remains untamed, fragile, and alive.
Performances
Experience Matthew Denman’s music brought to life in performance. These recordings capture the full range of his compositional voice—from intimate solo guitar works to collaborative pieces with harp, voice, organ, and orchestra. Each performance reflects not only the notes on the page but the spirit of dialogue and discovery that defines his approach to music. This section offers listeners the chance to witness how his compositions resonate in the hands of world-class artists and students alike, affirming his belief that music lives most fully when shared in community.
