Aaron Dessner

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Aaron Dessner

| image = Aaron Dessner at Way Out West 2014.jpg

| caption = Dessner at Way Out West in Gothenburg, Sweden, 2014

| birth_name = Aaron Brooking Dessner

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|4|23}}

| birth_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Record producer
songwriter
instrumentalist

}}

| instrument = {{flatlist|

Guitar
piano
keyboards
vocals

}}

| years_active = 1998–present

| current_member_of = {{flatlist|

}}

| spouse = Stine Wengler

}}

Aaron Brooking Dessner (born April 23, 1976) is an American musician. He is best known as a founding member of the rock band the National, with whom he has recorded nine studio albums; a co-founder of the indie rock duo Big Red Machine, teaming with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon; and a collaborator on Taylor Swift's critically acclaimed studio albums Folklore and Evermore, both of which contended for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2021 and 2022, respectively, with the former winning the accolade; as well as The Tortured Poets Department (2024).

Dessner has co-written, produced or co-produced songs by Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Michael Stipe, Gracie Abrams, Frightened Rabbit, Ben Howard, Sharon Van Etten, Local Natives, This Is the Kit, Adia Victoria, Lisa Hannigan, Fred Again, Girl in Red, Mustafa the Poet, Brian Eno and Lone Bellow, among others. Dessner co-founded and curates three music festivals: Eaux Claires in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, alongside his Big Red Machine partner Vernon; HAVEN in Copenhagen with his brother Bryce, and Boston Calling Music Festival.

On May 19, 2022, alongside Questlove, Dessner was awarded a Doctor of Fine Arts honoris causa from The University of the Arts, for "his eagerness to seek out opportunities, to really be a thoughtful collaborator, and someone who would encourage every single student at UArts to explore with their peers across disciplines, new opportunities, and new ideas."{{Cite web |last=Yager |first=David |date=May 19, 2022 |title=University of the Arts Commencement 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_z-QtWL7Z8 |website=Youtube |format=video}}

Dessner, along with his twin brother Bryce, was named the 243rd greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023.{{Cite magazine |last= |date=2023-10-13 |title=The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-guitarists-1234814010/ |access-date=2023-10-14 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

Early life

Dessner grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio with his twin brother, Bryce Dessner.{{cite web |date=June 11, 2019 |title=The National's Aaron Dessner: 'We plan our tour around LFC games' |url=https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/features/353407-the-national-aaron-dessner-liverpool-fc-interview |access-date=January 22, 2021 |website=Liverpool F.C.}} Dessner was raised as Jewish and has Polish Jewish and Russian Jewish ancestry. Dessner has said that his Jewish background influences his music: "My brother and I have always been fascinated by liturgical religious melodies in Judaism ... I don't like major chords. I like the meditative patterns in certain prayers, and I like music that repeats itself." Dessner attended high school at Cincinnati Country Day School and graduated in 1994. Dessner went on to study Modern European History at Columbia University.{{Cite web |date=2017-08-21 |title=The Secret Jewish History of The National |url=https://forward.com/culture/music/380327/the-secret-jewish-history-of-the-national/ |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=The Forward |language=en}}

Career

= The National =

Aaron Dessner and his twin brother Bryce were childhood friends with Bryan Devendorf. In 1998, after Dessner's earlier band, Project Nim, broke up, Devendorf invited the brothers to join his band the National. With Devendorf and the Dessner brothers were Scott Devendorf, Bryan's older brother, and Matt Berninger. The band's self-titled first album was released in 2001 on Brassland Records, a label Dessner co-founded along with his brother Bryce and Alec Hanley Bemis.{{Cite web|url=http://brassland.org/about|title=Brassland {{!}} About Us|website=brassland.org|access-date=February 6, 2019}} The band's second album, Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers, was released in 2003, also on Brassland. After some critical success with Sad Songs,{{Cite web|url=http://brassland.org/releases/sad-songs-for-dirty-lovers|title=Brassland {{!}} Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers|website=brassland.org|access-date=February 6, 2019}} the band signed with Beggars Banquet Records. With the new label, they released their third studio album, Alligator, in 2005. The album received a positive response from critics,{{Citation|title=Alligator by The National|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/alligator/the-national|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/7710-the-top-200-albums-of-the-2000s-20-1/?page=2|title=The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s – Page 2|website=Pitchfork|date=October 2, 2009 |language=en|access-date=February 6, 2019}} which exposed the band to a larger audience.

