Joanna Jimin Lee

To touch people with her music, not simply arouse their enthusiasm. That is the heartfelt desire of pianist Joanna Jimin Lee, who achieves her goal in charitable settings as much as she does on the concert podium.

Joanna Lee studied with Hans Leygraf for many years and has received degrees with high honors from the Vienna and Salzburg Music Conservatories. She has furthered her studies by participating in master classes given by Vladimir Ashkenazy, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, and György Kurtág. She has enjoyed outstanding success at piano competitions in Darmstadt, Porto, Zaragoza, Geneva, and Vienna, and other places. This is only a small excerpt from the South Korean native’s music career. And yet, her childhood dream did not center on the piano; she wanted to become a doctor. Attending the Yewon School of Music and Art in Seoul proved to be the turning point. “Up until then, I didn’t think I could take up a career as a pianist because, although I enjoyed playing in recitals, I didn’t like practicing. I needed to practice seven hours a day to get admitted to the music high school. It was during that time that I saw I was able to do it,” says Jimin Lee in flawless German. “This school, which also had dance and fine arts in its curriculum, was quite an inspiration to me. I soaked it all in and came to understand that it was all about sharing my gifts with others.”