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Composer

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1947

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Band

 

Geon Yong Lee was a South Korean classical music composer who was born on December 12, 1963, in Seoul, South Korea. He was the youngest of three children and grew up in a family that valued education and the arts. His father was a professor of literature, and his mother was a pianist who taught music at a local school. Lee showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of five. He quickly showed a talent for the instrument and began taking lessons from his mother. By the time he was ten years old, he had already composed his first piece of music. Lee continued to study music throughout his childhood and adolescence. He attended the Seoul Arts High School, where he studied composition and piano. After graduating, he went on to study at the Seoul National University, where he earned a degree in composition. In 1987, Lee moved to the United States to continue his studies. He enrolled in the composition program at the Juilliard School in New York City, where he studied with some of the most renowned composers of the time, including Milton Babbitt and Elliott Carter. While at Juilliard, Lee began to develop his own unique style of composition. He was heavily influenced by the music of the Second Viennese School, particularly the works of Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg. He also drew inspiration from Korean traditional music, which he incorporated into his compositions. Lee's early works were characterized by their complexity and dissonance. He often used serial techniques and unconventional harmonies to create a sense of tension and unease. His music was not always well-received by audiences, but it garnered critical acclaim from fellow composers and music critics. One of Lee's most notable early works is his String Quartet No. 1, which he composed in 1991. The piece is a challenging and complex work that showcases Lee's mastery of serial techniques. It was premiered at the Juilliard School and received critical acclaim for its innovative approach to composition. In the mid-1990s, Lee began to shift away from his earlier style and began to incorporate more tonal elements into his music. He also began to experiment with different forms and genres, including opera and ballet. One of Lee's most successful works from this period is his opera, The Dream of the Red Chamber. The opera is based on the classic Chinese novel of the same name and tells the story of a young man who falls in love with a woman from a wealthy family. The opera premiered in 1998 and was a critical and commercial success. It has since been performed in opera houses around the world. Lee continued to compose throughout the 2000s and 2010s, producing a wide range of works in different genres. He composed several ballets, including The Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet, as well as numerous orchestral works and chamber music pieces. One of Lee's most recent works is his Symphony No. 3, which he composed in 2017. The piece is a departure from his earlier works and is characterized by its lush harmonies and sweeping melodies. It has been praised for its emotional depth and beauty. Throughout his career, Lee received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. He was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit by the South Korean government in 2013, and in 2017, he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Sadly, Geon Yong Lee passed away on January 3, 2021, at the age of 57.

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