Granville Historical Society commissions symphony to salute local icon, Trig Gamble

The Granville Historical Society has commissioned the writing of the F. Trevor Gamble Legacy Symphony following a successful fundraising campaign. The symphony is now being composed by Denison University Professor of Music, Dr. Ching-chu Hu.

Dedicated to the memory and legacy of F. Trevor “Trig” Gamble, the symphony will create a soundtrack of history inspired by his life — from his days as a Navy pilot in the Korean War to his wisdom and guidance as Dean of Students at Denison University in the 1970s.

Upon completion, the symphony will be premiered by the Denison University Symphony Orchestra during the fall of 2025 at a free public concert.

Melinda Gamble Lovern, Gamble’s daughter, said many organizational and individual donors contributed toward the successful fundraising for the composition of the symphony.

“Ching-chu is off and writing, which is so exciting,” Lovern said.

“This symphony will not only celebrate my dad, but also his whole generation. His life is emblematic of a long history of strength and leadership in this community and beyond,” she continued. “He was an inspiration and representative of veterans and civil leaders everywhere. I’m so grateful to all the amazing donors who made this possible.”

The Granville Historical Society was a partner in helping to raise community awareness through the fundraising initiative.

“The F. Trevor Gamble Legacy Symphony will add to the historic preservation of Granville in a unique and creative way by sharing the life story of Dr. Gamble through music,” said Erik Yassenoff, president of the historical society’s board of managers.

Through four movements, the symphony will present decades of Granville history inspired by Gamble’s life to build connections across the community including veterans, seniors, music lovers, history buffs, Granville students, and Denison University.

The work will salute not only his military service, but his community service that included the Licking County United Way, the Boy Scouts Simon-Kenton Council, First Presbyterian Church of Granville, and the Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra.

Gamble enjoyed a 33-year career at Denison which included nine years as Dean of Students in the 1970s; teaching physics, astronomy, and Alpine Skiing; and performing research in Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Optical Information Processing. He was also co-founder of the North Coast Athletic Conference as a means to enhance opportunities for women in sports.

Information submitted by the Granville Historical Society.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Granville Historical Society commissions symphony to salute local icon, Trig Gamble