Lee excited to be part of WSO holiday concert

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/11/2018 (2723 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Playing the piano has been an important part of 17-year-old Jammie Lee’s life, from when he was growing up in South Korea, to where he now lives in Brandon.

“I really enjoyed it ever since I started (playing),” Lee said. “I just think the piano — it really is just a beautiful instrument, and I can produce some beautiful music.”

The teen will get the opportunity to showcase his talent when he performs with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra on Friday at their Holiday Concert in Brandon. And he’s looking forward to the opportunity.

“I’ve been performing all my life, and I’m just really happy that I get to perform with the orchestra and in front of a large audience,” he said.

The concert is an annual event, and will include seasonal music, comedy, storytelling, sing-alongs and a visit from Santa.

Lee will be playing a solo piece, the finale of a Mozart Concerto, that he said will appeal to most audience members. Mozart originally tried to teach his pet bird this concerto and failed, he said.

“It’s really joyful and playful, and I guess it’s a cute piece for me at least, Lee said.“(It really) has a funny backstory to it, and I think that reflects a lot in the music.”

When he first started playing the piano, he was only five years old. He played in Korea until he was seven years old, and then moved to Canada. Playing in Korea was quite stressful, he said.

“I did get a little nervous at times, and I did enjoy it less than I am performing now. Performing now is just a much more joyful experience, it’s not a competition, I just get to perform in front of an audience and I get to produce beautiful music that everyone enjoys.”

Throughout the time he has played piano, he was able to develop both on stage and as a person. He used to be quite nervous before going on stage to perform, but that’s faded with time and experience, he said.

“Previous competitions I entered, it helped me of course with stage fright and all that. I think just a lot of competitions and performances I’m used to them, and I think competitions do motivate me to become better.”

He has also learned life skills that will be useful to him in the future, from piano teachers who helped him along the way.

““They’ve taught me some personal skills and a lot of other things that a musician should have, they taught me lots of maturity and taught me what a musician should be.”

And, although it was a lot of work, Lee said he feels very fortunate to have started playing piano at such an early age because of the opportunities he has received — “such as this one, playing with the orchestra in my hometown (on Nov. 23),” he said.

He was originally thinking about pursuing a career as a pianist, but the current Grade 12 Vincent Massey High School student said he has decided to attend McGill University next year to study medicine instead.

However, he still wants to continue playing the piano moving forward.

“I would never want to let go of music completely. I hope to still carry piano with me in my life,” he said.

Tickets for the concert are $54 for adults, and $12.50 for students. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium. The concert will also feature soprano singer Katherine Mayba and conductor Michelle Mourre.

» mverge@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @Melverge5