Seiko Lee
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Soprano, Seiko Lee (b. Tokyo, Japan) began her musical studies at age five (piano, voice and flute.) As a member of the NHK Children's Chorus for ten years she traveled on several good-will tours including a concert tour of Eastern Europe in 1976. As a professional has performed in both the opera house and concert stage in Europe, South America, Asia and the United States. She has recorded as soloist for SONY, RCA Victor and Manhattan Center Records. In 2006 she became one of the few Japanese artists to perform in North Korea. She returned to North Korea for performances in 2007.
Her concert tours have taken her to some of the world's preeminent venues including New York's Lincoln Center, Manhattan Center and Madison Square Garden, Japan’s Makuhari Messe and Shin Koguki-kan Stadium and Seoul's Olympic Stadium in 1992 where she performed for 120,000 people as part of the first World Cultural and Sports Festival. She has performed for many world dignitaries including the Japanese Emperor and former heads of state such as Sir Edward Heath of Britain, H.E. Kenneth Kuanda of Zambia, H.E. Rodrigo Escobar Navia of Columbia and H.E. Stanislav Shushkevich of Belarus.
Seiko Lee has appeared in numerous international opera productions including Carmen, Macbeth, La Traviata, Cosi fan tutte, and Un Destino Immortale. In addition, she has performed with the Mukiukai Opera and the Japan Opera Studio in Tokyo. She recently made her U.S. operatic debut in New York City with the La Scaletta Opera and she has also appeared with the Connecticut Opera and New York's Henry Street Opera. In 1998 she presented a joint recital in Asuncion, Paraguay with national icon, Gloria del Paraguay.
Since 1996 she has been a frequent soloist with the New York City Symphony under the baton of David Eaton and the NYC Symphony Chamber Ensemble. In 1996 she toured with the NYC Symphony Chamber Ensemble in concerts in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Connecticut and Washington, D.C. In 1998 and 1999 she appeared as a soloist at the Lincoln Center with New York's historic Goldman Memorial Band. In 2002 she appeared with the New York City Symphony Chamber Ensemble in the Temple Recital Series in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2005 she was the featured soloist at the inaugural ceremony of the Universal Peace Federation at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall.
She appeared as a featured soloist in the Three Sopranos World Peace Concert in Asuncion, Paraguay in 2007.
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[edit] Peace Advocacy
Beyond her career as a concert artist, Miss Lee has exhibited a deep concern for issues of world peace and human rights.
She released her first CD Songs of Peace and in 2005 she released her second CD, “Liberation-Songs of My Spiritual Country” (arranged by David Eaton) dedicated to the peace initiative of healing the enmity between Japan and Korea. She has traveled extensivesly to Japan and Korea to promote the healing and reconciliation of these two countries through music. She has made frequent appearances at the United Nations in peace concerts for reconciliation and healing as well. Her concerts in North Korea are also a result of her peace advocacy through music.
In 2005 and 2006 she appeared with the renowned, Israeli vocalist David D’Or in Jerusalem as part of the Middle East Peace Initiative Concerts for Interreligious Unity. In April 2006 she returned to Tel Aviv where she appeared with the R’ananna Symphony Orchestra as a featured vocalist in the premiere recording of Halelu-Songs of David a peace cantata co-composed by David D’Or and David Eaton. She appeared with David Eaton and David D’Or in the world-premiere performance of Halelu in May, 2007 with the Belgrade Symphony Orchestra at the Sava Center in Belgrade, Serbia.
She appeared with maestro David Eaton and David D’Or in a second performance of Halelu in Sofia, Bulgaria on October 8, 2007 with the Sofia Philharmonic and Chorus.
Seiko Lee is a charter member of the Artists Association for World Peace and has contributed to numerous social and charitable activities, including reconciliation projects in Rwanda and Nigeria. Along with David Eaton she is a charter member of Artists Association for World Peace (AAWP).
[edit] Recordings & Video
- "Song of Peace": CD, Music by Sibelius, Gounod, Rogers and Hammerstein, etc. Copyright, SeikoLee Project, 2001
- "Liberation-Songs of My Spiritual Country," CD, Traditional Korean Melodies, Copyright, SeikoLee Project, 2005
- "Halelu-Songs of David," CD, Cantata for Peace, Music by David D'Or and David Eaton, Copyright, David Eaton/David D'Or, 2006
- "Seiko Lee, "Holiday Benefit & Would Tour Concert," DVD, Live Concert, Copyright, SeikoLee Project, 2007
[edit] References
- Daily Freeman: Article, "Building Bridges Through Song," by Melissa LaJara, June 11, 2006
- La Nacion: Article, "Realizan Concierto Mundial de Sopranos," November 12, 2007
- La Nacion: Article, "Three Sopranos Began its International Tour Today, the BCP," November 14, 2007
- La Nacion: Article, "The sopranos provided a spectacle of luxury CPB, November 16, 2007
- In Touch Magazine: Article, "Cantata for Peace," by Gina Coleman, May, 2008
- Saegae Ilbo: Concert Review by Dong Kyung Pak, June 15, 2005
- Denver Korean Times (Han Kook Ilbo): Article, "Seiko Lee, vocal recital," October 2, 1999
- Tiempos del Mundo: Article/Concert Notice in Paraguay, September 3, 1998.
- Nepal News: Article, "Voice of Peace," by Anand Gurug, March 16, 2008
- The Barrytown Gazette: Article, "Redhook Housewife's music brings joy, healing to the world." by Henry Christopher, April, 2008
