Brandon Lee has received first place honors in more than 40 piano contests nationwide, including the Second New York Piano Competition under the sponsorship of the Stecher and Horowitz Foundation, the National Federation of Music Clubs, the Music Teachers National Association, the Grand Junction Young Artist Concerto Competition, and the Four Corners Piano Competition.
In concerto performances, Lee has served as guest soloist with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, San Juan Symphony Orchestra, Gold Country Chamber Orchestra, Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra and the Utah State Symphony Orchestra, with performances in Utah, California, Colorado, New York, Washington, D.C. and Texas.
Lee has received training in private lessons and master class settings with some of the world’s leading pianists, including Leon Fleisher, Stephen Hough, Kevin Kenner, Olga Kern, Norman Krieger, Jerome Lowenthal, Robert MacDonald, Charles Rosen, Andre-Michel Schub, Abbey Simon and Ralph Votapek. In chamber music settings, he has worked with the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, Pacifica Quartet, and Fry Street Quartet. In addition, he has worked closely with Craig Jessop in rehearsals and performances, including Bach’s “St. Matthew’s Passion” and recitals in Washington, D.C. and Arizona.
Lee is a graduate of Utah State University where his principal teacher was Gary Amano. Other teachers have included Dennis Hirst, Marian Kerr, and Linda Nakagawa. He completed a Masters of Music degree with Piano Performance and Pedagogy emphasis, as well as a Bachelors of Music degree with emphasis in Piano Performance, graduating Magna Cum Laude.
Lee’s collaborative work encompasses a wide range of styles and setups, including piano duo, jazz trio and quartet, piano quintet, blues trio, as well as substantial work as an accompanist for voice and instrumental performances.
Performing in a variety of musical genres, Lee was a founding member and keyboardist of a rock band, provided synth and keyboards with the band Kansas, performed progressive hip-hop music with Christylez Bacon of Washington, D.C., and accompanied Audra MacDonald in performance. In addition, he regularly performs cocktail-style piano music.
Lee serves on the faculty at Dixie State University’s school of fine arts and maintains a private studio with nearly 40 piano students. He is also an accompanist for the Southern Utah Heritage Choir and performs regularly with the Southern Utah Rebel Jazz band and Mister Royal Jazz Combo.
Throughout the last 12 years, Lee has been an educator in multiple capacities, including guest clinician, lecturer, collegiate music theory and aural training instructor, group piano/keyboard harmony instructor, as well as a private piano instructor where his students have garnered awards at competitions.