HAENA LEE, CELLO

Passionate in both solo and chamber playing, Haena Lee, age 21, was born in Malaysia and started her cello lessons at the age of nine upon returning to her home country, South Korea. A few years later, she moved to Canada where she continued her cello studies in Edmonton, Alberta.

As a young soloist in Edmonton, she won various scholarships and awards, including the Alberta College Fall Music Festival Scholarship in 2009 and Alberta College Scholarship from the A.C Scholarship Competition in 2010. She served as a principal cellist for both Edmonton Junior String Ensemble and Edmonton Youth Orchestra, winning the Diana Bacon Young Musician Award. Haena also performed as a soloist with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in 2012.

In 2012, Haena moved to Calgary, Alberta and she was accepted into the Academy Program for Gifted Youth. In 2015, she sequentially entered the Advanced Performance Program, participating in various recitals, concerts, chamber ensembles, and masterclasses with guest artists such as Frans Helmerson, Colin Carr and more. Moreover, she won numerous awards and scholarships at the Calgary Kiwanis Festival and Canadian Music Competition. She joined the Calgary Youth Orchestra in 2013 and placed Honourable Mention in the 2015 Frank Simpson Concerto Competition and had the opportunity to play the first movement of Lalo Concerto in D minor with the Calgary Youth Orchestra.

During the summers, she participated in many festivals such as Morningside MusicBridge, Meadowmount School of Music, Heifetz Institute and more. 

Haena obtained her Bachelor of Music Performance at the Manhattan School of Music, taking part in many performances and masterclasses. She will be studying her Master of Music Performance at the McGill’s Schulich School of Music with Professor Brian Manker starting this fall.