Bryce Dessner Quotes

Powerful Bryce Dessner for Daily Growth

About Bryce Dessner

Bryce Dessner is an American composer, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist, born on April 17, 1976, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was raised in a musical family and started playing the viola at the age of five. However, he found his true passion in the guitar, which led him to form the indie rock band 'The National' with his five brothers and sisters. Dessner's compositional journey began in earnest during his time at Yale University, where he studied music. His influences range from minimalist composers like Philip Glass and Steve Reich to classic rock legends such as Led Zeppelin and Neil Young. This unique blend of classical and rock sensibilities is evident in Dessner's work. In 2005, he co-founded 'The Clearing,' an artists' retreat and music studio in upstate New York, which has become a hub for collaborative artistic projects. In 2014, he founded 'MusicNOW,' a festival showcasing contemporary classical music and indie rock at the New York City's National Sawdust. Dessner has composed works for ensembles like Kronos Quartet, Yo-Yo Ma's Silkroad Ensemble, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. His major works include 'St. Carolyn by the Sea' for the New York Philharmonic, 'Aheym' for violinist Hilary Hahn and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the opera 'The Central Park Five' with librettist Cornelius Eady, premiered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2019. Dessner's music is characterized by its intricate layering, haunting melodies, and emotional depth. He continues to push boundaries, exploring new collaborations and musical territories while maintaining a strong connection to both classical tradition and contemporary indie rock.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Music has a unique ability to transcend language and connect us all."

The quote by Bryce Dessner underscores the universal, unifying power of music. It suggests that regardless of linguistic boundaries or cultural differences, music is a profound medium capable of resonating with people across the globe. The shared experience of emotions elicited by music fosters empathy and understanding among individuals, forging connections that transcend language barriers. This interconnectedness enriches our lives and brings us closer together as a human race.

"There's a strange power in creating something that didn't exist before."

This quote by Bryce Dessner highlights the transformative and powerful nature of creation. By bringing something new into existence, we exert control over our environment and assert our individuality, thereby tapping into an innate human desire to innovate and leave a lasting impact on the world. The "strange power" he refers to is the emotional resonance and influence that creative works can have on others, transcending time and space to connect people in profound ways. Essentially, creation empowers us to shape our reality, forge connections, and express our unique perspectives.

"We have to be willing to take risks, to push ourselves beyond what we thought was possible."

This quote emphasizes the importance of being open to new experiences and challenges, going beyond our comfort zones, and exploring our full potential. It's a call to action for personal growth, urging us to step out of familiar territory in order to discover our limits and capabilities. Taking risks fosters resilience, creativity, and self-discovery, ultimately contributing to a more enriched life experience.

"I think the most important thing for any artist is to find their own voice and not be afraid to express it."

This quote emphasizes that an essential aspect for artists is discovering their unique style or perspective, which they should confidently use to communicate their ideas without fear. It encourages artists to develop a personal voice, distinct from others, and have the courage to share it openly, thereby allowing their work to make a meaningful impact.

"The act of creating something new is an act of hope. It's a way of saying that things can always be different, better, more beautiful than they are now."

This quote by Bryce Dessner suggests that the act of creation, whether it's a piece of art, music, or any other form, is an expression of hope for a better future. By creating something new, individuals express their belief in the potential for improvement and transformation. In essence, each creative work embodies the idea that things can always be different, implying optimism for progress and beauty in life.

For many people in the music conservatory world, the message was always, Focus! 'You can't do everything; you really need to specialize.' And especially at an early age, I ignored this advice.

- Bryce Dessner

Need, Always, Ignored, Conservatory

The thing I realised about composition is, we remember most composers for four bars of music. Four singable bars of music. Pretty much any major composer from Debussy to Ravel to Mozart to whoever else - you can kind of hum it.

- Bryce Dessner

Remember, About, Composers, Hum

When we learned to play in bands, what we were covering was equal part the Velvet Underground and the Grateful Dead. That would defy the logic that somehow these things don't fit in the same musical well.

- Bryce Dessner

Grateful, Play, Covering, Grateful Dead

I don't labour over my lead guitar solos; they're better just caught in the moment.

- Bryce Dessner

Over, Caught, Guitar Solos, Lead Guitar

Bands like Arcade Fire finding a larger audience has opened a lot of doors. They've empowered a whole community in Montreal.

- Bryce Dessner

Audience, Like, Larger, Arcade

When I'm scoring something like a string quartet, it's all notated music, so it's meticulously written in the score, which is very different than doing things by ear.

- Bryce Dessner

Very, Which, Scoring, String Quartet

Playing pentatonic scales over orchestral music is not something I want to do or listen to.

- Bryce Dessner

Music, Over, Scales, Orchestral

As much as you try to organize your life, life will surprise you.

- Bryce Dessner

Surprise, Try, Will, Organize

My background in music is classical - I did graduate school in music. At that time, I was studying composition, but I was studying classical guitar very seriously.

