Longtime friends Morris and Montgomery sit down for conversation about the skyrocketing popularity of her music, finding pleasure and motivation in her craft, and work-life balance
The 18-member ensemble performs masterpieces by prominent Black and Latino composers in their Symphony Center debut
Jessie’s tenure includes a series of lectures, masterclasses, as well as performances featuring her music beginning Jan 11th with Third Coast Percussion.
“Jessie Montgomery’s Strum (2006) is perhaps an early candidate for ‘classic,’ given the frequency of performances, and the Dover found immense pleasure in its gutsy textures and rhythms.”
Hear Jessie speak on her musical upbringing, inspirations, how she draws from and expands on varied musical traditions, and how she first connected with long-time collaborators.
Jessie wrote her first work for percussion in close collaboration with TCP, a chance she seized to explore new rhythms and textures, from dipping crotales in water to blowing air into tom-toms.
TCP performs Jessie’s music throughout their 2024/25 tour and is joined by Jessie as featured composer and performer January 11 at Northwestern and twice more in Iowa City and Oberlin in April.
Jessie and the PUBLIQuartet, of which Jessie was a founding member, perform a series of her compositions including a new improvised work.
The concert at Portland’s Alberta Rose Theatre features the world premiere of Seven Prayers: Hope for Everyone by Dave Ragland and Jessie’s Danse Africaine and Loisaida, My Love
Featuring works by Jessie and music that inspires and informs her work by Derek Bermel, Benjamin Britten, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Alyssa Weinberg, and Angolan folk music
The week includes regional premieres of “Five Freedom Songs,” “Records from a Vanishing City,” and more. Jessie will lead masterclasses, rehearsals, and perform her “Rhapsody No. 1” and “Musings”!
Conductor Jakub Hrůša leads the NY Phil in Jessie’s anticipated new work, part of “Project 19,” a multi-season initiative to commission and premiere 19 new works by 19 women composers