In 2007, the band released their fourth album, Boxer, also through Beggars Banquet. Upon release, the album received widespread critical acclaim,{{Citation|title=Boxer by The National|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/boxer/the-national|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2019}} and was named to "album of the year" lists.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/47446-staff-list-top-50-albums-of-2007/page_4|title=Pitchfork Feature: Top 50 Albums of 2007|date=December 20, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220053013/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/47446-staff-list-top-50-albums-of-2007/page_4|access-date=February 6, 2019|archive-date=December 20, 2007}}{{Cite web|url=https://aquariumdrunkard.com/2009/11/24/decade-the-national-boxer-2007/|title=Decade : The National, Boxer (2007)|date=November 24, 2009|website=Aquarium Drunkard|language=en-US|access-date=February 6, 2019}} Several songs from the album appeared in TV shows and movies. In 2008, then-Senator Barack Obama used an instrumental version{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/article/7545-you-can-vote-however-you-like/|title=You Can Vote However You Like|website=Pitchfork|date=October 29, 2008 |language=en|access-date=February 6, 2019}} of the song "Fake Empire" in a presidential campaign video.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/19081/the_national_team_up_with_obama_to_bring_signs_of/video/|title=The National Team Up With Obama To Bring "Signs Of Hope & Change"|date=September 3, 2008|website=Stereogum|access-date=February 6, 2019}}

Following the success of Boxer, the band began collaborating with other artists on various songs and compilation albums. In 2009, the band participated in Dark Was the Night, a charity album to benefit the Red Hot Organization. That same year, they recorded a song for the album Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy,{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/76232/thom_yorke_michael_stipe_dinosaurs_contribute/news/|title=Thom Yorke, Michael Stipe, Dinosaur Contribute To Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs Of Mark Mulcahy|date=June 25, 2009|website=Stereogum|access-date=February 6, 2019}} to help support Polaris frontman Mark Mulcahy who had recently lost his wife. In 2010, the band released High Violet, their fifth full-length album. The album saw both critical and commercial success, debuting at No. 3 on US charts, and going on to sell over 850,000 copies worldwide.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1561451/the-national-stop-fighting-the-dad-rock-label-this-time-we-didnt-care|title=The National Stop Fighting the 'Dad Rock' Label: 'This Time, We Didn't Care'|last=Maloney|first=Devon|date=May 20, 2013|magazine=Billboard}} The band followed up High Violet by releasing their sixth album, Trouble Will Find Me, on May 21, 2013, via 4AD. Like their previous two efforts, Trouble was named to several year-end best-of lists. The album was nominated for Best Alternative Album at the 56th Grammy Awards. Later that year, Dessner and the rest of the band were featured in the documentary Mistaken for Strangers, which followed the band's tour for High Violet and early recording of Trouble.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

In 2017, the band released Sleep Well Beast, their seventh full-length album.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/sep/10/the-national-sleep-well-beast-review|title=The National: Sleep Well Beast review – a study in midlife angst|last=Empire|first=Kitty|date=September 10, 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=February 6, 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} The lead single from the album, "The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness", became the band's first song to reach No. 1 on a Billboards chart after topping the Adult Alternative Songs list in August that same year.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7889813/the-national-first-number-1-billboard-songs-chart|title=The National Notches First No. 1 on a Billboard Songs Chart|magazine=Billboard|date=August 3, 2017|access-date=February 6, 2019}} The band released their eighth studio album I Am Easy to Find in 2019 alongside a short film by Mike Mills.{{Cite web |date=2019-03-05 |title=The National Announce New Album and Film I Am Easy to Find, Share New Song: Listen |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-national-announce-new-album-and-film-i-am-easy-to-find-share-new-song-listen/ |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} In 2023, the band released two studio albums, First Two Pages of Frankenstein and Laugh Track, with the latter being a surprise album.{{Cite magazine |last=Paul |first=Larisha |date=2023-01-18 |title=The National Recruit Three Special Guests for New Album 'The First Two Pages of Frankenstein' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-national-new-album-the-first-two-pages-of-frankenstein-1234663099/ |access-date=2023-09-18 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-16 |title=The National Announce 'Laugh Track,' Second Album Of 2023, Onstage At Homecoming Fest |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2236396/the-national-announce-laugh-track-second-album-of-2023-onstage-at-homecoming-fest/news/ |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}