- Bryce Dessner

Studying, Very, Classical, Graduate School

Early on, I was a performer playing classical music. It's in my DNA in a way that I can't begin to extract it.

- Bryce Dessner

Way, Performer, Classical, Extract

To me, a song like 'Demons' or the title 'Trouble Will Find Me' are acknowledgments that you can't really plan for life, and you can't plan for trouble.

- Bryce Dessner

Song, Will, Like, Demons

David Harrington, who's the violinist and founder of Kronos, is a super open-minded and adventurous guy.

- Bryce Dessner

Adventurous, Founder, Super, Violinist

We all contribute to The National, and it's like a familiar family. Matt is dad, Brian's like the dark horse uncle, Scott's the long-suffering mum, and Aaron and I are the bratty twins.

- Bryce Dessner

Like, Mum, Dad, Brian

If you make rock music with guitars in it, the Radiohead comparison is inevitable.

- Bryce Dessner

Music, Rock, Inevitable, Guitars

We've gotten better as a live band. The songs have been allowed to grow with our audience. I don't think I would have done it any other way.

- Bryce Dessner

Think, Audience, Been, Any Other Way

When I'm writing instrumental music, I try to find musical and non-musical inspirations.

- Bryce Dessner

Music, Inspirations, Musical, Instrumental

There is much more immediate access to creative music through online communities and blogs which have touched all corners of the music world including contemporary classical.

- Bryce Dessner

Through, Touched, Which, Communities

David Harrington asked me to write a piece for Kronos Quartet for a performance in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. I live just two blocks from the park and spend many mornings running around it. The park for me symbolizes much of what I love about New York, especially the stunning diversity of Brooklyn with its myriad cultures and communities.

- Bryce Dessner

Love, Stunning, About, Communities

I'm not trying to take over the world, but I find it really rewarding to write, and I thrive on learning.

- Bryce Dessner

Over, Rewarding, Take, Thrive

For me, the exhausting thing about touring is the sitting around, which is why working on my concert music is really great - and also seeing concerts and seeing friends and, whenever possible, getting out to see a museum.

- Bryce Dessner

Concert, Why, About, Sitting

Obviously, any living musician born after 1960 has been touched by rock and roll. It's the music of our time, and it's 'in the air,' as Steve Reich would say. My experience of it is just really direct because I'm actually playing in a collaborative band.

- Bryce Dessner

Rock And Roll, Been, Touched, Reich

I've got this diverse education, growing up in classical music and existing between that and music that is more visceral, so for sure, I've always been interested in music from other cultures.

- Bryce Dessner

Always, Been, Visceral, Diverse

Part of what I enjoy about writing classical music is communicating through the score and collaborating with such amazing musicians.

- Bryce Dessner

Through, Part, About, Classical Music

Me, who's educated classically, I went toward rock music 'cause it was sort of a natural evolution from where I was playing with my brother. But I was always drawn back into classical music.

- Bryce Dessner

Back, Cause, Classical, Classical Music

A lot of people ask how I ended up doing classical music given that I'm in a rock band. The truth is that it's the other way around. I was trained as a classical musician and then started playing in a rock band later.

- Bryce Dessner

Doing, Other, Trained, Classical Music

There is a reactionary conservative side of classical music, which is not the most exciting side of it. The side that draws me in, there's a real encouragement of risk-taking, going back to masters of that tradition like Beethoven and Bartok and Stravinsky.

- Bryce Dessner

Conservative, Side, Which, Classical Music

There is a kind of adventure- and risk-seeking audience in classical contemporary music that is really empowering and part of what draws me to it. The people that come to these concerts are open-minded and curious.

- Bryce Dessner

Curious, Kind, Audience, Draws

The danger of a rock band is repeating oneself. It's our greatest fear - that it evolves into the myopia of a semi-successful band that's in love with its own shadow.

- Bryce Dessner

Love, Shadow, Own, Repeating

I came from a classical background, and I was teaching and earning a living out of music at a certain level, so it's funny to make it as a rock star when we're 40 or whatever.

- Bryce Dessner

Rock Star, Out, Classical, Certain Level

I can imagine myself as an old man writing music for choir or orchestra. I don't know that I'll be touring six months out of the year in a rock band when I'm 60.

- Bryce Dessner

Year, I Can, Out, Orchestra

Inviting artists to do something, you want it to be a place where they're going to feel challenged and excited and that will maybe open up some new doorway in their own lives or their own creative practice.

- Bryce Dessner

Practice, New, Some, Doorway

As a pop musician, as someone who makes songs, the best ideas are the simplest. They come, and that's the lightning bolt moment.

- Bryce Dessner

Lightning, Simplest, Makes, Bolt

Musicians are hungry for new music.

- Bryce Dessner

Music, New, Hungry, New Music

Being a classical musician, you can go to school for it; you can go get a degree. Even as a composer, there is a certain career path you can follow, but becoming a rock musician is a much more elusive career. How do you learn that or do that?

