Peace Music Ambassador
Hailed by the New York Concert Review Inc. as “an extraordinarily talented young pianist” and for “the sort of interpretive ability rare in any pianist,” Colleen Lee is one of the most brilliant pianists of the younger generations from Hong Kong and China. Since winning the 6th Prize at prestigious International Frederic Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2005, she has performed extensively around the world, in cities including New York, Boston, London, Warsaw, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Amsterdam, Prague, Vienna, Tokyo, Tele Aviv, Beijing, Xian, Yi Chang, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shantou.
She has also been a featured artist at several international music festivals in recent seasons including the International Chopin Festival in Duszniki and Gdansk in Poland; the Assisi International Piano Festival in Italy; Meissen Pianoforte Festival in Germany, International Keyboard Festival in New York, Bowdoin International Music Festival, and the 2007 Hong Kong Arts Festival. She performed with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta in Italy in 2009, at Festival Pianistico Internazionale Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli in Bergamo and Brescia and Settimane Musicali al Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza with critical acclaim. She was the Artist Associate of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta for the 2010/2011 Season and went with the orchestra on its tour to South America, performing in Argentina, Brazil and Urugauy.
She has collaborated with major international orchestras such as the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Galacia Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Guiyang Symphony Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Polish Radio, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and The Hong Kong Sinfonietta. She is also an avid chamber music lover and engages regularly in chamber music concerts including the Hong Kong International Chamber Festival 2010.
Born in Hong Kong, Colleen started her piano lesson at the age of four. Subsequently she was trained at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts under the celebrated pedagogue Ms Eleanor Wong since she was seven. After completion of her study in the Academy, she was awarded scholarship from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund and the Bernard Van Zuiden Scholarship to further her studies at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover under Professor Arie Vardi. Colleen was the recipient of many international awards prior to her success at the Chopin Competition, including First Prize at the 3rd Seiler International Piano Competition in Kitzingen, Germany, the 2003 Dorothy Mackenzie Artist Recognition Award, Third Place and Critic and Audience Prizes at the 15th International Competition for Piano and Orchestra in Cantú, Italy, 6th Place of the 1st Hong Kong International Piano Competition, the Pro Musicis International Award, Gina Bachauer International Artist Competition Award, Sendai International Music Competition award, and was Laureate of the 16th Santander International Piano Competition in Spain.
Colleen has recorded regularly for Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) for both recital and chamber music programmes and was featured in the acclaimed Outstanding Young Chinese Musicians documentary Series 2006, and in the programme and CD “Gifted”. In 2006 the Fryderyk Chopin Institute released Colleen’s Chopin album recorded with the Pleyel Piano, and an all Scarlatti Sonata CD was released by Naxos in August, 2008. In recognition of her outstanding achievements in music and in the promotion of arts and culture, Colleen has been awarded Certificate of Commendation by the Secretary of Home Affairs in 2004, Commendation for Community Service by the Hong Kong Government in 2006 and Young Artist Award by the Hong Kong Art Development Council in 2008.