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Jessie Montgomery

“Many composers would have been wary of a commission to write a tribute to the 200th anniversary of ‘The Star Spangled Banner’...Ms. Montgomery readily accepted the challenge, writing an urgent, inventive piece titled ‘Banner’...She daringly transforms the anthem, folding it into a teaming score...to create a musical melting pot.”
— The New York Times
 

  • Montgomery’s music interweaves classical music with elements of vernacular music, improvisation, poetry, and social consciousness, making her an acute interpreter of 21st century American sound and experience. Her profoundly felt works have been described as “turbulent, wildly colorful and exploding with life” (The Washington Post).

    She is the recipient of the Civitella Ranieri Fellowship for Summer 2023.

    She is an Artist in Residence at the Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music through Fall 2023 and professor of violin and composition at The New School.

  • Performance highlights during the 22/23 season of recently premiered new works include Rounds with Chicago Symphony Orchestra; new choreography set to various orchestral works by Donald Byrd for Nashville Ballet; and co-commissioner performances of L.E.S. Characters by Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Grant Park Music Festival, Five Freedom Songs by Virginia Arts Festival, Kansas City Symphony, and Hymn for Everyone by the National Symphony Orchestra and Music Academy of the West.

    Future commissions include a solo work for Alisa Weilerstein’s FRAGMENTS project and three orchestral works for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and a consortium led by the Dallas Symphony with the Baltimore, Buffalo, Detroit, New Jersey, and Seattle Symphony Orchestras, for New Music USA’s Amplifying Voices program, respectively.

Jessie Montgomery, Musical America's 2023 Composer of the Year, is a GRAMMY-nominated, acclaimed composer, violinist, and educator whose music interweaves classical music with elements of vernacular music, improvisation, poetry, and social consciousness, making her an acute interpreter of twenty-first century American sound and experience. Her profoundly felt works have been described as “turbulent, wildly colorful and exploding with life” (The Washington Post) and are performed regularly by leading orchestras and ensembles around the world. In July 2021, she began a three-year appointment as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mead Composer-in-Residence.

Her growing body of work includes solo, chamber, vocal, and orchestral works, as well as collaborations with distinguished choreographers and dance companies.  Recent highlights include Hymn for Everyone (2021), her first commission as Mead Composer-in-Residence with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, co-commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and Music Academy of the West; Five Freedom Songs, a song cycle conceived with and written for Soprano Julia Bullock, for Sun Valley and Grand Teton Music Festivals, San Francisco, Kansas City, Boston and New Haven Symphony Orchestras, and the Virginia Arts Festival (2021); I was waiting for the echo of a better day, a site-specific collaboration with Bard SummerScape and Pam Tanowitz Dance (2021); Shift, Change, Turn (2019) commissioned by Orpheus and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra;  and Banner (2014), written to mark the 200th anniversary of “The Star-Spangled Banner” for The Sphinx Organization and the Joyce Foundation, and presented in its UK premiere at the 2021 BBC Proms.

Montgomery’s impressive range of recent premieres also includes multiple concerti – DIVIDED (2022) for cellist Thomas Mesa and Sphinx Virtuosi, Rounds for pianist Awadagin Pratt (2021), and L.E.S. Characters for violist Masumi Per Rostad (2020); BECAUSE (2021), a theatrical work for the National Symphony Orchestra adapted from the book by Mo Willems and arranged by Jannina Norpoth; I Have Something To Say (2019), for chorus, children’s chorus and orchestra with text by activist playwright Robbie McCauley for Cathedral Choral Society and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; and Passacaglia (2021), a flute quartet for The National Flute Association’s 49th annual convention.

  • Highlights of her 2022-2023 season include the world premieres of orchestral works for violinist Joshua Bell; the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; a consortium led by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for New Music USA’s Amplifying Voices program; a violin duo co-commissioned by CSO MusicNOW and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center; and new settings of orchestral works by distinguished choreographer Donald Byrd for Nashville Ballet.

    Future projects include a contribution to Alisa Weilerstein’s FRAGMENTS project, a percussion quartet, an orchestral work for the New York Philharmonic, and her final commissions as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mead Composer-in-Residence.