- Bryce Dessner

Learn, Career, Becoming, Career Path

I can't just play in a rock band. The National is a great, exciting band to play in. We improvise a lot onstage, and it's very intense, but after a while, I crave other kinds of experiences.

- Bryce Dessner

Play, Other, Very, Intense

I grew up going to see my sister dance, both at the ballet and later as a modern dancer, and have always been a big fan of the ballet. So I have had a long relationship with dance.

- Bryce Dessner

Big, Always, Been, Sister

Typically, people think, 'Oh the hippies and the punks hated each other,' or that those things don't go together musically. Sometimes that is true, but we had equal parts of both in our musical DNA.

- Bryce Dessner

Think, Other, Musical, Hated

Working with Bob Weir directly, we learned how high the bar is for Dead music.

- Bryce Dessner

Bar, How, High, Directly

As long as I'm still growing as a musician, it keeps me inspired.

- Bryce Dessner

Growing, Me, Still, Keeps

It's not a hard sell to be asked to do something in Ireland.

- Bryce Dessner

Hard, Sell, Asked, Ireland

I think that becoming a successful rock band is a little like becoming a professional athlete. Nobody plans on it.

- Bryce Dessner

Think, I Think, Becoming, Rock Band

I've always been in rock bands. I was in a rock band with my brother in high school. Then I was playing classical guitar recitals, and people said, 'You know, you can't really do both things.' My intuition told me they were wrong. Somehow, what was interesting about me was that I had those two things in my life.

- Bryce Dessner

My Life, Been, Classical, Rock Band

My main professional experience is touring in a rock band.

- Bryce Dessner

Rock, Touring, Main, Rock Band

As little boys, my brother and I used to spend hours with my grandmother, asking her about the details of how she came to America. She could only give us a smattering of details, but they all found their way into our collective imagination, eventually becoming a part of our own cultural identity and connection to the past.

- Bryce Dessner

Asking, Becoming, Part, Connection

I like to write on tour busses and airplanes. Something about moving.

- Bryce Dessner

Like, Write, About, Tour

If you learn classical guitar, you play Bach, and then John Dowland. He's the greatest. He's interesting for many, many reasons.

- Bryce Dessner

Play, Learn, Reasons, Bach

When working with classical musicians, it is important to be clear as possible in the score about what my intentions are. Because there isn't a lot of rehearsal time, especially at the ballet, it's best if everything is written in the score.

- Bryce Dessner

Clear, Rehearsal, Classical, Intentions

I love the physicality of instruments, and instruments as objects, like dancers are bodies.

- Bryce Dessner

Love, I Love, Instruments, Physicality

For a composer of concert music, 40 is actually very young. But for a rock musician, 40 is almost past due, where you think of rock music as really part of more youth-oriented culture.

- Bryce Dessner

Think, Young, Very, Musician

I think that place is a huge part of pretty much any musician's work, in how one responds to an environment, whether it be your actual surroundings or the more figurative place we're all living in.

- Bryce Dessner

I Think, Part, Responds, Musician

When I'm writing for certain instruments, you want to write within what you know about that instrument but also challenge the player. Something like 'Aheym' is very virtuosic - but because I have a history of performing music, I don't like unplayable music.

- Bryce Dessner

Very, About, Instrument, Instruments

I studied classical guitar in school, and that type of stuff has led to writing for Kronos.

- Bryce Dessner

School, Writing, Studied, Guitar

In terms of the music, it feels almost like trouble's a good thing - you never know when a song is going to surprise you. We look for these subversive moments in songs.

- Bryce Dessner

Surprise, Song, Feels, Good Thing

Nobody plans on playing their own songs in front of thousands of people.

- Bryce Dessner

Plans, Thousands Of People, Thousands

We've played in places where there were more of us onstage than in the audience.

- Bryce Dessner

Places, Audience, Were, Onstage

My grandmother was born in Russia, and she came through Poland on her way to America in the early 20s. She moved to Brooklyn.

- Bryce Dessner

Born, Through, Early 20s, Poland

There are all kind of corners of the musical world that are deeply influenced by the Dead that one wouldn't expect. Lee Ranaldo is a crazy Deadhead.

- Bryce Dessner

Kind, Influenced, Musical, Lee

It doesn't necessarily take four years to write a good piece of music. It might take four hours. It just depends on when your inspiration comes.

- Bryce Dessner

Depends, Hours, Might, Inspiration

I like to think of myself as a musical scavenger.

- Bryce Dessner

Myself, Think, Like, Musical

With 'Boxer,' we made the kind of music we wanted to make and didn't really worry about what the expectation was.

- Bryce Dessner

Music, Worry, Wanted, Boxer

We always say that National songs have to have a heart, that we don't make cold songs.

- Bryce Dessner

Always, Songs, National, Cold

As a band gets more successful, there's a danger of falling in love with your own shadow.

- Bryce Dessner

Love, Shadow, Falling, Danger

In terms of identity, I'm the same person no matter what I'm doing.

- Bryce Dessner

Doing, Same, Terms, Identity

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