Dessner has production credits on all of the band's albums since Alligator. The majority of both High Violet and Trouble Will Find Me were recorded in his garage studio behind his house in Brooklyn, and Alligator and Boxer were partially recorded in his attic and in his sister's attic, which is on the same street in Brooklyn.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/aaron-dessner-mn0000044843/credits|title=Aaron Dessner – Credits – AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=September 2, 2018}}

=Big Red Machine=

In 2008, Dessner sent Justin Vernon an instrumental sketch of a song called "Big Red Machine" for the compilation album Dark Was the Night. Vernon wrote a song to it, interpreting the Big Red Machine title as a heart. After 10 years, the pair formed a band called Big Red Machine, and on August 31, 2018, released a self-titled album. The record was produced by Vernon and Dessner with longtime collaborator Brad Cook and engineered by Jonathan Low primarily at Dessner's studio Long Pond in Upper Hudson Valley, New York.

The duo released a second studio album How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? on August 27, 2021. The album was produced by Dessner and featured many guests and many of his previous collaborators, including Ben Howard, Sharon Van Etten, and Taylor Swift.{{Cite magazine|last=Blistein|first=Jon|date=2021-06-29|title=Aaron Dessner, Justin Vernon's Big Red Machine Previews New Album With 'Latter Days'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/aaron-dessner-justin-vernon-big-red-machine-new-album-1190641/|access-date=2021-08-27|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}

= Other production work =

Dessner worked with singer Sharon Van Etten on her album, Tramp (2012). Van Etten and Dessner spent over fourteen months working in his studio, finally releasing the album to widespread critical success.{{cite web |title=Tramp by Sharon Van Etten |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/tramp/sharon-van-etten |website=Metacritic |access-date=April 16, 2023}} Dessner produced Local Natives' second full-length album Hummingbird, in 2013. Dessner was first introduced to the band while on tour with the National. Hummingbird received positive reviews, and Pitchfork praised Dessner's production work especially, saying that he "knows how to make things sound good, and there's plenty of richness and depth to these songs."{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17537-hummingbird/|title=Local Natives: Hummingbird Album Review – Pitchfork|website=pitchfork.com|access-date=September 2, 2018}} Dessner produced the Lone Bellow's Then Came the Morning, which was recorded in Dessner's garage as well as in a 19th-century church in upstate New York. The album was released in January 2015 on Descendent Records. That same year, he worked with This Is the Kit for their album Bashed Out, which was released through Dessner's Brassland Records.{{cite web|url=http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/this-is-the-kit-bashed-out/|title=It'd be a pointless compartmentalising exercise to still call This Is The Kit a "folk" band|website=Thelineofbestfit.com|access-date=September 2, 2018}}

In 2016, Dessner produced Lisa Hannigan's album At Swim. The album reached No. 1 in Ireland, No. 7 on the US Top Heatseekers Albums chart and No. 24 in the UK, and received widespread critical acclaim. The Guardian, which awarded it four out of five stars, commented on the album's "stunningly pretty songs with quietly powerful undertones" and the Evening Standard, which also awarded it four out of five stars, praised the "new-found accessibility" of the album. Frightened Rabbit's fifth album Painting of a Panic Attack, released in 2016 via Atlantic Records, was also produced by Dessner. Dessner produced the Lone Bellow's 2020 album Half Moon Light and co-wrote several tracks on it.{{cite web |title=Exclusive: Watch a New Documentary on The Lone Bellow |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/the-lone-bellow/lone-bellow-documentary-aaron-dessner |magazine=Paste |access-date=April 16, 2023 |date=February 7, 2023}} He also co-wrote and produced the acclaimed debut of UK songwriter Eve Owen, Don't Let the Ink Dry, released in 2020.{{cite news|title=The National collaborator Eve Owen reveals details of debut album, 'Don't Let The Ink Dry' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/the-national-collaborator-eve-owen-reveals-details-of-debut-album-dont-let-the-ink-dry-2603123 |magazine=NME |access-date=April 16, 2023 |date=January 30, 2020}}

