Okkyung Lee is a South Korean cellist, composer, and improviser known for her avant-garde music that challenges and expands the conventional understanding of cello performance. Lee has established herself as a force within contemporary experimental music, blending elements of jazz, classical, and Korean traditional music to create a distinctive and innovative sound.

Born in South Korea, Lee moved to Boston in 1993 where she began her musical studies, and subsequently relocated to New York City, where she became an active participant in the city's bustling downtown music scene. Over the years, Lee's fearless approach to music has earned her collaborations with a diverse array of musicians and artists from across genres and borders. She consistently defies categorization, which is evidenced in her discography which includes the textured and introspective "Yeo-Neun" and the uncompromising intensity of "Ghil." Her works, such as "Cheol-Kkot-Sae (Steel.Flower.Bird)" and "Amalgam," showcase her technical virtuosity along with her emotive and nuanced compositional style. Okkyung Lee continues to be a vibrant, influential voice, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with her cello and her expansive artistic vision.

Genres

Cello

Electra

Korean Experimental

Modern Cello

Tzadik

Related Artists

C. Spencer Yeh

Ikue Mori

Lucy Railton

Ellen Arkbro

Sarah Davachi

Oren Ambarchi

Aaron Dilloway

Kali Malone

Pauline Oliveros

Leila Bordreuil

Lisa Lerkenfeldt

Loren Connors

Latest Release

seven

Okkyung Lee

Single - Released January 9, 2024