James Lee III

JAMES LEE III, born in 1975, graduated with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan in 2005. James Lee III’s orchestral works have been commissioned and premiered by the National Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and the orchestras of Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Atlanta, and others.

His works have been conducted by Leonard Slatkin, Marin Alsop, Michael Tilson Thomas, Juanjo Mena, and others. During the 2021-2022 season, Amer’ican was premiered by the Detroit Symphony in October. Niiji Memories, his flute concerto was premiered by Julietta Curenton and the Columbia Orchestra also in October. In November 2023, the Calyx Piano Trio premiered Tones of Clay at Tanglewood, and the Saint Louis Symphony performed Emotive Transformations. Other world premieres in early 2022 include Freedom’s Genuine Dawn, which was premiered by the Baltimore Symphony in January 2022. A Double Standard for Karen Slack and the Pacifica String Quartet was premiered on June 18 and 19 at Carnegie Hall and Shriver Hall. In May 2023, a new work for chorus and orchestra was premiered by the May Festival Orchestra and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. During the 2023-2024 season, a new piano concerto, English horn concert, and orchestral work will be premiered.