Whether it's as guitarist for the National, curator of the MusicNOW festival, producer, film scorer, or composer-in-residence, Bryce Dessner is constantly expanding his musical horizons. Drawing on diverse elements and influences, much of his creative energy is sparked by collaborations with other musicians. Around the time the National released their 2001 eponymous debut, Dessner co-founded the contemporary ensemble Clogs, and he has remained active in the classical realm alongside his indie rock band's Top Five-charting success. In 2017, the National's seventh studio album, Sleep Well Beast, reached a career-high number two, while Planetarium, a genre-bending collaboration between Dessner, Nico Muhly, Sufjan Stevens, and James McAlister, placed just outside the top half of the Billboard 200. Katia and Marielle Labèque's 2019 album Dessner: El Chan consisted entirely of Dessner compositions, and he was one of three members of the National to provide the songs for the film musical Cyrano in 2021.