William Suh, cello and Kyunga Lee, piano

Program

  • Florence Price (1887-1953) - Elfentanz (4')
  • Claude Debussy (1862-1918) - Cello Sonata, L. 135 (1915) (10')
  • I. Prologue: Lent, sostenuto e molto risoluto
  • II. Sérénade: Modérément animé
  • III. Finale: Animé, léger et nerveux
  • Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) - Les chemins de l’amour (1940) (3')
  • Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) - Cello Sonata, FP 143 (1940-48; rev. 1953) (22')
  • I. Allegro: Tempo di Marcia
  • II. Cavatine
  • III. Ballabile
  • IV. Finale

Cellist William Suh has been recognized for his engaging musicianship, dynamic tonal color and artistic sincerity in concerts across the United States, Asia, and Europe. A recipient of the Aldo Parisot Prize and Broadus Erle Prize from the Yale School of Music, Suh was awarded first prizes at the National Federation of Music Clubs Young Artists Competition, the 57th Serge & Olga Koussevitzky Young Artist Awards, the 50th Hudson Valley Philharmonic String Competition, the Aspen Music Festival Concerto Competition, New England Conservatory Concerto Competition and the Music Teachers National Association String Competition. Suh also holds top honors from the New York International Artists Association and Hellam Young Artist competitions. A recipient of the Young Artist Award from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, Suh’s performances have been featured on WQXR, WMFT, and National Public Radio.

Recent and upcoming concerts include solo appearances with the Savannah Philharmonic and Lowell Chamber Orchestra, along with recital engagements presented by the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts (Chicago, IL), Friends of Classical Music series (Greenport, NY), and the St. Botolph Club Foundation (Boston, MA), where he was recognized with the 2025 Emerging Artist Award. Notable past performances include appearances at the Art Live Theater International Hall in Kyoto, Japan with the Kyoto International Music Festival Orchestra, the Paesaggi Musicali Toscani festival in Val d’Orcia, Italy, and Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall. Suh has also appeared as a soloist with the Hudson Valley Symphony Orchestra, the Aspen Conducting Academy Orchestra, and the New England Conservatory Symphony at Jordan Hall under the direction of Hugh Wolff.

Suh is an Artist Diploma candidate at The Juilliard School, where he also serves as a teaching assistant to Astrid Schween. A graduate of the Yale School of Music, the New England Conservatory, and the Colburn School, Suh’s principal mentors have included the late Joel Krosnick, Paul Watkins, Paul Katz and Clive Greensmith. He performs on a 1913 cello by Carl Becker Sr. on generous loan from the Colburn Collection.

South Korean pianist Kyunga Lee is widely admired for her refined artistry, sensitivity, and versatility as a collaborative musician. With a deep commitment to musical partnership, she has established herself as a sought-after chamber musician and collaborator across repertoire ranging from the classical canon to contemporary works. A former Collaborative Piano Fellow at the Yale School of Music, Kyunga has worked extensively with both instrumental and vocal studios and performed in masterclasses with renowned artists including Augustin Hadelich, Hilary Hahn, and Steven Isserlis. Her festival appearances include concerts at the Aspen Music Festival, Chamber Music Northwest, Great Mountains International Music Festival, Rheingau Musik Festival, and Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival.

Kyunga is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Boston University, where she studies under the mentorship of Sheila Kibbe. She holds a Graduate Diploma and a Master of Music in Collaborative Piano from the New England Conservatory as a recipient of the Dean’s Scholarship and received her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from The Juilliard School with the support of the Susan W. Rose Piano Fellowship, studying under Matti Raekallio, Julian Martin, and Yoheved Kaplinsky.

About the Dame Myra Hess Concerts

The concerts are generously sponsored by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Illinois Arts Council and by individual donors.

Upcoming Performances

Stay connected with us on social
Join our mailing list and stay up to date.