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. 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. He continued to compose for film in the early 2020s, scoring Alejandro G. Inarritu's Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths and Rebecca Miller's She Came to Me.