Born in Seoul, South Korea, Soyeon Kate Lee moved to the United States at the age of 9. Lee's early studies were with Romanian teacher Marina di Pretoro and at the Interlochen Arts Academy with Victoria Mushkatkol. She graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy with the highest honors in music. She continued her studies at The Juilliard School with Jerome Lowenthal and Robert McDonald, earning her Bachelors, Masters, and Artist Diploma degrees. During her studies at Juilliard, she won the school's concerto competition, Gina Bachauer piano competition, Helen Fay Prize, Arthur Rubinstein Prize, and the Petschek Piano Debut Award. She is currently pursuing her Doctoral degree at the Graduate Center at the City University of New York, working with Richard Goode and Ursula Oppens.
Professional career
Lee gave her New York debut recital at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall as the winner of Juilliard's Petschek Award in April 2004. The following year, Lee gave a recital at New York's Weill Hall to critical acclaim under the auspices of Concert Artists Guild. This concert propelled her career with engagements throughout the United States. Lee received media attention for her eco-awareness concert at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall in 2008 wearing a dress made of 5,000 juice pouches. In 2012, Lee joined the roster of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Two. Ms. Lee is currently represented by Colbert Artists Management in New York City.
Ms. Lee is a Naxos Records recording artist. In 2008, Naxos released Lee's debut album of Domenico Scarlatti Sonatas to critical acclaim. Lee's next album released in 2013 featured Franz Liszt's opera transcriptions. She released two further Naxos CDs of Scriabin's piano music. Ms. Lee has also released an album titled "Re!nvented" under Entertainment One, formerly KOCH records which garnered the Young Artist Award from the Classical Recording Foundation and further industry acclaim.
Personal life
Lee resides in New York City. She married Israeli-American pianist Ran Dank on September 7, 2013. She married Ran after her previous marriage to Tom Szaky ended in 2008. Her younger sister, Soeun Nikole Lee :ko:이소은|이소은 is a Korean pop singer, lawyer, and author.
