LINA YOO-MIN LEE

Hailed for her “captivating and insightful expressionist style” (New York Concert Review) and “technically superb and emotionally compelling” performances, pianist Lina (Yoo Min) Lee, D.M.A., is a dynamic soloist, chamber musician, educator, and interdisciplinary collaborator. She is deeply committed to expanding the traditional boundaries of classical music through multisensory performances, diverse programming, and cross-disciplinary partnerships. Her recent interdisciplinary project, When Music Moves and Speaks—a collaboration among dancers, poets, and musicians—garnered recognition across Wisconsin and Minnesota and from broader regional audiences.

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Dr. Lee has appeared at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Boston Symphony Hall, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and The Schubert Club. Her performances have been broadcast on WFMT, WQXR, WORT, Medici.tv, and other international platforms. Her solo recital, Music by Women, at Carnegie Hall was praised for its exquisite interpretation and pianistic virtuosity. Her digital solo album, Memories—featuring works by Beethoven, Liszt, and Prokofiev—received critical acclaim from both New York Concert Review and MBN, a major South Korean network.

A vivid, sought-after collaborative pianist, Dr. Lee has performed extensively with internationally renowned singers and instrumentalists. She has collaborated with members of the Madison Symphony Orchestra and the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra, and she actively engages in projects that blend music with visual art, spoken word, and technology. Her commitment to creative, diverse collaboration has led to appearances at major festivals including the Aspen Music Festival, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and the Stanford Summer Seminar, working with artists such as Joaquin Valdepeñas, Donald Weilerstein, Hamish Milne, Hung-Kuan Chen, Julian Martin, Anne Epperson, and Virginia Weckstrom.

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In the 2024–2025 season, Dr. Lee brought a wide range of solo and collaborative programs to audiences across the country. She toured with soprano Jennifer Lien, premiering and performing three commissioned song cycles by Asian American composers—Justine F. Chen, Melissa Dunphy, and Kamala Sankaram—each set to texts that reflect lived Asian American experiences. She also presented a quartet program for two pianos and two percussionists and gave solo recitals across multiple U.S. states.

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Dr. Lee is one half of the Kaju & Lina Duo, known for imaginative programs that highlight innovative contemporary repertoire for piano duo. In the 2025–2026 season, they present Voyage of Dance, a program of dance-inspired works.

 

A passionate advocate for equity in the arts, Dr. Lee champions music by living composers and creators from underrepresented and historically marginalized communities. She is the founder and former artistic director of the DEIB Festival in Madison, Wisconsin. In 2025, she received a $20,000 grant from the Minnesota Humanities Center to support inclusive initiatives in classical music. That summer, she recorded a piano concerto by Haitian composer Justin Elie with the Duluth Chamber Orchestra; the recording was released in fall 2025.

 

Deeply committed to outreach and education, Dr. Lee is involved with Love in Music, a nonprofit offering free classical music instruction to children from underserved communities. She regularly provides instruction and performances for underserved populations and children with disabilities.

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An engaging presenter and educator, Dr. Lee has been invited to speak at international conferences including the European Piano Teachers Association (EPTA), Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), and the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy (NCKP). Her multisensory, interdisciplinary approach has led to lectures, masterclasses, and workshops at institutions such as Stanford University, the University of Chicago, the University of Kansas, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Seoul National University, and others.

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Dr. Lee’s education includes studies at Walnut Hill School for the Arts and the New England Conservatory Preparatory School, followed by degrees from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University (B.M., M.M.) and the University of Wisconsin–Madison (D.M.A.), where she received the Jeanette Ross Award.

 

In fall 2025, she joined Wright State University as Assistant Professor of Piano and Chair of Piano Performance and Literature Studies. Her previous appointments include the University of Minnesota Duluth, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the Peabody Preparatory of the Johns Hopkins University.

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In all aspects of her work, Dr. Lina (Yoo Min) Lee embraces music as a powerful medium for storytelling, community engagement, and reimagining the role of the piano in a new era.

 

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