On Deck with James Lee
November 16, 2024
James Lee is a 16-year-old classical and jazz pianist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. A junior at Wilsonville High School, James is an active member of the Symphonic Band/Pep Band as a percussionist, the Jazz Band as a pianist and drummer, and regularly accompanies classmates for OMEA competitions. This summer, he graduated from the OMTA Syllabus program “with distinction” under Heidi Evans, having also participated in solo and concerto piano festivals, masterclasses with renowned pianists Jeeyoon Kim and Kate Boyd, and recently earned honorable mention in the 2024 OMTA State Composition Festival.
James began playing piano at age six, cultivating a passion not only for performance but for improvisation and composition. His two-year jazz studies with Jihyun Hwang greatly expanded his understanding of improvisation and music theory. Since 2021, James has studied composition under Jennifer Wright, deepening his knowledge of the craft. As a freshman, he joined Fear No Music’s Young Composers Project, where he had the opportunity to workshop chamber music with professional musicians. In 2023 James composed for the MYS Portland Camerata string orchestra, conducted by Paloma Hebert, and his piece was performed in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. He has also composed for Charles A. Martin’s Young Composers Concert Series, blending jazz influences into classical chamber music.
Beyond music, James holds a black belt in Taekwondo and teaches at his family’s studio, Lee’s Martial Arts Academy. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, playing video games, and watching TV shows.
