Born in 1985 in Seoul, South Korea, clarinetist Soo-Young Lee began her musical education at the age of five initially with the violin, before switching to the clarinet at the age of 12. And she continued to study at Ye-Won Arts School and Seoul Arts High School. She completed her bachelor’s degree with summa cum laude at Seoul National University under the guidance of Dong-Jin Kim, and continued her master’s studies with distinction at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz with Prof. Stefan Schilling. Subsequently, she completed her Kozertexamen degree with distinction at the Detmold Hochschule für Musik under Prof. Thomas Lindhorst.
During this time, she was awarded the 1st and special prizes in several international competitions, including the Woohyun Wind and Percussion Competition (South Korea), the Intermusica Birkenfeld Soloist Competition (Austria), the Moscow Conservatory Competition for Wind and Percussion Instruments (Russia), and the Interpretation Competition of the Detmold Hochschule für Musik (Germany). She was also qualified in order to participate in many renowned international music competition such as Prague Spring International Music Competition (Czech Republic), International Instrument Competition Markneukirchen (Germany), Carl Nielsen International Music Competition and Festival Odense (Denmark) and the International Music Competition of ARD Munich (Germany). She was also selected for Kumho Young Artist (South Korea) to give a solo recital at the age of 16.
As a soloist, she performed with various orchestras, such as the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, the Northwest German Philharmonic, the Orchestra Filarmonica di Benevento, the Romanian National Orchestra, the Estonian Sinfonietta, the Vienna Korean Philharmonic, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Korea and the Seoul Metropolitan Youth Orchestra under the baton of Neeme Järvi, Florian Ludwig, Normunds Šnē and Jonathan Bloxham. In 2024 she performed the première of clarinet concerto 'Kraft’ by Evelin Seppar with Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.
In 2014, she joined the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and has served as the solo clarinetist since 2019. She also appeared as a guest solo clarinetist with numerous internationally renowned orchestras, including the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Madrid Symphony Orchestra, the Welsh National Opera Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, the Nordic Chamber Orchestra, the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, the Detmold Chamber Orchestra, the Estonian Sinfonietta and the YouTube Symphony Orchestra. She also collaborated with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra at the Lucerne Festival, the Estonian Festival Orchestra, the Klangforum Wien, and as academist with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra Academy, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra Academy and the Asian Philharmonic Orchestra Academy.
By her significant interest in chamber music, since 2016 she has been an active founder member of the Ensemble Auftakt, a trio consisting of violin, clarinet, and piano. This ensemble has been awarded 1st prizes at chamber music competitions, such as the Clara Wieck Schumann Competition in Massa (Italy) and the Danubia Talents International Music Competition in Budapest (Hungary). She is also a founder member of Estonian Wind Quintet and have been awarded the 1st prize in the 4th International Moscow Music Competition (Russia) in Category Chamber music as Lee-Mägila-Tohver Trio (Clarinet, Violincello and Piano). She also participated in various international festivals as chamber musician in South Korea, Hong Kong, China, Japan, New York (Carnegie Hall), Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France, Norway, Malta, Poland, Kosovo, Great Britain, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. And she performed with ensemble like Zemlinsky Quartet and Quartetto Hadimova.
In parallel, Soo-Young Lee was appointed as a lecturer for clarinet and chamber music at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and has been invited as jury in junior competitions in Estonia. She has given master classes in Estonia, Spain, Netherland, Italy, Latvia, Kosovo, Poland and South Korea.
