Draft:Josephine Lee (conductor)



Josephine Lee, 2024

Josephine Lee is an American conductor, composer, pianist, non-profit leader, social entrepreneur, and artist. She currently serves as President of Uniting Voices.

Her accolades include a Chicago/Midwest Emmy for the documentary Songs on the Road to Freedom [1]and a Grammy nomination for her work with Ted Hearne on the album Place. She has also received the Jesse L. Rosenberger Medal from the University of Chicago[2] and the Kennedy Center’s National Committee for the Performing Arts Award for Arts Advocacy[3].

Work With Uniting Voices

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Josephine Lee began with Uniting Voices (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir) in 1999. After one year as a conductor, she was appointed Artistic Director and rose to become President in 2010. She oversaw the organization’s evolution from Chicago Children’s Choir to Uniting Voices in October 2022[4].

Under her direction, Uniting Voices has collaborated with many popular musical artists including Karol G on Saturday Night Live[5] and Lollapalooza; Peter CottonTale, Chance the Rapper, and Bobby McFerrin. She has conducted singers at the Kennedy Center[6], Ravello Festival[7], Ravinia Festival[8], Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Center[9], and Lyric Opera of Chicago[10].

In 2006, Uniting Voices was the first non-Korean civilian group to be granted permission to enter the Yeolsei Observation Platform in the Korean Demilitarized Zone[11].

Music

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Lee is a trained singer, violinist, pianist and composer.[12]

As Performer

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Place (Brooklyn Academy of Music[13], LA Philarmonic, Festival Musica[14])

As Composer

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  • Ascension (Commissioned by Ballet Chicago)[15]
  • The Good Goodbyes (Commissioned by River North Dance)[16]

As Guest Artist

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  • Place (2020)[14]
  • “Multiverse” (2024)[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Chicago Emmy Recipients 2008" (PDF).
  2. ^ "Jurist Mikva, arts leader Lee to receive Benton, Rosenberger medals | University of Chicago News". news.uchicago.edu. 2014-05-27. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  3. ^ "Josephine Lee | Chicago Symphony Orchestra". Experience the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  4. ^ "Chicago Children's Choir renamed as Uniting Voices Chicago, honoring group's evolution". ABC7 Chicago. 2022-10-02. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  5. ^ KarolGVEVO (2023-04-17). KAROL G - Mientras Me Curo Del Cora (Live on Saturday Night Live). Retrieved 2024-07-18 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ "Choral Arts Society: Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" | Kennedy Center". The Kennedy Center. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  7. ^ "Chicago Children's Choir at Ravello Festival 2017".
  8. ^ "Great Performances on PBS Premieres Ravinia's 2022 Performance of Leonard Bernstein's Kaddish Symphony". Ravinia Backstage. 2023-08-02. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  9. ^ "Carmina burana | Chicago Symphony Orchestra". Experience the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  10. ^ "Carmen". www.lyricopera.org. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  11. ^ "Lees Cross-Border, Cross-Culture Music". koreatimes. 2008-07-01. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  12. ^ "About RJO". RJO 2024. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  13. ^ Fonseca-Wollheim, Corinna da (2018-10-12). "Review: In 'Place,' a Composer Questions His Comfort, and Power". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  14. ^ a b "Place (2018, 75 min)". Ted Hearne. 2017-10-28. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  15. ^ Josephine Lee (2020-03-21). "Ascension" Composed by Josephine Lee. Retrieved 2024-07-18 – via YouTube.
  16. ^ RiverNorthChicago (2013-08-01). River North Dance Chicago: 'The Good Goodbyes' by Frank Chaves. Retrieved 2024-07-18 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ "Spotify". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 2024-07-18.