Musical score connects past to present

SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM

By Nicola Longford

On Thursday, Nov. 21, on the eve of the 56th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza will premiere “Three Hours in Dallas,” an original musical score set to a new compilation of historic motorcade film footage. Written by award-winning composer Jesus Martinez, “Three Hours in Dallas” will be performed by the percussion ensemble from Arlington’s Sam Houston High School. 

This unique film score links sound effects and synchronized sound to specific scenes that will captivate the audience and create the sensation of personally witnessing the events of November 22, 1963. 

As President Kennedy himself said, “We must never forget… that art is not a form of propaganda… it is a form of truth.”

Through innovative community-based projects and collaborations, The Sixth Floor Museum brings its vast collections of historic films, photographs, oral histories and artifacts to new generations for learning and discovery. The Museum’s collaboration with 32-year-old composer and music educator Jesus Martinez has helped link the creative process of music composition and performance with valuable history lessons about local and world events beyond the walls of the traditional classroom — offering new insights for young students to capture their imaginations and connect the past with the present.    

This unique evening performance will also include the premiere of “Stars in the Heart,” by Michael Varner, director of percussion at the University of Texas at Arlington, and “Metallic Origami” by Robert J. Frank, associate professor of composition and theory and director of electronic music at SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts.  

The featured compositions and performers represent several generations removed from the events of November 1963. For more information, visit jfk.org.

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