Sydney Lee, a master’s cello student of Hans Jørgen Jensen at the Bienen School of Music, has won second prize and €30.000 in the 2022 Classic Strings International Cello Competition. The event took place May 9-18 in Dubai, UAE.
The Classic Strings Competition sponsors events in both cello and violin, which are open to musicians of all nationalities under the age of 35. The 2022 cello competition began with 70 candidates representing 20 nationalities; 18 semifinalists advanced to the second round, followed by 8 finalists. The final round of competition involved a performance with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra.
About Sydney Lee
Sydney Lee made her debut with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at age 13 under the baton of Maestro Thomas Hong. Since then, she has captured first prizes in the 10th International Cello Competition “Antonio Janigro,” Bravura Philharmonic Young Artists Concerto Competition, Duquesne Young Artist National Competition, Juilliard Pre-College Concerto Competition, Monmouth Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, and second prize at the Lennox International Young Artists Competition. She was also a finalist at the Stulberg International String Competition and the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Albert M. Greenfield Competition.
Lee has performed in many cities across Asia, United States, and Europe in venues such as Verizon Hall in Kimmel Center, Palladium Center for the Performing Arts, Heinz Hall, Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium, Euphrasian Basilica, Shanghai Concert Hall, and Konzerthaus Berlin. A National YoungArts finalist, Lee was named a 2015 US Presidential Scholar in the Arts by the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. She was also the recipient of the 2015 Korean Honors Scholarship, which was awarded by the South Korean Embassy in Washington D.C.
As a member of the Galvin Cello Quartet, she won the silver medal in the 48th Annual Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition senior strings division, and recently advanced to the semifinals of the Concert Artists Guild’s 2022 Victor Elmaleh Competition.
Lee received a bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music. She will complete her master’s degree at the Bienen School of Music this spring and continue her doctoral studies with Professor Jensen this fall.