In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dessner was approached by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift to collaborate on music, and he subsequently produced and co-wrote her eighth studio album, Folklore. It was a surprise release that debuted to critical acclaim on July 24, 2020, and won Album of the Year at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021.{{Cite web|last=Sodomsky|first=Sam|title=The National's Aaron Dessner Talks Taylor Swift's New Album folklore|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-nationals-aaron-dessner-talks-taylor-swifts-new-album-folklore/|access-date=July 25, 2020|website=Pitchfork|date=July 24, 2020|language=en-us}} Dessner continued his collaboration with Swift on her subsequent albums Evermore (2020),{{cite magazine |last1=Spanos |first1=Brittany |title=Taylor Swift Announces Ninth Album 'Evermore' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-evermore-album-surprise-1101630/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=December 10, 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020}} Midnights (2022), and The Tortured Poets Department (2024),{{cite web|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/taylor-swifts-tortured-poets-department-credits-reveal-collaborators/|title=Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Songwriting Credits Reveal Familiar Collaborators|last=Brow|first=Jason|date=April 16, 2024|website=US Magazine|access-date=April 16, 2024}} as well as her re-recorded albums Fearless (Taylor's Version) (2021),{{Cite web|last=Willman|first=Chris|date=2021-04-02|title=Taylor Swift Reveals Track List for 'Fearless (Taylor's Version)'; Keith Urban Delighted to 'Join the Band'|url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/taylor-swift-fearless-bonus-track-titles-anagrams-1234943302/|access-date=2021-04-08|website=Variety|language=en-US}} Red (Taylor's Version) (2021), and Speak Now (Taylor's Version) (2023).{{Cite news |last=Yahr |first=Emily |date=July 7, 2023 |title=What to know about 'Speak Now (Taylor's Version)' as it consumes the internet |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/07/07/speak-now-taylors-version-album-release/ |access-date=July 7, 2023}} After the release of Folklore, the documentary film Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions and Evermore, artists such as Maya Hawke,{{Cite web |last1=Robert |first1=Moran |last2=Shand |first2=John |last3=Au-Nhien Nguyen |first3=Giselle |last4=Ross |first4=Annabel |date=September 28, 2022 |title=What to listen to this month: A worthwhile album from a nepo baby? Stranger things happen |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/what-to-listen-to-next-sun-still-shines-on-sydney-s-jangle-pop-masters-20220830-p5bdwz.html |access-date=October 3, 2022 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald}} Gracie Abrams,{{Cite web |last=Shafer |first=Ellise |date=April 5, 2022 |title=Gracie Abrams on How Songwriting Is 'Like Breathing,' Touring With Friend Olivia Rodrigo and Making New Music With Aaron Dessner |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/gracie-abrams-olivia-rodrigo-tour-aaron-dessner-1235221886/ |access-date=October 3, 2022 |website=Variety}} Ed Sheeran,{{Cite web |last=Curto |first=Justin |date=March 8, 2022 |title=Ed Sheeran Is Working on His folklore |url=https://www.vulture.com/2022/03/ed-sheeran-wrote-songs-folklore-aaron-dessner.html |access-date=October 4, 2022 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}} King Princess,{{Cite magazine |date=2022-10-10 |title=Recording's Great Escapes: Inside The World's Most Scenic, State-of-the-Art Studios |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-recording-studios-music-global-photos/ |access-date=2022-10-10 |magazine=Billboard}} and Girl in Red{{Cite web |last=Holden |first=Finlay |date=October 3, 2022 |title=girl in red has announced that a new single, 'October Passed Me By', is due next week |url=https://readdork.com/news/girl-in-red-new-single-october-passed-me-by/ |access-date=October 3, 2022 |website=Dork}} expressed interest in collaborating with Dessner and recording songs at his Long Pond Studio. Dessner stated, "After Taylor, it was a bit crazy how many people reached out. And getting to meet and write songs with people you wouldn't have had access to… I'm so grateful for it."

Dessner also co-produced British singer-songwriter Ben Howard's fourth studio album, Collections from the Whiteout, alongside Howard himself, which was released on March 26, 2021.{{cite web|last=Skinner|first=Tom|title=Ben Howard shares new single 'What A Day' and announces fourth album|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/ben-howard-new-single-album-what-a-day-listen-2865223|website=NME|date=January 26, 2021 |access-date=January 27, 2021}} Additionally, Dessner produced Day of the Dead, which was released in 2016, and Dark Was the Night, both of which are AIDS charity compilations for the Red Hot Organization; and Doveman's 2009 release The Conformist.

