Meet Jean Denney | Violinist, Personnel Manager, Method Book Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jean Denney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jean, is there something you believe many others might not?
They say learn to say no. I say learn to say yes.

So many doors have been opened for me because I said yes. Years ago I was asked by a university professor to speak to the students in his careers in music class. I didn’t think I had much to offer because my music career has been divided among performing, teaching, administration, and an abundance of not-too-glamorous chores that just needed to be done. In my mind I had been gathering and living off scraps, yet in this professor’s mind, I had a successful, diverse, life-long career in music with wisdom to share.

Saying yes to things I didn’t feel capable of has stretched and taught me. Saying yes to things I did not want to do has broadened my palate and appreciation for others. Saying yes when someone truly needed my help was just the right thing to do.

Saying yes has provided experiences I would not have otherwise had. Had I said no to some favors I’ve been asked, I would not have ever worked behind the scenes and performed with with Manhattan Transfer, Jose Feliciano, John Corigliano, Jamie Bernstein, Marvin Hamlisch, Jodi Benson, and many others.

Learn to say yes.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My journey as a violinist began in my fourth grade public school classroom. Shortly after, at age 11, I was diagnosed with pretty severe scoliosis which led to over 2 years in a ridiculous brace. This was followed by surgery that destroyed all my thoracic and most my lumbar discs, which were replaced with bone chips from my hip and held in place with a metal rod secured by hooks at the top and bottom of my spine. I was in a body cast for 9 months, at age 14. So the first 3-4 years of learning to play violin included ways to figure out how to hold the instrument while I had hardware surrounding my neck, under my chin, and all around my torso and hips.

At age 18, after falling on the rim of a trampoline, I had more surgery to remove the broken metal rod and repair some broken vertebrae, making my spine the recipient of even more metal. It wasn’t until years later my spine surgeon told me he never expected me to have the balance nor the strength needed to play violin, and I realized that adults in my life were simply humoring me.

Combining physical challenges with the fact that my high school had no orchestra and I had no actual violinist teaching me, choosing music as a college major was done out of pure naivety. Fortunately Will Schwartz, my teacher at Colorado State University, saw something and took a chance on me. By the time I started my Master’s degree I was the concertmaster of the university orchestras.

As a private instructor, I’ve always worked better with adults than children, and I started developing on-the-spot ideas of how to help adults learn both the academic and physical parts of playing. They often came to me with obstacles including bad past experiences learning music, and physical challenges such as arthritis. For years I would say, “When I write my method book for adults….” and proceed to throw out an idea.

So when my daughter Morgan, who is now a professional composer, told a publisher she worked for that I had this book, I suddenly needed to put my ideas on paper. I ultimately did not work with that publisher, but in March 2022, Mel Bay published my book which they titled, Mastering The Violin, a comprehensive study for the adult learner. A huge shout out here goes to Morgan Denney whose composition and engraving skills I depended on to complete the book! It is available to purchase in music stores, directly from the publisher, and on Amazon, etc.
https://www.melbay.com/Products/31036MEB/mastering-the-violin.aspx?classificationSId=Z01

In my adult years, alongside life constantly happening, I have had the honor of performing in professional orchestras; teaching public school and private lessons; administrating youth and adult music programs; serving multiple orchestras as an education liaison, librarian, and personnel manager; and contracting instrumentalists for operas, ballets, touring shows, orchestras, choruses, churches, and schools. And then last spring, just as I was beginning to think I had some stuff figured out, I was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer.

I’m so thankful for incredible medical care here in Northern Colorado, and want to give a shout out to my entire uchealth team! I was able to schedule surgery, 12 weeks of chemotherapy, and a month of daily radiation therapy all without missing any work I was already committed to. Fully aware of how human and imperfect I am, I put aside my dignity, put a hat on my bald head, ate a popsicle, and went to the concert hall.

When I am asked why I continue to play violin, I reply it is because I am still learning and improving my skills. If I ever get to the point of satisfaction with my sound I will quit playing. In the mean time, at age 60, I continue on this path that does not make me a lot of money, but certainly makes me very wealthy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d hope my friend was visiting in September! After a Colorado Symphony performance at Red Rocks, we would go north and do a craft brewery tour in Fort Collins, then come home to Estes Park and drive up Old Fall River Road. We’d rent a boat at the Grand Lake Marina to enjoy an afternoon on the water. Next we’d head south to drive down the Million Dollar Highway to check out Mesa Verde National Park and spend some time in Durango. Finally I’d take my friend to dine on the Royal Gorge Route Train. I would not let them go home until we saw elk, moose, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and bears. If we saw a mountain lion or a wolf, I would consider it the perfect visit.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband Alan has always given me the space and time needed for me to be me, and there is no one I have learned more from my entire life than my three daughters Morgan, Regan, and Bethan.

Fort Collins Symphony Music Director Wes Kenney, and Executive Director Mary Kopco, are my favorite people to work with. They trust me to be the Orchestra’s Personnel Manager and actually listen to my ideas as we continually strive to make our organization better. I’m extremely fortunate to consider each of them a friend.