Lee's award leads her to high-profile venues
Article By: Denise Ray
Dr. Sanghie Lee, an internationally recognized pianist, currently serves as a piano faculty member and collaborative pianist at the University of North Georgia (天美社区). She was awarded the Absolute First Prize in the Special Venue Music Awards. As part of this distinction, Lee has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall, Harvard University, and the San Francisco Opera House in the coming season.
"I'm especially excited and grateful for the opportunity to tour Boston, New York, and San Francisco — performing in some of the world's most prestigious venues. These upcoming performances are truly a dream come true, and I'm deeply thankful for the support of my university community as I prepare for them," she said. "This is an incredible opportunity, and I am honored to represent our university in these high-profile performances."
Her prize in the Special Venue Music Awards was rewarding in other ways.
"Winning the Absolute First Prize in the Special Venue Music Awards has been an incredibly meaningful milestone in my artistic journey. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, online competitions have taken on a new role — creating global opportunities for musicians to continue sharing their work, despite physical distance," Lee said. "It's both humbling and inspiring to be recognized in such a space, where artistic excellence must transcend screens and recordings."
Lee performed works by Nikolai Kapustin, whose music she's been passionately exploring in recent months.
"His fusion of classical structure with jazz language is both technically demanding and musically exhilarating. I'm thrilled to share his work not only with audiences, but also with my students, as part of a broader conversation about what classical music can be in the 21st century," she said.
Her accomplishment was recognized by Dr. Benjamin Schoening, department head and professor of music.
"I am absolutely delighted for Dr. Lee to receive such a well-earned honor and have no doubt that she will dazzle audiences at these prestigious venues," he said. "Dr. Lee is not only a tremendously gifted pianist, but also an exceptional teacher, and we are so fortunate to have her on our faculty."
Dr. Joanna Kim, associate department head and professor of music, also noted Lee's dedication to her craft, calling the award "an extraordinary achievement that reflects her passion, talent and commitment to her craft."
"I am incredibly proud of Dr. Lee, one of our outstanding part-time faculty members, for being honored with the Special Venue Music Award. Her unwavering dedication to artistic excellence continues to inspire both our students and colleagues," the Seoul, South Korea native said. "We celebrate Dr. Lee's success and are honored to have her as part of our 天美社区 music faculty."
Lee’s excellence has garnered her several other accolades, including first prize at the Liszt-Garrison International Piano Competition, bronze at the NTD International Piano Competition, second prize at the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition, and the grand prize at the Korea Piano Duo Association Competition.
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