=Film scores=

Dessner and his brother Bryce co-composed the score for Transpecos, which won the Audience Award at the 2016 South by Southwest. They also worked together on the score for 2013 film Big Sur, an adaptation of the 1962 novel of the same name by Jack Kerouac. The film debuted on January 23, 2013, at the Sundance Film Festival, where it received positive reviews. In 2021, together with his brother, Dessner scored two films – Mike Mills' C'mon C'mon and Cyrano.

Collaborations

=Day of the Dead=

On March 17, 2016, Aaron and Bryce Dessner announced Day of the Dead, a charity tribute album to the Grateful Dead released by 4AD on May 20, 2016. Day of the Dead was created, curated and produced by both Dessner brothers. The compilation is a wide-ranging tribute to the songwriting and experimentalism of the Dead which took four years to record, features over 60 artists from varied musical backgrounds, 59 tracks and is almost 6 hours long. All profits will help fight for AIDS/ HIV and related health issues around the world through the Red Hot Organization. Day of the Dead is the follow-up to 2009's Dark Was the Night (4AD), a 32-track, multi-artist compilation also produced by the Dessner brothers for Red Hot.

Of the 59 tracks on the compilation, many feature a house band made up of Aaron, Bryce, fellow the National bandmates and brothers Scott and Bryan Devendorf, Josh Kaufman (who co-produced the project), and Conrad Doucette along with Sam Cohen and Walter Martin. The National have a couple of tracks on the album, including "Peggy-O," "Morning Dew" and "I Know You Rider".

A Day of the Dead live performance took place in August 2016 at the second annual Eaux Claires Festival (August 12–13) featuring Jenny Lewis, Matthew Houck, Lucius, Will Oldham, Sam Amidon, Richard Reed Parry, Justin Vernon, Bruce Hornsby, Ruban Nielson and The National.

=Forever Love=

Forever Love is a collaboration between Aaron and Bryce Dessner, renowned Icelandic performance artist Ragnar Kjartansson and Gyða and Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir, formerly of the Icelandic band múm. The project is a blending of visual and performance art with live music, all centered around a song cycle written and performed by Aaron and Bryce alongside Gyða and Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir. It was commissioned by Eaux Claires Festival and made its world premiere in 2015 where it served as the official starting point of the festival on both Friday and Saturday.

Forever Love marked a live performance reunion for the Dessner twins and Kjartansson, as both artists had previously collaborated on a six-hour video work, A Lot of Sorrow, which documents the National performing their three-song "Sorrow" for six hours in front of a live audience at MoMA PS1.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20511-a-lot-of-sorrow/|title=The National: A Lot of Sorrow|website=Pitchfork|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2019}}

=The Long Count=

The Long Count was a large commission for the BAM Next Wave Festival in 2009.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=1263|title=The Long Count|date=January 1, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101085551/http://www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=1263|access-date=February 6, 2019|archive-date=January 1, 2011}} Dessner and his brother, Bryce, worked alongside visual artist Matthew Ritchie, creating a work loosely based on the Mayan creation story Popol Vuh. The work included a 12-piece orchestra and a number of guest singers, including Kim and Kelley Deal (the Breeders, the Pixies), Matt Berninger (the National), Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), and Tunde Adebimpe (TV on the Radio). The work had its world premiere at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in September 2009 as part of the Ellnora Festival.{{Cite web|url=http://www.krannertcenter.com/performance.aspx?id=20096291858757075414467|title=ELLNORA: The Long Count {{!}} Krannert Center for the Performing Arts {{!}} U of I|date=August 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140817061706/http://www.krannertcenter.com/performance.aspx?id=20096291858757075414467|access-date=February 6, 2019|archive-date=August 17, 2014}}

=Dark Was the Night=

In 2009, Aaron and Bryce Dessner produced an extensive AIDS charity compilation, Dark Was the Night, for the Red Hot Organization. Dark Was the Night has raised over 2 million dollars for AIDS charities as of January 2012. In 2009, Dessner contributed a track to the Dark Was the Night compilation. On May 3, 2009, 4AD and Red Hot produced Dark Was the Night – Live, a concert celebrating the newest Red Hot album. The show took place at Radio City Music Hall and featured several of the artists that contributed to the compilation.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

File:AaronDessnerBluesfest2016.jpg

=Other collaborations and contributions=

Dessner is a frequent collaborator with a wide range of musicians, including his brother and bandmate Bryce Dessner. In August 2008, Aaron and Bryce performed a collaborative concert with David Cossin, and Luca Tarantino as a part of Soundres, an international residency program for contemporary music and art in Salento, Italy and at the Guitare Au Palais Festival Perpignan France. They also performed at Matthew Ritchie's Ghost Operator opening at the White Cube Gallery in London. Aaron and Bryce have also collaborated with many world-renowned orchestras. Most recently the brothers played with the Copenhagen Philharmonic in a concert billed as "Sixty Minutes of the Dessners."

