Praised for her exceptional musicality and understanding of style, pianist Hee-Seung Lee has appeared internationally as a soloist and a collaborative artist. Dr. Lee has won First Prize in Eum Hyup Competition of Korea, Redlands Bowl Young Artist Competition, MTAC State Concerto Competition, SYMF Young Recitalist, Glendale Piano Competition, Palisades Symphony Young Artist Competition among many others and prize winner of Los Angeles Liszt International Competition and Rotary Club International Competition. Dr. Lee has presented piano solo and duo recitals as a guest artist at various colleges and was exclusively heard at prestigious venues such as National Arts Center in the Philippines, Seoul Arts Center in Korea, Soka Performing Arts Center, Steinway Piano Galleries and LACMA Bing Theater. Her performances at the Bing Theatre were broadcasted live over the FM radio through Sundays Live Concerts while her Redlands Bowl performance aired on the cable TV.
Dr. Lee has world premiered works by Roman Ryterband, Donald Wilson, Joel Balzun, west-coast premiered works by Don Freund, Elliott Bark and Shinuh Lee. Her passion for early music was also demonstrated through performances with Camerata Barocca Claudio Monteverdi from Italy, American Bach Soloists Festival, San Francisco Early Music Society Baroque Workshop, Los Angeles Chamber Choir, USC Baroque Sinfonia and Whittier College’s Bach Festival performing small to large works such as J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion and Cantatas, Handel’s Messiah and Dixit Dominos.
Received BM from Oberlin Conservatory of Music under full scholarship, received a piano faculty prize upon graduation, MM and Performer Diploma from Indiana University under fellowship, and DMA from USC Thornton School of Music under merit scholarship, Dr. Lee is a pupil of Daniel Pollack, Angela Cheng, Arnaldo Cohen, Jean-Louis Haguenauer, Elisabeth Wright and Lucinda Carver, and received a significant influence from Mack McCray, John Perry, Yoheved Kaplinsky, Corey Jamason and Peter Sykes.
Has served Associate Instructor of Piano at Indiana University, Assistant to the director of the Early Music Program at USC, pianist of Ensemble Christo, piano faculty at Concordia University Irvine for Summer Chamber Music Camp, Adjunct Professor of Piano at Biola University Conservatory of Music, Dr. Lee is currently Artist-in-Residence, Adjunct Professor of Piano and Harpsichord at Whittier College. She is an active board member of MTAC, MTNA, CAPMT and SYMF. Dr. Lee is a sought-after adjudicator of many competitions and auditions. Her students have won top prizes in American Protege International Competition, American Fine Arts Festival International Competition, International Music Competition “Vienna” Grand Prize Virtuoso, Young Muse International Competition, Satori Young Pianist Contest and SYMF Competition among many others and were heard at prestigious venues such as Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Moscow State Art Gallery and St. Petersburg Concert Hall in Russia.
