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With a Carnegie Hall debut described as “powerful” and “hefty” by the New York Times, American conductor Vince Lee is quickly rising as one of today’s top emerging talents. Known among his contemporaries for his dynamic performances and his razor-sharp ear, Mr. Lee’s diverse musical background provides him a flexibility and perspective that is unique in the conducting world. His firm belief in striving for the highest artistic standards, regardless of genre, venue, or audience, has made him a crowd favorite, and a popular hire for numerous orchestras and arts organizations throughout the country. Recent highlights include appearances with the Florida Orchestra, the Toledo Symphony, and the Korean Symphony Orchestra in Seoul, South Korea. Mr. Lee is currently the Music Director of the Ocean City Pops in Ocean City, New Jersey.

During his tenure with the Cincinnati Symphony, Mr. Lee revolutionized his role as Assistant Conductor for the orchestra. His symphonic concerts with the CSO received critical acclaim, and his Young People’s Concerts found unprecedented levels of success, combining elements of increased interactivity with high artistic standards. This tradition has continued in his activities as a guest conductor, designing and conducting innovative and engaging concerts for tens of thousands of concertgoers.

With over 200 premieres to his credit, Mr. Lee has become one of the most sought-after conductors of modern compositions. Lauded in reviews for his “striking attention to detail,” and “energetic, breathtaking performance,” he has established a reputation among composers for bringing particularly challenging and complex music to life. Mr. Lee is also an enthusiastic believer in paying his experiences forward to the next generation of musicians, and regularly appears as a guest at schools, universities, and workshops across the US.

Mr. Lee made his professional conducting debut at age 13 with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, under the tutelage of Erich Kunzel. His conducting studies took him to Indiana University before being invited to study at the Juilliard School by Maestro James DePreist. After receiving his post-graduate diploma from Juilliard, Mr. Lee's career came full circle when he won his first professional conducting position with the Cincinnati Symphony.