Bryce Dessner: The National Guitarist Composes For The Kronos Quartet

Bryce Dessner is best known as a co-founder of the New York indie rock band The National. But when he's not touring the country with his band, Dessner keeps busy with a surprisingly diverse assortment of projects: Along with this twin brother and bandmate Aaron, Dessner curated the Crossing Brooklyn Ferry festival at BAM and Cincinnati's MusicNOW Festival; he's a cofounder of the label Brassland; and he's collaborated with So Percussion, Bang On A Can All-Stars, Phillip Glass and Steve Reich. 

Also a classically-trained composer, Dessner recently wrote a series of four string quartet pieces for the famed Kronos Quartet, which will soon be released on a new record, Aheym. Dessner says he first met the renowned ensemble four years ago when he invited them to participate on the Red Hot compilation Dark Was The Night. The quartet later commissioned him for the works that became the new album.

In an interview with Soundcheck host John Schaefer, Bryce Dessner talks all about the collaboration.