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Jiye Lee 

Having been deeply inspired by The Nutcracker as a child, Jiye Lee successfully auditioned for the New York City Ballet Orchestra in 2016 and has since served as a tenured member. Performing not only The Nutcracker every season, but also the works of A.Copland, I.Stravinsky, P.I.Tchaikovsky, L.Bernstein, P.Glass, and more, she finds great fulfillment in the collaborative musical creations shared with the NYCB and its distinguished artists.

Her musical journey began at age six with a prize in the pre-school division of the Youth Korea Times Nationwide Music Competition, followed by two more recognitions from the same competition, confirming her potential early on. At fifteen, she was accepted into the studio of renowned pedagogue Prof. Nam-Yun Kim, who was the winner of the Tibor Varga international violin competition in Sion. Jiye completed the pre-college division at the Korea National University of Arts (KNUA), then entered its Bachelor of Music (BM) program early while a second-year student at Seoul Arts High School. She went on to complete the Artist Diploma (AD) program including 6 recitals for 3 years under Professors Nam-Yun Kim and Yoo-Kyung Min, developing a refined and expressive musical voice while winning top prizes in major national competitions.

She was accepted into the KNUA Orchestral Program Degree (OPD), which required performing full orchestra programs monthly, including symphonies and overtures. She studied with former Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra concertmaster Prof. Dong-Hyun Kim.  After completing her first year, she moved to the United States to study at the Manhattan School of Music under the warm and passionate guidance of Prof. Lucie Robert. Ms Lee was selected for masterclasses with former Juilliard String Quartet leader Robert Mann, Samuel Rhodes and received strong recommendations from President James Gandre. She completed both her Master of Music (MM) and Professional Studies (PS) diploma at MSM.

Around her graduation, she had the privilege of studying orchestral refined techniques with Michelle Kim, associate principal of the New York Philharmonic. Jiye was selected as a semi-finalist for the New York Philharmonic and has held a tenure position with the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

She has won numerous awards, including:

  • Prize winner of The Youth Korea Times, Music Journal, and Music Chunchoo Competitions

  • 1st Prize at the Seoul Baroque Competition (University & General Division)

  • Performance Excellence Award from Seoul Arts High School

  • Silver Prize at the 19th KBS & KEPCO Music Competition (awarded full support for training and performances in Germany/Sponsored by Korea Broadcasting System and Korea Electric Power Corporation)

  • 2nd Prize at the 46th Dong-A Music Competition

  • Finalist at the Henri Marteau International Violin Competition

  • Winner of the Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition

  • IMA Music Award (Ishikawa Music Academy)

As a soloist, she has performed with Korean Soloists, Seoul Chamber Orchestra, and the KBS Symphony Orchestra. She successfully made her European debut with the Kammer Orchester der Wiener Symphoniker at Schloss Orth (Vienna) and the Slovensky Rozhlas Velké Koncertné Studio (Bratislava, Slovakia). She has also presented solo recitals in the KNUA Violin Series, Kumho Young Artist Recital, Ewon Young Artist Recital, and at festivals including GMMF and IMA Rising Star Series.

Her orchestral leadership includes serving as concertmaster of the KNUA Symphony Orchestra, performing Strauss’s Alpine Symphony with Maestro Chi-Yong Chung, Especially an experience that realized the magnificentness of the orchestra and her deep passion for orchestral playing. She later joined the Ongakudo Ensemble Kanazawa by Prof.Kim’s recommendation, receiving full compensation and accommodation while performing under Maestro Kurt Masur. Additional orchestral work includes performances with the MSM Chamber Orchestra for Rioult Dance NY, Gangnam Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Suwon Philharmonic, KBS Symphony, Ditto Orchestra (as an associate concertmaster), the Tongyeong International Music Festival Orchestra (as a second associate principal), New York Classical Symphony, and the Seocho Cultural Foundation Orchestra(as a vice concertmaster)

She has performed at prestigious venues such as the John Borden Auditorium, Bruno Walter Auditorium, Stern Auditorium, Zankel Hall, DiMenna Center, Koussevitzky Hall, Daejeon Arts Center, Seoul Arts Center, Korean War Memorial Hall, Guro Arts Theater, LG Arts Center, and the BMW Lounge Seoul. Her repertoire spans orchestral, chamber, contemporary, and benefit concerts.She organized the charity chamber concert for children in America Wheat Mission and also she performed for the 911 memorial ceremony and Commemorate concert for U.N forces at the Korean War Memorial hall and her interview and masterclass has been published in a music magazine and participated in a youth competition as a jury member. She has also participated in the gospel recording album and Original soundtrack for movies and singers.

Jiye has also been active in major international festivals, including CIF(Casalmaggiore International Festival), SIVF (Seoul International Violin Festival), IMA (Ishikawa Music Academy), GMMF (Great Mountains Music Festival), and SISMF(San Francisco International Summer Music Festival). She has participated in masterclasses with globally acclaimed violinists including:Stefan Picard, Gérard Poulet, Michaela Martin, Krzysztof Wegrzyn, Kyoko Takezawa, Pierre Amoyal, Takashi Shimizu, Stefan Milenkovich, Cho-Liang Lin, Alexander Kerr, Oleh Krysa, Igor Ozim, Maurice Fuks, Zakhar Bron, and Koichiro Harada, among others. She also received a chamber music masterclass through a recommendation by Prof. Samuel Rhodes at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, from violinist Arnaud Sussmann.

After moving to the United States., Jiye found time to reflect and deepen her musical insight. She now enjoys commuting to Manhattan where the cultural diversity of Manhattan—its daily chaos, its vibrant spirituality, and even its simple joys like coffee and pastries on the way to work—have become part of her personal rhythm, and living her single life in New Jersey.

She believes that "good music fosters good relationships, and good relationships nurture better music." Navigating differences within the orchestra, she continues to redefine her musical role and responsibility each day, inspired by the humor, camaraderie, and emotional range of her colleagues.

Since April 2016, Jiye Lee has been a tenured violinist with the New York City Ballet Orchestra, performing regularly at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, New York.