Esme Kenney Commission

The annual MusicNOW festival commission has been renamed the MusicNOW Esme Kenney Commission in memory of the former School of Creative and Performing Arts student. Last spring in response to the devastating news of Miss Kenney’s death, festival artistic director, Bryce Dessner, reached out to the family and asked to rename the commission in celebration of her life and spirit.This year the commission has been awarded to Annie Clark, who records and performs under the name St. Vincent. Her piece, the first Esme Kenney commission will be premiered Wednesday, March 31st by the accomplished contemporary music ensemble, yMusic. Another effort is underway to remember Miss Kenney with a memorial sculpture planned for the School for Creative and Performing Arts. Jessie Henson, a New York-based artist and former SCPA student will lead the design.Over the past four years the festival has commissioned a number of young musicians to write new music and encouraged them to take risks and explore their artistic vision. Previous commissions include pieces written for the Kronos Quartet by Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire and Bell Orchestre) and Tyondai Braxton (Battles).