The program included "St. Carolyn by the Sea," "Lachrimae" and "Raphael," all of which were composed by Bryce Dessner. Bryce and Aaron have also performed "St. Carolyn by the Sea" and "Raphael" with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta during the Holland Festival. These performances took place at Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam and Muziekgebouw Frits Philips in Eindhoven. In October 2011, Dessner joined his brother to perform "St. Carolyn by the Sea" with the American Composers Orchestra at The World Financial Center in New York City.

Marshall Curry's award-winning documentary Racing Dreams includes music contributed by both Dessner and the National. "Win Win" directed by Thomas McCarthy closes with "Think You Can Wait," a track written by Dessner and Matt Berninger, recorded by the National with additional vocals from Sharon Van Etten. Dessner also played an important role in the National's contribution to the HBO show Game of Thrones.

In March 2012, Dessner, Scott Devendorf and Bryan Devendorf teamed up with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir for a live webcast, which featured two musical sets and a political discussion. The event was produced by Head Count, a non-partisan organization that uses live music events to promote voter registration and awareness. In May 2012, the National's performance of "Rains of Castamere" played during the closing credits of season two episode nine. In December 2012, Dessner curated a day of Other Voices, an Irish music festival that aired live on RTÉ Two in Ireland. The performances took place in the Church of St James in Dingle, County Kerry.

Curator

=Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival=

Eaux Claires is a music festival founded and curated by Dessner and Justin Vernon. The inaugural festival took place in July 2015 in Vernon's hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Speaking about the festival, Dessner and Vernon said they were driven by the idea that this festival would "encourage music-genre-walls to melt away."{{cite web|last1=Dessner|first1=Aaron|title=EAUX CLAIRES OPENS UP|url=http://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/justin-vernon-x-aaron-dessner-eaux-claires-music-festival|website=Interview Magazine|access-date=January 15, 2015}}

=PEOPLE Festival=

PEOPLE Festival is a not-for-profit gathering of artists in Berlin for a weekend-long festival of music curated and produced by Aaron Dessner along with his brother Bryce Dessner, Bon Iver, Berlin's Michelberger Hotel and others. The first festival took place October 1–2, 2016, under the name "Michelberger Music" in the Funkhaus,{{Cite web|url=http://michelbergermusic.com/|title=Michelberger Music – Films, Photos, Radio|website=michelbergermusic.com|language=en-US|access-date=March 18, 2018}} the historical radio recording studios of the former GDR.

=Boston Calling Music Festival=

Boston Calling is a music festival co-curated by Dessner. Debuting in May 2013, Boston Calling previously took place twice a year, May and September, at City Hall Plaza. Boston Calling moved to the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston in May 2017 and transitioned to one festival per year.{{cite web|url=https://www.boston.com/culture/music/2016/05/27/boston-calling-is-moving-to-allston-and-nixing-its-september-edition|title=Boston Calling is moving to Allston and nixing its September '16 edition|date=May 27, 2016|website=Boston.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528132719/https://www.boston.com/culture/music/2016/05/27/boston-calling-is-moving-to-allston-and-nixing-its-september-edition|archive-date=May 28, 2016|access-date=November 29, 2021}}

Record labels

Dessner co-founded the record label 37d03d (read: PEOPLE upside down) with Justin Vernon and Bryce Dessner.

Alongside Alec Hanley Bemis and Bryce Dessner, Dessner founded Brassland Records, a label that has released albums from the National, This Is the Kit, Clogs, Doveman and Nico Muhly.{{cite web | url = http://www.brassland.org/about.php | title = Brassland About Us | access-date = May 5, 2012}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/16/brassland-record-label-new-york-the-national|title=Brassland: the record label at the centre of New York's other music scene|first=Laura|last=Snapes|date=June 16, 2011|website=The Guardian|access-date=September 2, 2018}}

Musical equipment

Dessner often plays a 1965 Gibson Firebird purchased on eBay and refurbished. During the Sleep Well Beast recording sessions, he used the Firebird as well as a 1972 Fender Telecaster. During live shows, Dessner usually plays the Firebird and a 1963 Fender Jazzmaster.{{Cite web|url=https://guitar.com/features/interview-national/|title=Interview: The National – National Anthems|last=Guitar.com|date=December 12, 2017|website=Guitar.com {{!}} All Things Guitar|language=en-GB|access-date=November 10, 2019}}

For the Sleep Well Beast sessions, amplifiers used include a 1959 Fender Champ, a 1960s Fender Princeton, a 1970s Music Man, an Ampeg Gemini, and a Fender Bassman.

