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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Pianist Lee So-yeon: 'My sister and I chat about everything'

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Interview Sources not specified Context piece
  • Pianist Lee So-yeon, the first Asian woman to become a piano professor at Juilliard, will hold a recital in Seoul.
  • She teaches at Juilliard and previously taught at the University of Cincinnati, emphasizing a mission to impart her knowledge to promising students.
  • Lee will perform works by Debussy, Schumann, and contemporary composer Paola Prestini, highlighting her diverse repertoire.

Pianist Lee So-yeon, who made history as the first Asian woman appointed as a piano professor at the prestigious Juilliard School in 2022, is set to return to the South Korean stage for a recital. The performance is part of the 'Hic et Nunc! Music Festival' organized by Sejong Soloists and will take place on August 2nd at the IBK Chamber Hall in Seoul Arts Center.

Teaching at my alma mater, where I frequented for eight years in my 20s, is truly meaningful. I feel a sense of mission, as if I should give everything I have to my promising students, and I have spent the last four years with that dedication. I feel unparalleled joy and fulfillment.

— Lee So-yeonDescribing her experience and dedication as a professor at Juilliard.

Lee, 47, expressed her deep satisfaction in teaching at her alma mater, where she spent eight years as a student. "Teaching at my alma mater, where I frequented for eight years in my 20s, is truly meaningful," she stated. "I feel a sense of mission, as if I should give everything I have to my promising students, and I have spent the last four years with that dedication. I feel unparalleled joy and fulfillment."

Her younger sister, Lee So-eun, is a former singer who pursued a law degree and now works as a lawyer in New York. While So-eun explored a music career in her teens before choosing a different path, So-yeon has dedicated her life to the piano since the age of five, building a formidable career. After graduating from an arts high school in the U.S., she completed her bachelor's, master's, and Artist Diploma (AD) at Juilliard, followed by competition wins, album recordings, and concert performances. Her repertoire spans classical and contemporary music, earning her acclaim for challenging and experimental interpretations.

It feels like time has passed as much as the piano keys have worn down and my fingertips have worn down, as I perform in Korea after such a long time.

— Lee So-yeonExpressing her feelings about returning to perform in Korea after a long absence.

For her upcoming recital, Lee plans to perform Debussy's Preludes, Schumann's 'Kreisleriana', inspired by German novelist E.T.A. Hoffmann, and 'Mother Song' by Paola Prestini, a young Italian composer born in 1975. "It feels like time has passed as much as the piano keys have worn down and my fingertips have worn down, as I perform in Korea after such a long time," Lee shared in a written interview with Hankyoreh, conveying her excitement. She also expressed pride in the accomplishments of young Korean musicians on the global stage and offered advice, encouraging them to prioritize genuine artistic connection over rigid mechanisms and to remain resilient against criticism.

Remember every day that success does not necessarily mean excellence.

— Lee So-yeonQuoting documentary director Ken Burns, as advice she often shares with her students.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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