YuJeong Lee
Young, vibrant cellist YuJeong Lee is emerging
as a dynamic presence on the international concert
stage and is one of the most sought-out Korean
cellists of her generation. Ms. Lee's warm, lush
tone, tremendous musical sensitivity and adventurous
performances have earned plaudits from audiences,
critics, competition juries alike.
Having started playing the cello
at the age of nine, YuJeong Lee has pursued her
musical studies internationally at Conservatoire
National Superieur de Musique de Paris (entering
at the age of 15), Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles,
and has graduated from The Juilliard School by
completing Professional Studies where she was
a recipient of Genevieve Hustead scholarship.
Ms. Lee gave her debut recital at the age of
13 in Sejong Hall in Seoul, Korea and has been
performing extensively in Korea, Europe and the
U.S. performing recitals in Belgium, Holland,
Italy, France, and in New York in many prestigious
halls such as the Kumho Art Hall (Korea), Kauffmann
Hall (Belgium), Royal Academy of London (UK),
American-Irish Society of NY (USA), Harvard Club
of New York (USA), as well as invitations from
the Swiss Embassy, American Embassy of Korea,
Korean Music Society in Washington D.C., and
consistent appearances at the Seoul Arts Center
Concert Hall, Recital Hall and IBK Chamber Hall.
She has performed chamber music concerts at Seiji
Ozawa Hall of Tanglewood Music Festival (USA),
Cite de la Musique (Paris, France), Alice Tully
Hall of Lincoln Center (NY, USA), Juilliard Paul
Hall (NY, USA), Franz Liszt Academy at Y.E.S.
Music Festival (Budapest, Hungary), Siena Accademia
Chigiana (Siena, Italy), Encore Summer School
(USA), Sarasota Music Festival (USA), Lindenbaum
Festival (Korea) and as an active chamber and
ensemble musician, has collaborated with groups
such as Ensemble Nouvelle Generation de Paris,
Hwaum Chamber Ensemble, Korea Chamber Orchestra,
Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival Ensemble,
and Lindenbaum Festival Ensemble. Her performances
have been heard on TBS, KBS FM and WQXR.
Lynn Harrell, one of the most
respected cellists in the world today, expresses
his ardent support of Ms. Lee, who he affirms
that she is "undoubtedly
a cellist of extraordinary ability" and "without
a doubt one of the very few cellists performing
at the highest echelon in the field of music".
"Strad", the internationally
acclaimed music magazine described as 'sensitive,
flawless, dynamic' on her performance of Tchaikovsky
Rococo Variations with Kangnam Symphony Orchestra
with conductor Hyun-Suk Suh at Seoul Arts Center.
Ms. Lee's engagements of past seasons have included
solo appearances with the Seoul Philharmonic
Orchestra, Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock,
Kanezawa Orchestra Ensemble of Japan, Sendai
Philharmonic, Wartburg Symphony, Southwest Michigan
Symphony Orchestra, many of Korea's leading orchestras
such as the Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra,
Changwon Philharmonic, Daegu Philharmonic, Prime
Philharmonic, Kangnam Symphony Orchestra, Wonju
Philharmonic, Mokpo Philharmonic, Changwon Symphonietta,
Gwangju Philharmonic, as well as numerous reinvitations.
She has performed with internationally reknown
maestros such as Mishiyoshi Inoue, Vahktang Jordania,
Jose Ferreira Lobo, Shinik Hahm, Hyun-Suk Seo,
Bong Kim, Yoon-Sung Chang, Florian Krumpoeck,
Perry So and she continues to receive honorable
critics' acclaim performing a vast cello repertoire
that includes works such as Prokofiev Symphonie-Concertante,
Schumann Concerto, Beethoven Triple Concerto.
Her numerous competition awards
include Tchaikovsky International Competition
for Young Musicians (finalist, special prize
winner at Sendai, Japan), Ewha, Dong-Ah, Joong-Ang,
Korea Music Competition, Holland-America Music
Society Competition, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Competition and has studied with cellists Mischa
Maisky, Philippe Muller, Myung Wha Chung, Richard
Aaron, Joel Krosnick and through masterclasses
with Frans Helmerson and Boris Pergamenschikow.
In addition to her concerts as soloist and chamber
musician, in 2009, Ms. Lee has joined the faculty
of Seoul Arts Center Academy for Young Musicians.
Last November, Ms. Lee has made a recording in
Germany with the Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock
and Florian Krumpoeck, conductor performing Prokofiev
Symphonie Concertante, which is scheduled to
be released by NAXOS/Solo Musica this
spring.
"YuJeong Lee demonstrated tremendous musical
integrity and technical command. Ms. Lee
showed great insight in her soulful performance
of the Elgar Concerto, capturing the work's essence
with absolutely no excess affectation."
- Korea Daily News
"YuJeong Lee's performance of Tchaikovsky
Rococo Variations was excellent, showcasing her
extraordinary technique and remarquable intonation."
- Joong Ang Daily News
"Listening to YuJeong Lee's performance
of Boccherini Concerto in Bb was a musical feast,
and one could immediately recognize Ms. Lee's
great maturity; at age 13, she seems to have
already attained the musical insight of a master
cellist."
- Kyung Hyang Daily News
"YuJeong Lee's interpretation
of Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations Op. 33 showed
technical flawlessness, rich sound and rational
ways of phrasings, all which generated the
performance into a success."
- The Strad |