America at 250: Courtney Bryan on Her New Orleans Roots

Composer Courtney Bryan talks about how being from New Orleans has informed who she is and the music that she creates.
Part of our "America at 250" series, exploring the music of American composers ahead of the country's 250th birthday in 2026. Learn more at boosey.com/America250.
Watch our other "America at 250" videos: • America at 250: Celebr...
Music:
“Upstairs at Bart’s” by Southside Aces
Images (sourced from creativecommons.org):
“Welcome to New Orleans / Downtown” sign by The Erica Chang; buskers on Royal Street by Ben Grogan; New Orleans doorway by epsilonimages; beignets and frozen café au lait at Café Du Monde by Jason Perlow; St. Louis Cathedral by Knowledgemattersnow; streetlight in French Quarter by Calstanhope; brass band at New Orleans Jazz Fest 2014 by kowarski; Louis Armstrong, courtesy of Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division; video footage of New Orleans Carnival Week (1941), courtesy of Prelinger Archives; muffuletta by City Foodsters; beignets by harmon; gumbo by Coastal Elite; Café Du Monde beignets and coffee by Encinalense; musicians at block party for Historic New Orleans Collection by Infrogmation; street buskers by Tom Driggers; 141st annual second line parade by VeryBusyPeople; 138th annual second line parade by VeryBusyPeople; French Quarter by Sami99tr; French Quarter, Vieux Carre Historic District by Elisa.rolle; Congo Square sign by fred; Congo Square pavers by Jeff Hitchcock; illustration depicting slaves dancing in Congo Square (1886) by Edward Winsor Kemble
Film by Jesse Yang
#america250