Rhythm, groove, and conductor considerations in Jessie Montgomery's Strum and Starburst

The compositions Strum (2006, rev. 2012) and Starburst (2012) have been programmed numerous times by professional and academic orchestras across the globe between 2020 and 2023. Created by African American composer Jessie Montgomery, the two works have been adapted in settings for various scorings, including string quartet, string orchestra, and a full symphonic arrangement commissioned by two leading American orchestras. The style of Montgomery’s compositions integrates intricate approaches to meter, rhythm, and texture to evoke dance styles, improvisation, and groove often found in Black American music. Their rhythmic techniques include polymeter, metric displacement, layered ostinati, and asymmetrical beats, all found in American popular music, which Montgomery at times deliberately references in her compositional approach. This study examines orchestration and rhythmic changes between different versions of Strum and Starburst, and rhythmic influences on Montgomery’s style. I analyze elements of time (meter, rhythmic motives, and tempo) within the two compositions, providing rhythmic considerations, rehearsal strategies, and specific string techniques for conductors who may study and perform her works.