Jessie Montgomery and Third Coast Percussion

Composer/performer Jessie Montgomery, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mead Composer-in-Residence and Musical America’s 2023 Composer of the Year, and Chicago’s Grammy Award-winning ensemble of classically trained percussionists, Third Coast Percussion, are on a mission to redefine the classical music experience. Exhibiting their excellence as visionary creators and virtuosic performers, this program showcases Montgomery’s first-ever work for a percussion quartet paired with Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Violin with Percussion Orchestra, a tour de force that draws inspiration from the vibrant sounds of Javanese gamelan.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Third Coast Percussion has forged a unique path in the musical landscape with virtuosic, energetic performances that celebrate the extraordinary depth and breadth of musical possibilities in the world of percussion. Ensemble members David Skidmore (performer and executive director), Robert Dillon (performer and development director), Peter Martin, (performer and finance director) and Sean Connors (performer, technical director, and education director) share curiosity and eclectic tastes that have led to unlikely collaborations producing exciting new art. Their omnivorous musical appetite, paired with approachable and flexible working methods, remove collaborative boundaries across cultures and disciplines. The ensemble has worked with engineers at the University of Notre Dame, architects at the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, dancers at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and musicians from traditions ranging from the mbira music of Zimbabwe’s Shona people, to indie rockers and footwork producers, to some of the world’s leading concert musicians.

The Grammy Award-winning composer, violinist, and educator Jessie Montgomery writes profoundly felt works described as “turbulent, wildly colorful and exploding with life” (The Washington Post) that interweave elements of classical and vernacular music, improvisation, poetry, and social consciousness. Her growing body of commissioned work has been presented by the Chicago and National Symphony Orchestras, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Orpheus, Sphinx Virtuosi, soprano Julia Bullock, violinist Joshua Bell, pianist Awadagin Pratt, and choreographers Donald Byrd and Pam Tanowitz. Montgomery’s prestigious recognitions include the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, the Civitella Ranieri Fellowship, and the Leonard Bernstein Award from the ASCAP Foundation. She is a founding member of PUBLIQuartet and a former member of the Catalyst Quartet.

Program

Tigran Hamasyan: Sonata for Percussion
Jlin: New Work
Jessie Montgomery: New Work
Lou Harrison: Concerto for Violin with Percussion Orchestra, Jessie Montgomery, violin