Highlights of Lee’s 2026-27 season include his debut with the Chicago Symphony at the Ravinia Festival and his return to the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. He also debuts with the Gyeonggi Philharmonic, Utah Symphony, and Louisville Orchestra and returns to the Edmonton and Omaha Symphony Orchestras. This follows his successful debuts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, and Korean National Symphony Orchestra in 25/26.
As Music Director of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra since 2022, Lee has revitalized the ensemble’s artistic vision with programming that bridges tradition and innovation. His leadership blends a deep respect for the symphonic canon with a curiosity for new and diverse forms of expression, bringing a fresh sense of energy and purpose to the orchestra’s seasons. Under his direction, the Ann Arbor Symphony has presented bold repertoire alongside genre-crossing collaborations with artists such as Jacob Collier and Chris Thile, broadening the ensemble’s reach and musical scope. Beyond Ann Arbor, Lee has worked with many composers including Unsuk Chin, Tod Machover, Donghoon Shin, Katherine Balch, and Carlos Simon, conducting works by these leading voices of our time and giving world premieres of new compositions by Machover and Balch. Through these collaborations, he continues to champion music that expands the expressive range of the modern orchestra.
In addition to his work with professional orchestras, Lee is a favorite guest with top-tier conservatory ensembles such as the Colburn, Juilliard, NEC, Yale, Curtis, San Francisco Conservatory, and Royal Conservatory Orchestras.
Winner of the 2022 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, Lee has been mentored by Andris Nelsons, Manfred Honeck, Hugh Wolff, Peter Oundjian, Kurt Masur, and Bernard Haitink. At Masur’s invitation, he studied privately with him in Leipzig, focusing on the life and music of Felix Mendelssohn — an experience that profoundly shaped his artistic identity.
A former cellist trained at the Curtis Institute of Music, The Juilliard School, and the Marlboro Music Festival, Lee brings a chamber musician’s sense of communication, listening, and shared purpose to every performance, seeking to create music that is both unified and deeply expressive.
2026/27 season / 416 words. Not to be altered without permission.