The associate concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra will become a full-time associate professor at Oberlin from autumn 2026
Amy Lee, associate concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra, has been appointed as full-time associate professor of violin at the Oberlin Conservatory, Ohio, from autumn 2026. She has been a visiting professor at the conservatory since 2024.
Lee, who was born in Seoul, South Korea, made her solo debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of 15. She entered the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia aged 16, where she earned her bachelor’s degree, before going on to complete her master’s at the Juilliard School. She won first prize at the 2004 Irving M. Klein International String Competition and the 2005 Corpus Christi International Competition for piano and strings, and has played as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the US and Europe. She was appointed associate concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra in 2008, and has appeared as a soloist with the orchestra numerous times, including notable performances of Barber’s Violin Concerto and Pärt’s Fratres.
Bill Quillen, Dean of the Oberlin Conservatory, commented, ‘Amy is not only a world-class artist, as her extraordinary tenure with the Cleveland Orchestra might attest – she is also a first-rate teacher, and we are thrilled beyond words that our students will have the opportunity to study with and learn from her.’
Lee commented, ‘Teaching here has been profoundly meaningful. The students are open, curious, and eager to grow, bringing a wonderful sense of possibility into the studio. I’m thrilled to be part of shaping the future here – guiding young musicians as they discover their own voices, develop technical freedom and artistic vision, and grow with confidence and resilience.’
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