“…so expressive and way beyond her years” Korean-American cellist Sydney Lee is a
passionate young artist gaining recognition on the international stage. Capturing 1st prize at the 10th ‘Antonio Janigro’ International Cello Competition, Sydney made her debut performance with the Zagreb Soloists. Sydney was named a Finalist of the National YoungArts Foundation, performing at the New World Center in Miami and was named a 2015 U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. Furthermore, she was the recipient of the 2015 Korean Honors Scholarship, awarded by the South Korean Embassy in Washington D.C. Recently, on behalf of The Back to Bach Project, Ms. Lee was selected as a 2020 grantee from the U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation and Alumni Association Seed Grant Program. For the 2019-20 season, Ms. Lee was appointed principal cellist of The Curtis Symphony Orchestra, ending the season with the United States Tour. As part of the Curtis on Tour initiative, Sydney has appeared in major cities across Hong-Kong, China, Germany, Poland, and the United States. Sydney was invited as a guest artist at “CelloPointe,” whose performances merge and celebrate chamber music and contemporary ballet. Sydney has been featured on National Public Radio’s From the Top, Croatian TV Istra, as well as Philadelphia’s WHYY public radios. As part of the On Stage at Curtis program on WHYY, Ms. Lee was featured on the episode Brilliant Playing and Superb Technique and Growing With the Music: Sydney Lee.Born in New York, NY, Sydney Lee began her studies with her mother, Soo Lee, at the age of six. Less than two years later, she was accepted into The Juilliard School Pre-College Program, and at the age of 10, Sydney made her debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Thomas Hong at Heinz Hall. Since then, her playing has been influenced by studies with Sophie Shao, Minhye Clara Kim, Julie Albers, Richard Aaron, Peter Wiley and Carter Brey, and the mentorship of Lynn Harrell. As the Emily W. Sunstein Annual Fellow, Sydney received her Bachelor of Music at the Curtis Institute of Music with Peter Wiley and Carter Brey. As the recipient of the Eckstein Scholarship and Dick and Helen Thomas Fellowship, Sydney is currently pursuing her Master of Music degree at Northwestern University with Hans Jørgen
Jensen.