June 20, 2008

Cincinnatian Vince Lee to Join the CSO Conducting Staff

CINCINNATI—The New York Times describes Vince Lee’s conducting as “powerful” and “hefty.”  The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra announced today that this dynamic and versatile Cincinnati-native will join the CSO conducting staff as an assistant conductor starting in August of 2008, joining fellow-assistant conductor Ken Lam.  This position is being vacated by Eric Dudley at the end of the summer Riverbend season.  Mr. Lee’s duties will include assisting CSO Music Director Paavo Järvi, the conductors of the Cincinnati Pops and May Festival, and guest conductors as needed.

“Of course, I am overwhelmingly excited to return to Cincinnati,” said Vince Lee.  “From a purely musical standpoint, it is crucial for a young conductor to have the opportunity to work with a world-class orchestra and a world-class conductor. There are only a handful of organizations in the US that fit that description, and the CSO is one of them. One never stops learning as a conductor, and there are certain things that can only be learned, absorbed, and realized at this level. From an administrative standpoint, it's an amazing organization, with fantastic staff and dedicated volunteers.” 

Mr. Lee prepared the children’s chorus for a Cincinnati Opera production of Carmen at the age of 13, and then made his professional conducting debut, also at age 13, leading the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.  He appeared as a guest artist with the Pops seven times over six years. 

“I had worked with Erich Kunzel on the Sound of Music and Disney Spectacular albums…he got the idea of having me conduct a piece on a "Roundup at the Pops" night.  It was ‘The Orange Blossom Special,” recalls Mr. Lee.

He began his Masters degree in conducting at Indiana University in 2001, and quickly became the most active and sought-after student conductor at the largest music school in the country.  Upon receiving the Bruno Walter memorial scholarship, Mr. Lee began his studies with Maestro James DePreist at the Juilliard School in 2005, and quickly became in demand, conducting for numerous recitals and composition concerts throughout the city.  In March of 2008, Mr. Lee made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut with the New York Youth Symphony.

”I grew up Cincinnati, and in Music Hall...it really is the perfect job for me at this stage in my career… I couldn't have asked for a better first step into the professional conducting world,” said Mr. Lee.