Personal life

Dessner married Stine Wengler around 2016.{{Cite web |last=Sims |first=Brittany |date=2021-11-17 |title=Who Is Aaron Dessner? The Man Behind Taylor Swift's Last Two Albums |url=https://www.thethings.com/who-is-aaron-dessner-man-behind-taylor-swift-last-two-albums-red-taylors-version/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=TheThings |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Mèmon |first=Alishba |date=19 April 2024 |title=Who is Aaron Dessner? Musician collaborated with Taylor Swift as songwriter for The Tortured Poets Department |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/music/who-aaron-dessner-musician-collaborated-taylor-swift-songwriter-the-tortured-poets-department |access-date=27 July 2024 |website=Sportskeeda}} They have three children, one of whom is named Robin.{{Cite web |title=Aaron Dessner son Robin reacts to Robin TTPD |url=https://www.tiktok.com/discover/aaron-dessner-son-robin-reacts-to-robin-ttpd?lang=en#:~:text=Aaron%20Desner%20has%20a%20son,references%20that%20also%20make%20it. |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=www.tiktok.com}} Taylor Swift's song of the same name is speculated to be about him.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-21 |title=Robin Taylor Swift Meaning: A Tender Ode to Childhood Innocence |url=https://www.stayfreeradioip.com/post/robin-taylor-swift-meaning-and-review |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=Stay Free |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=25 April 2024 |title=Let's Talk about Taylor Swift Song Name Robin |url=https://www.tiktok.com/discover/Let%E2%80%99s-talk-about-Taylor-Swift-song-name-robin |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=www.tiktok.com}} Dessner is a keen soccer fan and an avid supporter of Liverpool F.C.{{Cite web |title=Men in Blazers 01/23/14: With Aaron Dessner |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/men-in-blazers-01-23-14-with-aaron-dessner/id908407811?i=1000570855557 |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-US}}

Awards and nominations

=Grammy Awards=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Work ! scope="col" \| Award ! scope="col" \| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| {{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
2014 \|Trouble Will Find Me \| rowspan="2" \|Best Alternative Music Album \|{{Nom}} \| style="text-align:center;" \|{{Cite web\|date=2021-01-12\|title=GRAMMY Award Results for The National\|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/national/18226\|access-date=2021-01-12\|website=GRAMMY.com\|language=en}}
2018 \|Sleep Well Beast \|{{Won}} \| style="text-align:center;" \|
rowspan="3" \|2021 \| "Cardigan" \| Song of the Year \|{{Nom}} \| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3" \|{{Cite web\|date=2020-11-24\|title=2021 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners List \|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2021-grammys-complete-nominees-list\|access-date=2021-08-22\|website=GRAMMY.com\|language=en}}
rowspan="2" \|Folklore \|Best Pop Vocal Album \|{{Nom}}
rowspan="2" \| Album of the Year \|{{Won}}
2022 \|Evermore \|{{Nom}} \| style="text-align:center;" \|
2024 \|- (album)
("subtract") \|Best Pop Vocal Album \|{{nom}} \| style="text-align:center;" \|{{cite magazine \|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/2024-grammys-winners-1234960172/ \|title=Grammys 2024: The Complete Winners List \|last=Guglielmi \|first=Jodi \|magazine=Rolling Stone \|date=February 4, 2024 \|access-date=April 21, 2024}}
2025 \|The Tortured Poets Department \|Album of the Year \|{{nom}} \| style="text-align:center;" \|{{Cite web \|title=Final Round Voting For The 2025 GRAMMYs Is Now Open: Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. Says GRAMMY Voters Have The "Unique Power" To "Shape The Sounds Of The Next Generation" {{!}} GRAMMY.com \|url=https://www.grammy.com/news/2025-grammys-final-round-voting-harvey-mason-jr-member-letter \|access-date=2024-12-17 \|website=grammy.com}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Work

