Jessie Montgomery (born December 8, 1981) is an acclaimed American composer, chamber musician, and educator known for her vibrant and emotionally rich music. Her compositions center on vernacular traditions, improvisation, expression, and themes of social justice. A New York native, Montgomery draws inspiration from her multicultural heritage, classical traditions, and contemporary influences, often blending elements of jazz and folk into her compositions. Her deeply expressive works are described as “turbulent, wildly colorful and exploding with life” (The Washington Post) and are frequently performed by leading orchestras and ensembles worldwide. Montgomery earned a bachelor’s degree in violin performance from the Juilliard School and a master’s degree in composition for Film and Multimedia from New York University in 2012. Since 1999, Montgomery has been involved with the Sphinx Organization, a nonprofit supporting young African American and Latino string players. A recipient of multiple Sphinx awards, she now serves as composer-in-residence for the Sphinx Virtuosi, the organization’s professional touring ensemble. Montgomery’s music reflects her commitment to exploring themes of social justice, identity, and community, making her a powerful voice in today’s classical music landscape.

 

Montgomery's music reflects her own life as an African American woman, and also draws on various other cultures and influences, including Zimbabwean dance, samba, swing, and techno.

 

Jessie Montgomery’s Break Away for string quartet is an energetic and dynamic exploration of rhythm, texture, and improvisation. The piece transitions seamlessly between structured and freeform sections, creating a sense of spontaneity and vitality.

 

In the program notes, Montgomery writes, "The score calls on the quartet to both play with and “break away” from the score at various points, thereby attempting a seamless dialogue between the written score and the whims of the quartet, in which the piece takes on further transformation at each performance.

 

The first movement, Lilting, is an homage to Anton Webern with a focus on gestural dialogue. The second movement, Songbird, is an image of an individual’s voice trying to emerge against a harsh facade and includes the first improvised passages in the work. The third movement, Smoke, is loosely based on the form of a jazz tune of my own design. The fourth movement, Quick Pass, serves as a transition to the final movement Break Away, in which the quartet incorporates its most open improvised sections."

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