This June 19th, Minneapolis’ Orchestra Hall will resonate with purpose and power as the Minnesota Orchestra honors Juneteenth with a landmark program featuring two inspiring composers from Subito Music: Michael Abels and James Lee III. Their works, rich in emotion and storytelling, will be performed alongside vibrant pieces by Black American composers—creating an evening that […]
On June 5-8, Composer in Residence James Lee III unveils the world premiere of his BSO-commissioned Concerto for Orchestra, channeling his own love of Baltimore in a daring and evocative new work. Concerto for Orchestra is the last work of James to be commissioned and performed during his time as the Composer in Residence with […]
Currently serving as Composer in Residence for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (2024-2025 Season), James Lee III brings his new arrangement of the well-known spiritual “Deep River” to GospelFest on April 3, 2025. His arrangement will be performed by the talented members of the Morgan State Gospel Choir, the Howard Gospel Choir of Howard University, and […]
At 7:30 pm on Saturday, Nov 2 in Miller Auditorium, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra gave the world premiere of a new clarinet concerto by composer James Lee III, commissioned for celebrated clarinetist Anthony McGill, principal clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic. The concert, led by KSO’s music director Julian Kuerti, also features Mozart’s Symphony K. 320 and […]
This October, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Marin Alsop and featuring Czech guest pianist Lukáš Vondráček, presented Lee’s Chuphshah! Harriet’s Drive to Canaan, a tribute to the famous abolitionist Harriet Tubman, along with a diverse program of works by Chopin, Rachmaninoff (in encore) and Shostakovich at Symphony Center. Chuphshah, meaning freedom in Hebrew, is a 14 ½ minute work […]
Spotlight on James Lee III: “Freedom’s Genuine Dawn” at Tanglewood James Lee III is making waves in contemporary classical music with his composition “Freedom’s Genuine Dawn.” Recently featured by the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), Lee’s work is known for its historical and cultural depth. A key moment in Lee’s year is his performance at Tanglewood […]
“Captivating Personas was inspired by the wonderfully beautiful paintings by the very talented artist, Quinn Bryant.” (pictured, right) And so, on the eve of its June 13, 2024 premiere, James Lee III invites us to learn more about his most recent work which will be presented by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Jonathon Heyward conducts. The […]
“The Nebraskan premiere of James Lee III’s Courageous Lights brings everything much closer to home as we reside on the ancestral lands of many Native American tribes.” English horn-soloist Darci Gamerl offers some insight into her upcoming concert of Lee’s concerto, when she performs the piece again on May 5 – this time with the […]
On March 22, 2024, the Pittsburgh Symphony presents the regional premiere of James Lee III’s Sukkot Through Orion’s Nebula, conducted by Juanjo Mena (pictured below). The ten-minute orchestral work was commissioned by the Sphinx Organization and premiered in October 2011 at the New World Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. Lee describes the piece as […]
“James Lee III’s voice is truly unique and unmistakably his.” And so, Eric Jacobsen – the Orlando Philharmonic’s Music Director – offers some insight into the ensemble’s upcoming February 24, 2024 Florida premiere of Lee’s piano concerto Shades of Unbroken Dreams. The performance showcases soloist Alexandra Dariescu, and Mei-Ann Chen guest-conducts. Shades of Unbroken Dreams […]
