Daniel Lee, center, with violin lowered, sits with other orchestra members after a concert at Carnegie Hall. ‘I was enamored by the bright red pants that the orchestra was famous for wearing, and the high level of passion and skill in their YouTube videos inspired me as a young teenager,’ he said.
Daniel Lee, in front, at the NYO-USA Concert at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland.
Daniel Lee in class at Jesuit High School, where he has a 4.67 grade point average.
Daniel Lee on the roof of Carnegie Hall.
Daniel Lee, center, with violin lowered, sits with other orchestra members after a concert at Carnegie Hall. ‘I was enamored by the bright red pants that the orchestra was famous for wearing, and the high level of passion and skill in their YouTube videos inspired me as a young teenager,’ he said.
Daniel Lee, in front, at the NYO-USA Concert at the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland.
Daniel Lee in class at Jesuit High School, where he has a 4.67 grade point average.
The best way to get to Carnegie Hall? For Kenner resident Daniel Lee, an 18-year-old senior at Jesuit High School, it was recognition from the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America.
Lee, a violinist, was recently named as one of 109 teens from around the country, and the only musician from Louisiana, to be selected for the 10th annual National Youth Orchestra, which means Carnegie Hall recognizes them as among the finest players in the country.
This was the third year that Lee has been recognized by the group for his musical excellence. The experience has been transformative.
“My past two summers with NYO have changed my life,” Lee said. “The musicians I’ve met have been some of the most inspiring and interesting people in my life. It’s the people that make this program so great.”
Daniel Lee on the roof of Carnegie Hall.
Being a part of this unique musical community provides performers with professional training and unforgettable experiences. Last year, Lee performed in venues across Europe, including concerts in Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
He lists Carnegie Hall in New York and Ravello, a city on the Amalfi Coast of Italy, as his favorites.
“The energy during the Carnegie Hall concert was electrifying,” he said. “Ravello, on the other hand, was an outdoor venue on the side of a mountain overlooking the Italian Coast. The view was spectacular, and it felt as if we were on a floating platform.”
As part of the experience, NYO-USA musicians also meet and collaborate with local musicians on their travels and experience the richness of other cultures. All of the travel and training are fully funded by the donors of Carnegie Hall, and Lee enjoys being one of its cultural ambassadors.
“The people I met in NYO have opened my eyes to the wonderful possibilities out there, so I could not be more excited for the future.”
Lee, the son of Chung-Gi Lee and Hwang-Geun Youn-Lee, said the application process to the program was a long one. Submissions included written and video essays as well as samples of his work. These performance pieces “are small parts of standard orchestral repertoire purposefully chosen to showcase our capabilities,” he said.
This year, those selected to the program will travel to New York in July for an intensive two-week training residency at Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY).
Then, acclaimed English conductor Sir Andrew Davis will lead NYO-USA at the orchestra’s annual Carnegie Hall concert on July 14 before the group embarks on its North American tour, performing in venues ranging from Quebec to Dallas.
Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall’s executive and artistic director, said the experience will be a great one for all involved.
“This summer promises to be unforgettable, as these superb young musicians come together to train with some of the best professional musicians in the country and explore a fantastic range of repertoire,” he said. “They will perform on some of the finest stages across North America, and we’re thrilled that Sir Andrew Davis, Gil Shaham, and Hilary Hahn will join to lend their insight and artistry.”
Lee, a violinist, said he is excited that the tour also includes performances with renowned violin players like Shaham and Hahn. In fact, Lee considers Hahn as one of his greatest musical influences, but he said his mother has truly been the driving force behind his success.
“My first instrument was actually the piano, which I started when I was 5 years old. However, because piano is mainly a solo-focused instrument, my mother encouraged me to try an orchestral instrument, the violin, at the age of 10.”
He said that decision and her encouragement propelled him to always strive for excellence.
“Her tremendous, everlasting support is the reason behind all of my accomplishments,” Lee said.
Lee also credits his growth to Byron Tauchi, a violinist in the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. “He has been my teacher since the very beginning and crucial to my success as well.”
An honor roll student with a 4.67 grade point average, Lee is active in a number of organizations at Jesuit. He said juggling all of his school responsibilities with his musical ones can be a challenge.
“Practice time depends mostly on how much sleep I am willing to sacrifice. School work and other extracurriculars take so much time, but I usually try to practice at least an hour a day, preferably two or three.”’
Mike Begg, an English teacher at Jesuit, said Lee’s character strengths are as impressive as his school accomplishments.
“Daniel is a model for others through his kindness, drive, and love for learning,” Begg said. “He is one of the most naturally talented and hardworking students with whom I have had the opportunity to work. It is clear to me that he has a very bright future in whatever field of study he decides to pursue.”
Lee said his future plans and career path are a bit uncertain right now, but he is sure of one thing going forward. “I know that I will always share the gift of music.”
To learn more about NYO-USA, visit carnegiehall.org/nyousa. See more from NYO-USA on YouTube at youtube.com/nyousa.
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