    Montgomery has been recognized with many prestigious awards and fellowships, including the Civitella Ranieri Fellowship, the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, and the Leonard Bernstein Award from the ASCAP Foundation. She is currently Artist in Residence at the Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music, Composer in Residence at Bard College, and Professor of Violin and Composition at The New School, and, since 1999, has been affiliated with the Sphinx Organization in a variety of roles including composer-in-residence for Sphinx Virtuosi, its professional touring ensemble. A founding member of PUBLIQuartet and a former member of the Catalyst Quartet, Montgomery holds degrees from the Juilliard School and New York University and is currently a doctoral candidate in music composition at Princeton University.

    For more information visit www.jessiemontgomery.com

    April 2024 – Please do not edit without permission.

Videos

I was waiting for the echo of a better day

Choreography by Pam TanowitzMusic by Jessie Montgomery and Big Dog Little Dog

Works

For a complete list of available works, please visit Notation Central.

For rental inquiries, perusal scores, licensing, video synchronization requests, or other questions related to existing works, please contact Philip Rothman, NYC Music Services: philip@nycmusicservices.com

  • Rhapsody No. 1 (2014) Score

    Written for Jessie Montgomery’s debut album, Strum: Music for Strings
    Instrumentation: solo violin/solo viola
    Premiere: June, 2014, Jessie Montgomery, violin, Cornelia Street Cafe, New York, NY
    Duration - 7 minutes


    Rhapsody No. 2 (2020)     Score

    Written for Michi Wiancko on the album Planetary Candidate
    Instrumentation: solo violin/solo viola
    Premiere: September 2020, Michi Wiancko, violin
    Duration - 5 minutes


    Cadenzas for Haydn Cello Concerto in D Major (2014)     Score

    Instrumentation: solo cello
    Premiere: April 2014, Christine Lamprea and Delphi Chamber Orchestra, New Haven, CT
    Duration - Movement I., 1 minute, 20 seconds; Movement II., 30 seconds

  • Strum (2006; revised 2012) Score

    Commissioned by: Community MusicWorks; revision by the Sphinx Organization
    Instrumentation: string quartet or string quintet (also available for string orchestra)
    Premiere: April 2006; revision in February 2012, The Providence String Quartet; The Catalyst Quartet; Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI

    Duration - 7 Minutes


    Voodoo Dolls (2008) Score

    Commissioned by: JUMP! Dance Company of Rhode Island
    Instrumentation: string quartetPremiere: June 2008, The Providence String Quartet, The Carriage House, Providence, RI

    Duration - 5 minutes

    Starburst (2012, arranged for chamber ensemble 2020 by Jannina Norpoth) Score

    Commissioned by: the Sphinx Organization
    Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 clarinets, piano, 2 violins, viola, violoncello

    Duration - 3 minutes


    Break Away (2013) Score

    Commissioned by: PUBLIQuartet for the Music of Now Marathon
    Instrumentation: string quartet
    Premiere: February 2013, PUBLIQuartet, Symphony Space, New York, NY

    Duration - 12 minutes


    Source Code (2013) Score

    Commissioned by: the Isaiah Fund for New Initiatives in partnership with Symphony Space
    Instrumentation: string quartet (also available for string orchestra)
    Premiere: November 2013, The Cassatt Quartet, Symphony Space, New York, NY

    Duration - 8 Minutes


    In Color (2014)

    Commissioned by Bob Stewart
    Instrumentation: tuba and string quartet
    Premiere: September 2014, PUBLIQuartet and Bob Stewart, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, New York, NY

    Duration - 11 minutes


    Duo for Violin and Cello (2015) Performance

    Instrumentation: violin and cello
    Duration - 11 minutes
    Performed by: Ensemble Pi members Airi Yoshioka, violin Alexis Gerlach, cello

    D Major Jam! (2016) Score

    Instrumentation: student string quartet and string accompaniment
    Derived from work with the Catalyst Quartet and students in the Seattle Music Partners programVOCAL

    Duration - 3 minutes


    Lunar Songs (2019) Score

    Commissioned by ASCAP for the Leonard Bernstein Centennial
    Instrumentation: voice and string quintet
    Text: J. Mae Barizo

