Performer Biography

Shannon Lee

Twenty-six year-old violinist Shannon Lee has been praised for her “remarkable fire, impeccable intonation, and big, vibrant tone” (Gramophone). In 2018, Shannon won 2nd prize in the Naumburg International Competition, Laureate and Best Performance of an Ysaÿe Sonata in the 10th International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, and first prize at the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota National Competition for Strings. Shannon performed at the Four Seasons Winter Workshop in North Carolina, the 62nd Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Academy in Switzerland, Heifetz International Music Institute in Virginia as Artist-in-Residence, and Krzyżowa-Music Festival in Grodziszcze, Poland. She has appeared as guest artist in numerous festivals, including Music@Menlo, Music From Angel Fire, Banff Masterclasses and Orchestra, and Stowe Tango Workshop. In 2017, Shannon received generous support from the Sylva Gelber Foundation in Canada through their Award for career development and joined the Curtis Symphony Orchestra on its European tour, led by Maestro Osmo Vänskä.

Born in Canada, Shannon began studying violin at age four in Plano, Texas. She made her solo debut at the age of twelve with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and two years later performed in Europe with Maestro Christof Perick and the Nuremberg Philharmonic. Other notable appearances include with the Nashville Symphony, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Fresno Philharmonic and Phoenix Symphony. Her debut recording, Introducing Shannon Lee, features 19th and 20th century violin-piano works, which Gramophone Magazine praised for Shannon’s “technical command and fearless virtuosity.”

Shannon is pursuing a Master’s degree in Violin Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Jaime Laredo and Jan Sloman as the inaugural Presidential Scholarship recipient. She received her graduate diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia as a student of Ida Kavafian and Arnold Steinhardt. In Philadelphia, she also served as a Curtis ArtistYear Fellow under the mentorship of Mary Javian, developing the music program at Cramp Elementary Pre-K and working with All City Orchestra chamber music programs. Previously she completed her Bachelor’s degree in computer science from Columbia University while taking violin lessons with David Nadien. In Texas, Shannon studied with Jan Mark Sloman, and has played privately or in master classes for Rainer Schmidt, Guillaume Pirard, and Boris Kushnir.