LACO SummerFest S3:E1 "Strum" Jessie Montgomery

Jessie Montgomery is one of the most talked-about composers today, and for good reason. Her work is lush, playful, and thought-provoking, and LACO is always thrilled when we perform her music! Recorded for LACO Summerfest 2022, LACO is proud to present our performance of her piece for string orchestra, “Strum.”

Commissioned originally as a string quartet by Community StringWorks, “Strum” is influenced by American folk idioms and inspired by “the spirit of dance and movement.” In an unusual move, the pizzicato strings are played like a guitar, sounding more like a banjo or a mandolin. However, the textures in the music all come together to create something both nostalgic yet surprising and new.

Recorded January 29, 2022, at the Ambassador Auditorium. Special thanks to the audio and visual team Robert Wolff + Ted Ancona. Produced by Tony Shayne + Michelle Magaldi, edited by Frank Mohler.