While some UC Davis art and music is on hold, the Arts Blog provides other features of interest in the area.

UC Davis percussionist Chris Froh shares how he got here

A professional percussionist, UC Davis lecturer in music and advocate of music education, Chris Froh has built a career fostering the talent of musicians while helping students discover new ways of listening and connecting through music.

But Froh didn’t always plan to become a professional musician. In fact, he didn’t even start on percussion. His first spark of interest in music happened in elementary school after spending time with his aunt, who was dating a flutist at the time.

“My aunt’s boyfriend would walk around the basement practicing his flute, and it was the coolest thing I’d ever heard,” Froh explained. “But my arms were too short to hold a flute so I took baroque recorder lessons instead.”

As it turned out, playing the recorder was the furthest thing from “cool” in third grade, he said. By the time he was in fifth grade he was determined to pick a different instrument: the snare drum. 

“I felt like such a geek playing the recorder. Honestly, I chose to play the drums so that I wouldn’t seem like such a geek,” Froh said.

By the end of middle school, Froh was encouraged to try another percussive instrument called a marimba, and with this encouragement came a desire to pursue music more seriously. He went on to attend the Eastman School of Music, study at a conservatory in Japan and ultimately transfer to the University of Michigan, where he met his wife. The two moved to San Francisco after graduation to start their professional lives.

“We found a place to live, got day jobs, and started freelancing,” said Froh, “About five years later I had enough freelance work where I could quit all of my day jobs and just be a musician.”

Chris Froh (Courtesy)

In 2005, Froh started teaching part time at UC Davis on top of his performances. He juggled teaching with travel and performances for many years until the COVID pandemic prompted a shift.

“When COVID happened, I had time to re-evaluate things. I had little kids at the time, and I realized that one of my primary values was being with family.”

Today, Froh works full time as a UC Davis lecturer in music and percussion. He continues to perform selectively, particularly with visiting artists and UC Davis’ Empyrean Ensemble. Recent projects include a residency with Japanese percussionist Mayumi Hama, for which students and faculty were able to premiere new works.

“It has such an impact on students, giving them a chance to work with professional artists. It’s incredible to be in a role where I get to foster that growth,” Froh said.

When it comes to the general music course Froh teaches, where students come from a wide variety of music backgrounds, Froh said his goal is to help students engage more deeply with the world through sound.

“Music adds a richness to our lives that you can’t always find in other disciplines,” said Froh. “It’s just a very different way of experiencing the world.” 

• Shelby Dioum| This story originally appeared in UC Davis Magazine in August

• Art After Hours (Sept. 4): Spark creativity with a craft night that is uniquely Crocker. Explore an array of artmaking experiences and meet fellow creators and expert instructors at stations throughout the Museum.
• ArtMix: Beer Garden (Sept. 11): This Oktoberfest-inspired evening features a lively lineup of brews, blooms, and beats.
• Reimagining Revolution, Reform, and Restoration in Three Museums (Sept. 13): Join the curators behind the years-long traveling exhibition of French drawings from the Horvitz Collection for enlightening presentations and a panel discussion on the process of curating Reform to Restoration: French Art from Louis XVI to Louis XVIII from the Horvitz Collection at multiple institutions.
• A Critic and a Chef (Sept. 18): Delight in a behind-the-scenes look at local food and visual arts cultures to discuss the overlaps and tangents between the culinary arts, visual arts, and Slow Food movement.
• CrockerCon: A Free Family Festival (Sept. 21): From POW! to powerful, this Comic-Con-inspired family festival showcases the art of comic books. Kids and adults alike can show off their best cosplay and meet and mingle with more than 60 exhibitors and comic book creators from California and beyond.

Briefly

New Exhibitions open at Manetti Shrem Museum

‘OJO’ and ‘Breath(e): Toward Climate and Social Justice. Both exhibitions are on view Aug. 7–Dec. 1, Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, UC Davis

Experience two powerful exhibitions that consider our shared future — a view from the borderlands by Julio César Morales, and a group exhibition connecting social and environmental injustice from the Hammer Museum at UCLA. Watch for a full story on these exhibitions next week. 

Coming up

Travel 'Into the Woods' in Woodland

The Historic Woodland Opera House, 340 Second Street, Woodland, Performances Sept. 12-27, www.WoodlandOperaHouse.org  

Woodland Opera House announces its upcoming production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods, opening Sept. 12. This musical intertwines familiar fairy tales with profound lessons about life, choices, and community. 

Into the Woods brings together Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, Rapunzel, and a Baker and his Wife in a layered story that explores the power of wishes and the consequences that follow. What begins as a lighthearted journey toward “happily ever after” deepens into a story about responsibility, resilience, and the ways our lives are interconnected. With wit, heart, and an unforgettable score, the show reminds us that in times of challenge, it is only by coming together as a community that we can find the courage to move forward.

What makes this production special is its female-led creative team, bringing fresh vision and dynamic artistry to the stage. At the helm is director Anna Miles, whose innovative storytelling promises a production that is both heartfelt and visually stunning. Joining her are choreographer Lela Rose, music director Laura Needle, and stage manager Emily Crabbe. Together this powerhouse team has crafted a rich theatrical experience that will have audiences leaving the theater filled with the joy of Sondheim’s music and a renewed appreciation for the stories that connect us all.

Tickets are available now at www.WoodlandOperaHouse.org or by calling the Box Office at (530) 666-9617.

Into the Woods is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. mtishows.com

Narrative complexity: Into the Woods is recommended for audiences ages 10+

The show brings together several beloved fairy tales (like Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel) into one big story where all the characters’ journeys overlap. Though many of these stories are now known best in child-friendly forms, the stories in Into the Woods contain the darker elements from the traditional Brothers Grimm tales.

​The show contains themes of loss, danger, and death, which may be intense for younger audience members. With this in mind, parental guidance is suggested for younger audience members.

Ticket Prices: 

Reserved seats are Main Floor Adults $23-$42, Seniors (62+) $20-$36, Children (17 and under) $15-$24. Balcony Adults $15-$30, Seniors $10-$27, Children $8-$24. Flex Pass specials and group rates are available. Purchase tickets and find out more about Flex Passes on the website at www.WoodlandOperaHouse.org or by calling the Box Office at (530) 666-9617