Artists

James Lee III, born in 1975, cites as his major teachers William Bolcom, Michael Daugherty, and Bright Sheng. He graduated with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan in 2005. As a composition fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center in 2002, he added Michael Gandolfi and Steven Mackey to his roster of teachers. James Lee III’s orchestral works have been commissioned and premiered by the National Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, New World Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony, and the orchestras of Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Atlanta, and many others. His works have been conducted by Leonard Slatkin, Marin Alsop, Michael Tilson Thomas, Juanjo Mena, David Lockington, Thomas Wilkins, and others.

During the 2021/2022 season, a new work, Amer’ican, was premiered by the Detroit Symphony and the Orlando Philharmonic. Niiji Memories, his flute concerto was premiered by Julietta Curenton and the Columbia Orchestra in October 2021. In November the Calyx Piano Trio premiered Tones of Clay at Tanglewood. Later in November, the St. Louis Symphony performed Emotive Transformations. Other world premieres in early 2022 included Freedom’s Genuine Dawn, which was premiered by the Baltimore Symphony in January, Arukah Symphony premiered by the Maryland Symphony in February, Hold On America, Hold On! premiered by the Battle Creek Symphony and Violin Concerto No.2 ‘Teshuah’ premiered by Carla Trynchuk and the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra in March. A Double Standard for Karen Slack and the Pacifica String Quartet will be premiered in May 2022 at Carnegie Hall and Shriver Hall.