鈥淲hen I play the Shostakovich,鈥� expressed Brian Lee, 鈥渋t feels like I have a real purpose as a cellist.鈥�
Lee, who has been studying with RSC faculty member Eugene Kim since he was eight years old, won one of the five grand prize spots at the With cello and bow in hand, he took to the stage of Symphony Hall with Keith Lockart and the Boston Pops on June 6, 2023 and gave a powerful performance of the first movement of the Dmitri Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 107.
鈥淧laying with an orchestra of such high caliber conducted by the esteemed Maestro Lockhart helped me realize the true magnitude of the Shostakovich Cello Concerto,鈥� says Lee, 鈥渁nd enabled me to express emotions that I didn鈥檛 think were possible to bring out inside me beforehand.鈥�
Advancing to the Fidelity Competition鈥檚 live auditions was no easy feat, especially with nearly 100 other applicants, but Lee distinguished himself with his interpretation of Shostakovich鈥檚 magnum opus, which Kim described as: 鈥渁 true virtuosic and interpretive test.鈥� Shostakovich鈥檚 Cello Concerto, originally written for his friend and world-renowned cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, was premiered by Rostropovich and the Leningrad Philharmonic in 1959.
The voices in this strikingly orchestrated work come together to tell a heart-pounding story. 鈥淭he first movement,鈥� says Lee, 鈥渋s a unique piece in the sense that it focuses on struggle during a time of deep oppression鈥擨 felt that it was very reflective of what is going on in many parts of the world today, especially with the invasion of Ukraine.鈥�
With each bow stroke, Lee revealed the layers of rage and intensity throughout the work, making the movement come alive in the historic Symphony Hall. Kim describes seeing Lee鈥檚 performance as 鈥渁 tremendous experience鈥� he was able to make a real artistic statement. What the audience saw that night was 11 years of dedication and hard work in the making.鈥�
Lee鈥檚 Boston Pops debut was a true testament to how he has grown artistically, something that has also highlighted the heart-warming journey he has shared with Kim. 鈥淚 began studying with Eugene when I was eight years old,鈥� says Lee, 鈥渁nd he is my first and only cello teacher to date. I will never forget how he continued to stay by my side even during the last warm-up before I went on stage, ensuring that I would step on stage feeling good and confident.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 been gratifying to see Brian develop from being a talented beginning cellist to becoming a communicative musician,鈥� says Kim. 鈥淲hat stands out about Brian is his stamina for refining his interpretation for each piece.鈥�
Lee鈥檚 artistic voice is inspiring and he does not back away from the unconventional. 鈥淎fter the performance,鈥� Kim says: 鈥淢aestro Keith Lockhart told me that the Shostakovich is definitely not typical Pops repertoire!鈥�
Sharing the stage with Lockhart and the Boston Pops is an experience like no other and something that will stick with Lee. 鈥淚 will cherish all the great memories I made during the rehearsals, master classes, and of course the final performance for the rest of my life,鈥� says Lee, 鈥淚鈥檓 extremely grateful that I was able to have this wonderful opportunity, and I would really encourage all local musicians to give it a shot as well.鈥�
