CCM Prof. Kristin Lee hosts event to honor former teacher Dorothy DeLay

UC College-Conservatory of Music Violin Professor Kristin Lee hosts a free online event at 7:30 p.m. ET this Wednesday, Dec. 1, honoring her former teacher, Dorothy Delay. Presented by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the program also features a panel with Itzhak Perlman, Toby Perlman, Cho-Liang Lin and CCM Professor Sandra Rivers, all of whom had close relationships with DeLay.

DeLay is credited as one of the world's most famous teachers of violin. She taught at the Juilliard School, Sarah Lawrence College and at CCM. During her three-decade tenure at CCM, DeLay guided countless soloists, concertmasters, chamber musicians and music educators to the tops of their professions.

"Dorothy DeLay (was) one of the most important, impactful, powerful, and revolutionary violin pedagogues who touched hundreds, if not thousands, of violinists, including myself," Lee says in an interview with violinist.com. "I feel the weight on my shoulders to be giving this talk as one of her very late students, but I am extremely excited to be joined by guests who exemplify the different generations that Ms. DeLay touched, including Itzhak Perlman and Cho-Liang Lin."

Rivers served as DeLay’s pianist in her lessons for over 20 years. Lee says, “[she is] especially interested in chatting with Sandra about how Ms. DeLay inspired and helped her career as a woman of color during that era."

Lee studied with DeLay during her time in Juilliard's Pre-College Division, along with Itzhak Perlman during her master’s degree at the conservatory. She is a recipient of the 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant and a top prizewinner of the 2012 Walter W. Naumburg Competition and the Astral Artists’ 2010 National Auditions. Lee has appeared with some of the leading orchestras, including St. Louis Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic.

"Recognizing the extraordinary history of violin pedagogy at CCM, which includes my teacher Dorothy DeLay, I take this opportunity with great honor and look forward to nurturing the violinists of our future generation,” Lee says about her recent appointment to CCM.

The Chamber Music Society's online lecture to celebrate the legacy of Dorothy DeLay is at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 1; register online to attend.

The study of violin at CCM is strongly performance based. The cornerstone of all degree programs is private lessons with faculty, who serve as mentors for students and direct their individual musical, performing and teaching growth. 

The curriculum emphasizes the development of the well-rounded, holistic musician by providing a solid background in music history and theory as well as areas specific to each musical medium. Undergraduate students enjoy a close collaboration with the University of Cincinnati through a general education core that supplements their education with academic course work while graduate students specialize more precisely in their chosen field.

Featured image at top: Portrait of Kristin Lee. Photo/Sophie Zhai