I-Hao Lee is a distinguished violinist and pedagogue whose students have emerged as some of the most compelling young artists of their generation. Known for cultivating a rich, individualized sound and a keen musical awareness, Lee is dedicated to fostering personal excellence while shaping the complete artist. His holistic approach has led students to notable success on the international stage, including top prizes at the Queen Elisabeth, Paganini, Tibor Varga, Young Concert Artists, Cooper, Postacchini, Odesa, and Sarasate International Competitions. Under his mentorship, students have also received distinctions such as the Avery Fisher Career Grant and a Grammy nomination, and have appeared as soloists with leading orchestras including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Mariinsky Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Many of his former students now hold positions in major American orchestras, among them the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
Lee serves as a tenured faculty member at DePaul University’s School of Music, the Meadowmount School of Music, and Northwestern University’s Summer Violin Institute. His previous appointments include The Juilliard School and the Music Institute of Chicago. He frequently presents master classes throughout the United States and Asia, has been featured in a PBS spotlight, and has taught violin and chamber music at Manhattanville College and the Great Mountains Music Festival and School.
In 2018, Lee founded the I-Hao Lee Program, a semi-annual music festival in China that brings young musicians from around the world together for intensive study, performance, and artistic development. As Artistic Director, he oversees the program’s curriculum and vision, cultivating an environment that encourages growth and exploration.
Born in Yilan, Taiwan, Lee received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University. His principal teachers include Dorothy DeLay and Hyo Kang.