R. Andrew Lee (born 1982, in

Excelsior Springs, Missouri Excelsior Springs is a city in Clay County, Missouri, Clay and Ray County, Missouri, Ray counties in the U.S. state of Missouri and part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. The population was 10,553 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

) is an American pianist of contemporary classical music, with a particular emphasis on

Minimal music Minimal music (also called minimalism)"Minimalism in music has been defined as an aesthetic, a style, and a technique, each of which has been a suitable description of the term at certain points in the development of minimal music. However, two o ...

and music of the

Wandelweiser The Wandelweiser Group is a collective for composers and performers of contemporary classical music. Inspired by the work of John Cage, the Wandelweiser Group writes experimental music, which is typically of a very quiet nature and often incorpora ...

collective. He has recorded ten albums for

Irritable Hedgehog Music Irritable Hedgehog Music is a Kansas City-based record label, focused primarily on minimalist and electroacoustic music. History Irritable Hedgehog Music was original organized as the publishing imprint for David D. McIntire's compositions. The ...

Education

R. Andrew Lee received a BM in piano performance from

Truman State University Truman State University (TSU or Truman) is a public university in Kirksville, Missouri. It had 4,225 enrolled students in the fall of 2021 pursuing degrees in 52 undergraduate and 11 graduate programs. The university is named for U.S. Presiden ...

in 2004, where he studied under Dr. David McKamie. He continued his education in piano performance at the

University of Missouri-Kansas City A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

, where he met David McIntire, with whom he would eventually help launch

. Lee cites McIntire as having introduced him to William Duckworth's ''The Time Curve Preludes,'' which sparked his interest in minimalist music. Lee received his MM in 2006 and his DMA in 2011 from UMKC.

Career

R. Andrew Lee began his career as Artist-in-Residence at

Avila University Avila University is a private Roman Catholic university in Kansas City, Missouri. It is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and offers bachelor's degrees and master's degrees. Its 13 buildings are situated on a campus of in K ...

in Kansas City, Missouri in January 2009. On 30 October 2010, he released his first album with

, ''Tom Johnson: An Hour for Piano''. This album, the first recording of An Hour for Piano to be exactly one hour, also marked the first release for Irritable Hedgehog. In August 2011, Lee took a position at

Regis University Regis University is a private Jesuit university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1877 by the Society of Jesus, the university offers more than 120 degrees through 5 colleges in a variety of subjects, including education, liberal arts, business, nu ...

in Denver, Colorado, becoming the Associate University Minister for Liturgical & Sacred Music. There he oversees music for liturgical celebrations while also teaching in the music department. Lee continued to record for Irritable Hedgehog, garnering increasing attention from critics. His third album, ''William Duckworth: The Time Curve Preludes'' was named by a 2012 Critics' Choice by

Gramophone Magazine ''Gramophone'' is a magazine published monthly in London, devoted to classical music, particularly to reviews of recordings. It was founded in 1923 by the Scottish author Compton Mackenzie who continued to edit the magazine until 1961. It was ac ...

. His fifth album, ''Dennis Johnson: November'' was named by Steve Smith of ''Time Out NY'' as the best classical album of 2013, and his sixth album, ''

Eva-Maria Houben Eva-Maria Houben (born 15 January 1955) is a German composer, organist, pianist, musicologist and university lecturer. Life Born in Rheinberg, Houben grew up in Kamp-Lintfort. Her mother worked as a special education teacher, her father was a ...

: Piano Music'' was selected by

Alex Ross Nelson Alexander Ross (born January 22, 1970) is an American comic book writer and artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries ''Marvels'', on which he collaborated wi ...

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

as one of ten notable classical recordings of 2013. Lee has performed across the United States, including cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, Chicago, Boston and New York. He has also performed abroad in Canada, England, France, Belgium, and Italy. As a performer, Lee has taken an interest in music of an extended duration, performing and commissioning works that are often multiple hours long.

Writing

The intersection of temporality is a primary research avenue for R. Andrew Lee, having published work with the CeReNeM Journal. Lee also writes reviews and opinion pieces for

NewMusicBox ''NewMusicBox'' is an e-zine launched by the American Music Center on May 1, 1999. The magazine includes interviews and articles concerning American contemporary music, composers, improvisers, and musicians. A few interviews include renowned A ...

and I CARE IF YOU LISTEN.

Personal life

Lee currently resides in Denver, Colorado, with his wife and three children. He takes "grilling and drinking seriously" and also notes a "penchant for interesting socks."

Discography

*''

Michael Waller Michael Vincent Waller (born October 26, 1985 in Staten Island, New York) is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He has studied with La Monte Young, Marian Zazeela, and Bunita Marcus. Life and works His recent compositions have ...

: Moments'' - 2019 *''Bryan Christian: Each Flows Into the Other'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2019 *''Randy Gibson: Equal D under Resonating Apparitions of The Eternal Process in The Midwinter Starfield 16 VIII 10 (Kansas City)'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2017 *''

: Trajectories'' - 2017 (with Seth Parker Woods, cello) *''Gibson Knight EP'' - 2017 *''

Erik Satie Eric Alfred Leslie Satie (, ; ; 17 May 18661 July 1925), who signed his name Erik Satie after 1884, was a French composer and pianist. He was the son of a French father and a British mother. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, but was an und ...

: By and After Satie'' - 2017 *''Ryan Oldham: Inner Monologues'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2017 *''

Adrian Knight Adrian Knight is a Canadian actor who was the voice for the character Tao in the English-language version of the animated series ''The Mysterious Cities of Gold''. He also voiced Telemachus in the series ''Ulysses 31'', Pot the troll in the se ...

: Obsessions'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2016 *''Paul A. Epstein: Piano Music'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2015 *''

Jay Batzner J. C. Batzner is a composer primarily of electronic music and is a currently on the faculty of Central Michigan University. Jay Batzner is also the programming director for Electronic Music Midwest He ran a daily podcast about miniatures He wrote ...

: as if to each other'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2015 *''Jürg Frey: Pianist, Alone'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2014 *''Eva-Maria Houben: Piano Music'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2013 *''

Dennis Johnson Dennis Wayne Johnson (September 18, 1954 – February 22, 2007), nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics. He was a c ...

: November'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2013 *''Jürg Frey: Piano Music'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2012 *'' William Duckworth: The Time Curve Preludes'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2011 *''

Ann Southam Ann Southam, (4 February 1937 – 25 November 2010) was a Canadian electronic and classical music composer and music teacher. She is known for her minimalist, iterative, and lyrical style, for her long-term collaborations with dance choreogra ...

: Soundings for a New Piano'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2011 *'' Tom Johnson: An Hour for Piano'' - Irritable Hedgehog Music, 2010

References

External links

Official WebsiteIrritable Hedgehog LabelInterview on The Next Track podcast
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, R. Andrew 1982 births 21st-century classical pianists American classical pianists American male classical pianists Avant-garde pianists Living people Avila University faculty 21st-century American musicians American male pianists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American pianists