Sean Lee, Violin
Violinist Sean Lee has captured the attention of audiences worldwide with his lively performances of the classics. A recipient of the 2016 Avery Fisher Career Grant, his debut album, released by EMI Classics, reached the iTunes top 20 classical bestsellers list. In addition, his educational YouTube series, Paganini POV, continues to draw praise for the use of technology in sharing unique perspectives and insight into violin playing.
Lee has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including the Jerusalem Symphony, Utah Symphony, Orchestra Del Teatro Carlo Felice, Westchester Symphony, and Israel Camerata Jerusalem. His recital appearances have taken him to Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Festival di Carro Paganiniano of Italy, Vienna’s Konzerthaus, and Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium. A top prizewinner at the “Premio Paganini” International Violin Competition, Lee embraces the legacy of his late mentor, violinist Ruggiero Ricci, by being one of the few violinists who dare to perform the complete 24 Caprices of Niccolò Paganini in recital.
Lee has collaborated in performances with Itzhak Perlman, James Galway, Deborah Voigt, and members of the Emerson and Guarneri String Quartets. As an artist with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Lee performs regularly at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall as well as on tour internationally. Recent appearances on tour with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center include Lobkowicz Palace in Prague, Czech Republic; LG Arts Center in Seoul, Korea; National Theater in Taipei, Taiwan; and Naumburg Orchestral Concerts in New York City’s Central Park.
Born in Los Angeles, Lee studied in Southern California with Robert Lipsett of the Colburn Conservatory and legendary violinist Ruggiero Ricci. Moving to New York City at age 17, he began studies at the Juilliard School with the internationally acclaimed Itzhak Perlman. Lee earned both Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees, and was a recipient of the William Schuman Prize. During his studies, Lee performed with the Juilliard Orchestra as a soloist and an integral part of the orchestra. During four seasons as concertmaster, he played under the batons of David Atherton, James DePriest, Xian Zhang, Alan Gilbert, and David Robertson at venues including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Shanghai Grand Theatre, and Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts.
In addition to his performing life, Lee is a dedicated educator, and is currently a member of the chamber music faculty of the Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division, as well as the violin faculty of the Perlman Music Program. Lee performs on a violin originally made for violinist Ruggiero Ricci in 1999, by David Bague.
