Music

My recent music has been described as being “madcap, lyrical, dramatic, meditative, tonal, and atonal,” some of these words being incongruous with the other. It has always been somewhat of a challenge for me to put one or two labels on what my compositions “sound like,” many times being that I try, I attempt to make the next work a “journey of it’s own”, many times focusing on techniques and “pitches” not used in my prior works. I recently had my challenging choral work Come What May commissioned by Harold Rosenbaum and the New York Virtuoso Singers, and here’s what TheatreScene thought about it: “The last piece of the evening was Come What May with music and lyrics by Michael Lee…This three-section piece was the concert’s most structurally complex work: the exceptionally technically demanding work begins with a fast dance-like movement, is centered by a rhythmically looser section, and concludes with a darker, more abstract movement that refers back to the opening speedy sophistication with intimate, lyrical hopefulness…”

My music on Navona Records ‘Lock & Key, Vol. III’ (2023), ‘Between the Echoes’ (2016), and Ablaze Records ‘Millenial Masters vol. 2 (2011) and 9 (2019)’ CD/Digital albums can be streamed and/or purchased on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube, Deezer, Tidal, and Idiago — send me a message if you have any questions or comments regarding the above.

Listen below to Ghost Break Dance, a world premiere by Ensemble ARI in 2019.

Audio files, music notation on this website are protected under the United States Copyright Law. Redistributing, copying, posting on another website without prior written permission is punishable by law. Violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Purchase

Michael Lee – “2020: Danse Macabre” for String Trio (Part I, 2022, currently working on Part II) recently recorded/performed by the Juventas New Music Ensemble (Oliver Caplan (dir.), Ryan Shannon (vln.), Lu Yu (vla.), Timothy Paek (vlc.)) at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, MA.

» Buy it on Apple Music
» Buy it on Amazon
» Listen on Spotify

More on “Lock & Key, Vol. III” Digital Album (Release date: October 27, 2023, #NV6561):

“The critically acclaimed LOCK & KEY series once again opens its doors in this third installment, featuring an all-new roster of contemporary composers with an emphasis on new music and its connection to our ever-evolving ethos. Clever arrangements and unique compositional personalities are met with impeccable performances in this release, touching on wide-ranging themes from turmoil to introspection, meditation, and ultimately, unity in the human experience. In an exhilarating burst of energy, LOCK & KEY VOL. III resonates with raw authenticity, a testament to the depth and complexity of our shared humanity.”
– PARMA Recordings

Michael Lee’s “Farewell…” for String Quartet (2012) is recorded by members of the Moravian Philharmonic: Vit Muzik (vln.), Igor Kopyt (vln.), Dominika Mužíková (vla.), Petr Nouzovský (vlc.)

» Buy it on Apple Music
» Buy it on Amazon
» Listen on Spotify

Review for “Between the Echoes” Album:

“…tradition is gleefully thrown to the wind – such as with Lee’s stunning ‘Farewell… for String Quartet’, with its ever-shifting rhythms, timbres, and moods… It’s a wonderfully rich and diverse collection of tracks that beautifully highlight why chamber music is still very much alive and the selection here perfectly showcases the genre’s traditional and modern styles.”
– Navona Records

Ablaze Records’ “Millenial Masters, Vol. 2” features Michael Lee’s Capriccio, for violin and piano, A Voice in the Waves (2011) performed by Jiwon Evelyn Kwark (vln.) and HaEun Lee (pno.)

» Buy it on Apple Music
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» Listen on Spotify

Review for Ablaze records’ “Millenial Masters vol. 2” CD:

“…writes in a lightly dissonant, fairly tuneful American style, somewhere between neo-Romantic and neo-Classical. It should appeal to most tastes.”
MusicWeb International

Ablaze Records’ “Millenial Masters, Vol. 9” features Michael Lee’s Unmasked for Classical Guitar, performed by Cameron O’Connor, released Summer 2019 through NAXOS, Amazon, iTunes, etc. (composed in 2015-16)

» Buy it on Apple Music The NAXOS digital release date is September 6th
» Listen on Spotify