Jalen Lee is a recent graduate of The University of Cincinnati where she studied viola performance. She’ll be going back there this fall to get her masters.
She’s been playing the viola since she was in fifth grade. At her high school, she experienced the moment when she knew that music was her calling, while playing “Fantasia on a Theme”. She says that if she didn’t have such a good experience playing a good repertoire, she wouldn’t have ended up playing music.
“I got to play the viola solos. That was like - I think that was when I knew that I wanted to major in music.
This is her third consecutive year in Aspen. She says that she knows the ropes, and there is a good bit of continuity that makes coming here a little bit easier. Her instructor in college is also her instructor in Aspen. The person teaching her has had a few years without interruption, allowing her to refine her technique even more.
In addition to her classical pursuits, she has just started playing in a bluegrass band back home. They play contra dances, which is basically like square dancing. The group is still trying to come up with a name.
She is a big fan of contemporary bluegrass bands like the Punch Brothers, led by Chris Thile who is also in Nickel Creek, another renowned bluegrass band.
When she isn’t working on intense pieces like Mahler’s Symphony Number 5 for this weekend’s final performance, she likes to admire the houses in Aspen’s West End.
She has no lofty goals just yet but eventually she’d like to perform professionally. It doesn’t matter where. She will be happy just to be playing.
“In the future, I’m honestly open to anything, but I would love to play in an orchestra. It doesn’t have to be the New York Phil. It doesn’t matter. Anyone that will take me.”
She is also preparing to climb and hike her very first fourteener this weekend. La Plata Peak.
“Yeah I’m scared. I’m really scared, but it will be fun.”
