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Dr. Julia Lee, piano
Julia Hwakyu Lee is an internationally acclaimed pianist and educator, celebrated for her crystalline clarity, hauntingly beautiful tone, and intellectually compelling interpretations spanning repertoire from Baroque masterworks to contemporary music. Born in Korea and now based in Portland, Oregon, Dr. Lee has appeared extensively throughout the United States and Asia.
Her career was launched by winning the Gold Prize at the Hankook Ilbo Competition, followed by top prizes at the Yeum Chamber Music Competition, Beethoven Competition, University of Wisconsin Concerto Competition, and the Niagara International Chamber Competition. She is a recipient of the Collins Scholarship Award, the Arthur Becknell Award for Outstanding Collaborative Pianist, and the prestigious Gilmore Fellowship.
An avid collaborator, Dr. Lee has performed with leading ensembles and orchestras including the Seoul I' Musici Chamber Ensemble, Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra, North Oregon Symphony, University of Portland Symphony Orchestra, Ulsan String Players Chamber Orchestra, Southwest Washington Wind Symphony, PSU Symphony Orchestra, and Camerata Chonnam. Her distinguished collaborative work also includes performances with renowned artists such as David Shifrin and Paquito D'Rivera, further underscoring her versatility and stature as a chamber musician.
In recognition of her exceptional contributions to music education, Dr. Lee was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Music Teacher Hall of Fame, an honor reserved for pedagogues who have demonstrated sustained excellence and national impact in the training of young artists.
Dr. Lee maintains an active international presence and is frequently invited by major universities in Korea for solo recitals, concerto appearances with university orchestras, and master classes, contributing to artistic exchange between the U.S. and Asia and mentoring the next generation of professional pianists.
As a scholar, her research paper "Fractals in Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op. 28" has been featured at national conferences of the College Music Society and is cited in the fourth edition of Maurice Hinson's Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire, as well as in scholarly publications in the United States, Greece, and Italy.
Since relocating to Portland, Dr. Lee has been a leading advocate for contemporary music, performing for over a decade in the Makrokosmos Project, appearing on live broadcasts for All Classical Radio, and participating in the Inside Chamber Music Series. She is also active as a competition juror throughout the United States and regularly presents master classes as a visiting artist and scholar.
A deeply committed pedagogue, Dr. Lee has guided her students to major successes in national and international competitions, including the MTNA National Competitions and the Seattle International Piano Competition. Her students have performed with professional orchestras and earned scholarships and assistantships at prominent U.S. universities. Notably, her former students now hold teaching positions at universities across Oregon and Washington, reflecting her lasting influence as a mentor and educator.
Dr. Lee received her early training at Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School, completed her undergraduate studies at Yonsei University, earned her Master's degree from the Korea National University of Arts, and her Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She has held faculty positions at Southern Utah University and the University of Portland and currently serves as Professor of Piano and Head of the Piano Department at Portland State University.
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