On August 1st, composer James Lee III’s piano concerto Shades of Unbroken Dreams will receive its West Coast premiere at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. The concerto is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, and the “shades” that Lee refers to “represent the various people of color who aspire to be part of that great dream.” Before the premiere, in a pre-rehearsal talk on July 30, Lee will speak with Dr. David H. Anthony III, Professor Emeritus of African History, about the piece’s connection to the rhetoric of MLK’s iconic words, and the ability of music to speak powerfully to history, as a crucial agent of social and cultural discourse.

Free and open to the public. Please note this is a pre-rehearsal talk. Click here for tickets to the concert.