! scope="col" | Award

! scope="col" | Result

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

2014

|Trouble Will Find Me

| rowspan="2" |Best Alternative Music Album

|{{Nom}}

| style="text-align:center;" |{{Cite web|date=2021-01-12|title=GRAMMY Award Results for The National|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/national/18226|access-date=2021-01-12|website=GRAMMY.com|language=en}}

2018

|Sleep Well Beast

|{{Won}}

| style="text-align:center;" |

rowspan="3" |2021

| "Cardigan"

| Song of the Year

|{{Nom}}

| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3" |{{Cite web|date=2020-11-24|title=2021 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners List |url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2021-grammys-complete-nominees-list|access-date=2021-08-22|website=GRAMMY.com|language=en}}

rowspan="2" |Folklore

|Best Pop Vocal Album

|{{Nom}}

rowspan="2" | Album of the Year

|{{Won}}

2022

|Evermore

|{{Nom}}

| style="text-align:center;" |

2024

|- (album)

("subtract")

|Best Pop Vocal Album

|{{nom}}

| style="text-align:center;" |{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/2024-grammys-winners-1234960172/ |title=Grammys 2024: The Complete Winners List |last=Guglielmi |first=Jodi |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=February 4, 2024 |access-date=April 21, 2024}}

2025

|The Tortured Poets Department

|Album of the Year

|{{nom}}

| style="text-align:center;" |{{Cite web |title=Final Round Voting For The 2025 GRAMMYs Is Now Open: Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. Says GRAMMY Voters Have The "Unique Power" To "Shape The Sounds Of The Next Generation" {{!}} GRAMMY.com |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/2025-grammys-final-round-voting-harvey-mason-jr-member-letter |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=grammy.com}}

Discography

= With The National =

The National (2001)
Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers (2003)
Alligator (2005)
Boxer (2007)
High Violet (2010)
Trouble Will Find Me (2013)
Sleep Well Beast (2017)
I Am Easy to Find (2019)
First Two Pages of Frankenstein (2023)
Laugh Track (2023)

= With Project Nim =

A Tower of Babel (1995)
Where the Nothings Live (1997)
Evenings Pop and Curve (1998){{Cite web|title= Columbia Spectator 26 March 1998|url=https://spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu/?a=d&d=cs19980326-02.2.12&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------|access-date=2022-08-16|website= Columbia Spectator Archive. |language=en-US}}

= With Equinox =

Equinox (1993)

= With Big Red Machine =

Big Red Machine (August 31, 2018)
How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? (August 27, 2021)

= With Complete Mountain Almanac =

Complete Mountain Almanac (January 27, 2023){{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/complete-mountain-almanac-announce-debut-album-share-first-single-may-3331981|title=Complete Mountain Almanac announce debut album, share first single 'May'|last=Neale|first=Matthew|work=NME|date=October 19, 2022|access-date=December 23, 2022}}

= Film scores =

Big Sur (2013) with Bryce Dessner
Transpecos (2016) with Bryce Dessner
C'mon, C'mon (2021) with Bryce Dessner

= Stage musicals =

Cyrano (2018) with Matt Berninger, Carin Besser, Bryce Dessner, and Erica Schmidt{{Cite web|title=Cyrano|url=https://kupermanbrothers.com/cyrano|access-date=2021-10-16|website=Kuperman Brothers|language=en-US}}

= Production and songwriting credits for other artists =

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%;"

|+Key

|style="background-color:#D8BFD8"|{{Double-dagger|alt=Indicates songs solely written or produced by Aaron Dessner}}

|Indicates songs solely written or produced by Aaron Dessner

class="wikitable sortable"

style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"

! Year !! Artist !! Song !!Album!!Written with

!Produced with

rowspan="12" |2016

| rowspan="12" |Frightened Rabbit

|"Death Dream"

| rowspan="12" | Painting Of A Panic Attack

| rowspan="4" |Andy Monaghan, Billy Kennedy, Grant Hutchison, Scott Hutchison and Simon Liddell

| rowspan="12" style="background:#D8BFD8;"| Sole production {{Double-dagger|alt=Indicates songs solely written or produced by Aaron Dessner}}

"Get Out"

"I Wish I Was Sober"

"Woke Up Hurting"

"Little Drum"

|Aaron Dessner, Andy Monaghan, Billy Kennedy, Grant Hutchison, Scott Hutchison and Simon Liddell

"Still Want to Be Here"