Su-a Lee is a cellist born in Seoul, South Korea and resident in Scotland. She is known for her wide-ranging collaborations across classical music, contemporary music, Scottish traditional music and jazz.[2][3]

Su-a Lee
이수아
Background information
OriginSeoul, South Korea
GenresClassical
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Cello, musical saw
LabelsDelphian Records
Websitewww.sualee.com Edit this at Wikidata

Education

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Lee was given a full scholarship to attend Chetham's School of Music (along with her two sisters Song-a[4] and Hae-a)[5] in Manchester at the age of nine. In 1988, she was then awarded a full-scholarship place to study with the late Harvey Shapiro at the Juilliard School in New York where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1992.[3]  Lee returned to New York in 2007, to play a recital at Carnegie Hall as part of a piano trio with her sister Songa and pianist Louise Thomas.[6]

Career

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Appointed assistant principal cellist in 2003, Lee has been a member of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra since 1993. She is also active in the experimental SCO Lab group and regularly participates in both the orchestra's education and community outreach programmes. In 2009, the SCO made an extensive tour of India, where the Lab group played as soloists alongside the Sarod Maestro, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. A CD of their collaboration Samaagam was released in May 2011.[7]

Alongside other players in the SCO, Robert McFall (violin), Brian Schiele (viola) and Scottish Ballet's principal bass player Rick Standley, Lee was a founding member of the group Mr McFall's Chamber[8] which was formed to present classical music in new and inventive ways. Mr McFall's Chamber began as a string quartet playing avant-garde classical music in late-night club venues.[9]  The group has expanded to include a wide range of performers playing diverse repertoires from cartoon classics, through to progressive rock, jazz and tango nuevo. In 2010, they performed the works of the late Celtic fusion pioneer Martyn Bennett (Lee is also an Associate Member of the Martyn Bennett Trust.)[10] with the album Birds and Beasts, collaborated with Norwegian electronic jazz percussionist Thomas Strønen[11] and worked with the idiosyncratic Dundee poet Michael Marra on the album Michael Marra.[12]

Though Lee spends most of her time playing classical music, she also plays across all art forms and a wide musical spectrum. She has played for theatre, dance and film and performs and records regularly with Scotland's jazz and folk luminaries[13] and is also Patron-in-Chief of the Perth Youth Orchestra.[14]  In 2009 she further explored the territory of improvised music, collaborating with painter Alan Kilpatrick to perform an improvised live installation piece at the Fleming Gallery in London Mayfair.[15]  In January 2012, Lee performed with former Cream bass player, Jack Bruce with Mr McFall's Chamber at Celtic Connections.[16][17]

At Celtic Connections 2013, Lee further expanded her musical range, playing at the Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, with India Alba alongside two classical Indian musicians, Gyan Singh and Sharat Chandra Srivastava and two Scottish musicians; virtuoso on pipes and whistles, Ross Ainslie and renowned instrument maker and performer Nigel Richard.[18] After playing as a guest in the band's line-up at both the Solas and Insider Music Festivals in June 2013, Su-a agreed to a permanent position with the band.

Some musical critics have regarded a number of Lee's projects as "challenging and experimental";[19] projects "pushing musical and performance boundaries".[20][21]  In April 2012, her musical saw playing came to the attention of Eric Clapton, resulting in a request to record her at British Grove Studios. Lee has performed in countries and venues in both the Northern and Southern hemisphere including some unorthodox and unconventional locations including Japanese temples, circus tents, waterfalls – and even special concerts for babies.[22][23]

Award nominations

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In 2007 Lee was listed in Scotland on Sunday at number 26 among the fifty most eligible women in Scotland.[24]

Discography

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with others

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Solo

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  • Dialogues (duo recordings with various artists) (2022)

References

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  1. ^ "La Banda Europa". Jim Sutherland. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Su-a Lee". Discogs. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Su-a Lee: Sub-principal cello". Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Songa Lee". Songa Lee. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Hae-a Lee". Houston Grand Opera Orchestra. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Songa, sister Su-a Lee (cello) Carnegie Hall debut". Songa Lee. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  7. ^ "CD Review: Amjad Ali Khan/Scottish Chamber Orchestra/David Murphy". Insideworldmusic.blogspot.co.uk. 21 April 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  8. ^ "Perthshire - Latest news updates, pictures, video, reaction - Daily Record". Perthshireadvertiser.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  9. ^ "Mr. McFall's Chamber play Baltic Music". Bachtrack.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  10. ^ www.flyboy.co.uk, karl mariner for. "Martyn Bennett Trust". Martynbennett.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  11. ^ "pohlitz with mcfalls chamber". Thomas Strønen. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ^ "Foot Stompin' Scotland – Podcasts, TV Shows and Reviews website". Footstompin.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  13. ^ "The Musicians of La Banda Europa". Jimsutherland.uk.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  14. ^ "Su-a Lee's fund raiser in St John's Kirk for PYO Tour Funds". Perth Youth Orchestra. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Society of Scottish Artists". S-s-a.org. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  16. ^ "Event Details | Jack Bruce with special guests Lau & friends and Domini Màgic". Celtic Connections. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  17. ^ "BBC Two – ArtWorks Scotland, Jack Bruce: The Man Behind the Bass". Bbc.co.uk. 13 February 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  18. ^ "Mrigya". Archived from the original on 16 November 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  19. ^ Wingate, Alexandra (8 June 2011). "Red Note Ensemble's Electric Noisy Nights". The Wee Review. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Lucken Hare - The Tongue That Never Lies". Sanctuarysessions.blogspot.co.uk. 8 February 2011. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  21. ^ "Review: Max Richter - 24 Postcards in Full Colour". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  22. ^ "Reeling & Writhing : The Presents". Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  23. ^ Lee, Su-a (26 June 2012). "Performing musical saw in a potato barn". Gramophone.co.uk. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  24. ^ Raikes, Sally; Horrell, Emma (18 November 2007). "Scotland's 100 Most Eligible" (PDF). Spectrum. Scotland on Sunday. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  25. ^ McComb, T.M. "Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9". Medieval Music & Arts Foundation. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  26. ^ "Beethoven Symphonies 1–9 – Scottish Chamber Orchestra". Shop.sco.org.uk. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  27. ^ "Truls Mørk plays Hallgrímsson". Discogs. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  28. ^ "Mozart Symphonies 38–41 – Scottish Chamber Orchestra". Shop.sco.org.uk. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  29. ^ "Mozart Sinfonia Concertante – Scottish Chamber Orchestra". Shop.sco.org.uk. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  30. ^ "Harper: Miracles – The Music of Edward Harper – Scottish Chamber Orchestra". Shop.sco.org.uk. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  31. ^ "Mozart Symphonies 29, 31 'Paris', 32, 35 'Haffner' and 36 'Linz' – Scottish Chamber Orchestra". Shop.sco.org.uk. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  32. ^ "Strauss – Ariadne on Naxos/Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme – Scottish Chamber Orchestra". Shop.sco.org.uk. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  33. ^ "Amjad Ali Khan – Samaagam – Scottish Chamber Orchestra". Shop.sco.org.uk. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  34. ^ "Weber Wind Concertos – Scottish Chamber Orchestra". Shop.sco.org.uk. 17 September 2012. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  35. ^ "Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique – Scottish Chamber Orchestra". Shop.sco.org.uk. Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  36. ^ "Approved: Hidden Orchestra – Vorka - Complete Music Update". Thecmuwebsite.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
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