Premiering Summer 2026
McKenna Reeve (she/her) is a versatile drummer, award-winning composer, and accomplished educator based in Southern California. Her original works spanning big band, concert band, percussion ensemble, and more have been performed by leading ensembles across the country, with many emphasizing accessibility and meaning for players and audiences alike. Originally from California’s Central Valley, McKenna credits her tight-knit hometown community for instilling her passion for teaching and connecting through music. She has appeared as a performer, clinician, conductor, and composer at festivals, conferences, and concerts nationwide.
In her proposal, McKenna wrote:
“During the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night. The dance kept us in the fight because it was the dance we were fighting for. It didn’t look like we were going to win then, and we did. It doesn’t feel like we’re going to win now, but we could. Keep fighting, keep dancing.”
Her piece for Swinging Under the Stars will embody the tenacity, rebellion, and joy of the queer community in the face of adversity – music that celebrates the moment the tide begins to turn. She describes it as a work that rises up, rises against, and channels the strength, power, and resilience that keep our community dancing and fighting for a better future.
