James Lee III
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Biography
James Lee III is a leading African American composer, with works performed by the National Symphony Orchestra and other major ensembles in the U.S. and abroad. In 2001, Lee's Papa Lapa was named a winner in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Emerging African American Composers Competition and was performed by the orchestra. After finishing his education, Lee became a professor at Morgan State University in Baltimore. A major breakthrough for Lee came in 2006 when, after he met with National Symphony conductor Leonard Slatkin, Lee's Beyond Rivers of Vision was programmed by the orchestra. Lee's works have been programmed by such conductors as Marin Alsop and Juanjo Mena. The 2021-2022 season saw a host of Lee premieres, and recordings of Lee's work include Alkebulan's Son: The Piano Works of James Lee III in 2014 and Voyages: Orchestral Music of James Lee III in 2022.