    Duration - 7 minutes


    Peace (2020)     Performance

    Instrumentation: violin and piano or clarinet and piano
    Commissioned by Victoria Robey OBE for Elena Urioste and Tom Poster, premiered as part of #UriPosteJukeBox

    Duration - 4 minutes

  • I Want To Go Home, African American Spiritual (2015) Score

    Instrumentation: soprano and string orchestra (or string quintet)
    Premiere: December 29, 2015; Julia Bullock and Loisaida Collaborative, Trinity Wall Street 12th Night Festival, NYC

    Duration - 4 minutes

    Danse Africane (2016) Score

    Commissioned by: Young People's Chorus of New York, Transient Glory Series
    Instrumentation: youth chorus, SSAA
    Premiere: November 4, 2016, Young People's Chorus of New York; National Sawdust, NYC
    Premiere: May 2015, Community MusicWorks Players, Southside Cultural Center, Providence, RI

    Loisaida, I love you (2016) Score

    Commissioned by: 5 Borough Music Festival: 5 Borough Songbook, Volume II
    Instrumentation: mezzo soprano and cello
    Premiere: February 11, 2017, Jennifer Johnson-Cano, mezzo; Kivie Cahn-Lipman, cello; The DiMenna Center, NYC

    Duration - 5 minutes

  • Starburst (2012) Score

    Commissioned by: the Sphinx Organization
    Instrumentation: string orchestra
    Premiere: September 2012, The Sphinx Virtuosi, New World Center, Miami, FL

    Duration - 3 minutes


    Strum (2006; revised 2012) Score

    Commissioned by: Community MusicWorks; revision by the Sphinx Organization
    Instrumentation: string orchestra
    Premiere: April 2006; revision in February 2012, The Providence String Quartet; The Catalyst Quartet; Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI

    Duration - 7 Minutes


    Source Code (2013) Score

    Commissioned by: the Isaiah Fund for New Initiatives in partnership with Symphony Space
    Instrumentation: string orchestra
    Premiere: November 2013, The Cassatt Quartet, Symphony Space, New York, NY

    Duration - 8 Minutes


    Banner (2014) Score

    Commissioned by: the Sphinx Organization and the Joyce Foundation
    Instrumentation: solo string quartet and string orchestra or solo string quartet with chamber orchestra (2d1.1.1.1.--1.1.0.0.--timp.perc.--strings)
    Premiere: September, 2014, New World Center, Miami, FL

    Duration - 8 Minutes

    Soul Force (2015) Score

    Commissioned by: The Dream Unfinished, a benefit for civil rights
    Instrumentation: 2222--4331--timp--2 perc--strings
    Premiere: July 2015, James Blachly, conductor, Centennial Memorial Temple, NYC

    Duration - 8 minutes


    Caught by the Wind (2016) Score

    Commissioned by: The Albany Symphony, American Music Festival
    Instrumentation: 2232--4331--2 perc--strings
    Premiere: July 2015, James Blachly, conductor, Centennial Memorial Temple, NYC

    Duration - 10 minutes


    Records from a Vanishing City (2016) Score

    Commissioned by: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
    Instrumentation: 112*2--2200--timp--strings
    Premiere: October 27, 2016, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium, NYC

    Duration - 14 minutes


    Coincident Dances (2017)

    Commissioned by: Chicago Sinfonietta
    Instrumentation: 2(picc)22(bcl)2--2231--timp--3 perc--strings
    Premiere: September 16, 2017, Chicago Sinfonietta, Wentz Concert Hall, Naperville, IL

    Duration - 12 minutesFILM MUSIC

    Shift, Change, Turn (2019)

    Commissioned by: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
    Instrumentation: 1(picc)11(eb)1--1100--timp--strings
    Premiere: September 26, 2019, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY

    Duration - 12 minutes


    I Have Something to Say (2020)

    Commissioned by the Cathedral Choral Society and the Cincinnati May Festival
    Instrumentation: 2(picc)222--4031--timp--1 perc--celesta--strings--SATB chorus--children’s choir
    Premiere: March 13, 2022, Cathedral Choral Society, Washington, DC

    Duration - 8 minutes


    Five Freedom Songs (2021)

