Edward Lee, viola
Meet Edward
Edward Lee (viola), 17, from Teaneck, New Jersey, is currently a high school senior at Bergen County Academies. A student of Professor Sophie Arbuckle at Juilliard Pre-College, Edward has served as Principal Violist of the Pre-College Symphony and Orchestra, as well as Principal Violist of the 2025 National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYO-USA), performing at Carnegie Hall and on a six-city Asia tour.
Edward has appeared as a soloist with the Riverside Orchestra and the Ambler Symphony Orchestra. A National YoungArts Award Winner in classical music, he has received first prizes in several international competitions, including the NFMC Wendell Irish Viola Competition, International Grande Music Competition, New York Artists Guild International Music Competition, and the New York International Young Musician Competition.
A passionate chamber musician, Edward has been an active participant in the New York Youth Symphony Chamber Music Program for five years and was a Finalist in the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Young Musicians Concert. In 2024, he attended the Morningside Music Bridge Program on full scholarship and performed in masterclasses for Lawrence Dutton, Carol Rodland, Martha Katz, Roberto Díaz, Atar Arad, and Nathan Braude.
Beyond the stage, Edward is committed to music outreach and education. He co-founded Clexical, an initiative promoting accessibility in contemporary classical music through concerts and interviews with living composers. As a Youth Leader with EnoB, he brings music to hospitals and nursing homes, and through his work with the Back to Bach Project and Show Me Your Heart Foundation Youth Council, he leads performances and workshops that connect young audiences to the joy of music.
Receiving the Award will support Edward’s continued education at Juilliard Pre-College, cover some necessary instrument repair and maintenance costs, and will help support Edward’s upcoming consultation lesson and college audition expenses.