    Co-Commissioned by: Sun Valley Music Festival, San Francisco Symphony, Boston Symphony Orchestra; Andris Nelsons, Music Director, Grand Teton Music Festival, Kansas City Symphony, New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Arts Festival
    Instrumentation: voice, percussion (1 player), strings
    Premiere: August 7, 2021, Sun Valley Music Festival, Ketchum, ID

    Duration - 20 minutes


    L.E.S. Characters, Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (2021)

    Commissioned by the Grant Park Music Festival, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, CityMusic Cleveland, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
    Instrumentation: 2(picc)2(eh)22(cbn)--alto sax--2200--timp--3 perc--harp--strings--solo viola
    Premiere: October 23, 2021, Masumi Per Rostad, viola, with Orlando Philharmonic, Orlando, FL

    Duration - 20 minutes


    Hymn for Everyone (2021)

    Commissioned by Riccardo Muti, Zell Music Director, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
    Made possible through the generous support of Helen Zell
    Co-Commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and the Music Academy of the West
    Instrumentation: 2(picc)2(eh)22(cbn)--2231--timp--3 perc--strings
    Premiere: April 28, 2022, Chicago Symphony, Chicago, IL

    Duration - 12 minutes


    Rounds (2022)

    Commissioned by Art of the Piano Foundation for pianist Awadagin Pratt
    Co-Commissioned by Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, IRIS Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
    Instrumentation: piano solo, strings
    Premiere: March 27, 2022, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Hilton Head, SC; Awadagin Pratt, soloist

    Duration - 15 minutes


    Overture (2022)

    Instrumentation: 2222--2220--timp--strings

    Duration - 5 minutes

  • Sketch (composer)

    Lou Hamou-Lhdaj; short animation; NYU Tisch
    Instrumentation: chamber orchestra


    Homecoming (composer)

    Josiah Signor and Gritty Committee; short film; NYU Tisch
    Instrumentation: acoustic guitar and string orchestra


    Bubble Tree (composer)

    Ran Jing; short animation; NYU Tisch


    Strings (2014) (music supervisor)

    Taner Jarman and Jarman Entertainment

 Press

  • Hymn for Everyone

    Commissioned by Riccardo Muti, Zell Music Director, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

    Made possible through the generous support of Helen Zell

    Co-Commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and the Music Academy of the West

    Instrumentation: 2(picc)2(eh)22(cbn)--2231--timp--3 perc--strings

    Premiere: April 28, 2022, Chicago Symphony, Chicago, IL

    Duration - 12 minutes

    Read

  • i was waiting for the echo of a better day

    In collaboration with choreographer Pam Tanowitz

    World premiere at Bard SummerScape 2021 – July 8-10, 2021

    https://fishercenter.bard.edu/events/i-was-waiting-for-the-echo-of-a-better-day/

    Conversation

    Read

  • Five Freedom Songs

    Written for Julia Bullock - work for voice, percussion and string orchestra

    Co-commissioned by Sun Valley Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony Orchestra, and Virginia Arts Festival

    Review

    Interview

    Link to materials / lyric texts

    Premiere performances:

    Aug 7, 2021 - Sun Valley Music Festival - World premiere, Alasdair Neale

    Aug 11, 12, 13, 2021 - Grand Teton Music Festival, Sir Donald Runnicles

    May 17, 2022 - San Francisco Symphony

    TBD (Summer 2022 exact date TBD) - Boston Symphony Orchestra

    other co-commissioners, still TBD

  • Rounds

    Commissioned by Art of the Piano Foundation for pianist Awadagin Pratt

    Co-Commissioned by Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, IRIS Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

    Instrumentation: piano solo, strings

    Premiere: March 27, 2022, Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, Hilton Head, SC; Awadagin Pratt, soloist

    Duration - 15 minutes

    Read

  • L.E.S. Characters

    Commissioned by the Grant Park Music Festival, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, CityMusic Cleveland, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra

    Instrumentation: 2(picc)2(eh)22(cbn)--alto sax--2200--timp--3 perc--harp--strings--solo viola

    Premiere: October 23, 2021, Masumi Per Rostad, viola, with Orlando Philharmonic, Orlando, FL

    Duration - 20 minutes