A typical day for Eric Lee is an hour of jogging in the morning followed by three hours of music practice. This distinguished conductor and trombonist sees perseverance, discipline and focus as not only a must in a person’s musical pursuit but also an integral part of character building.
The 45 minutes audition over the phone that won him a scholarship to study in the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) is still vivid in Eric’s mind.
It was in 1997 , and he got a full scholarship to study trombone in HKAPA- Asia’s top performing arts centre.
The three -year- stint in Hong Kong saw him participating in Master classes with prominent figures like the American Horn Quartet, Luur Metals, Spanish Brass Quintet, Roger Bobo and James Da Sanol.
He also studied with renowned trombonists like John Swallow, Scott Hartman and Jan Mortensen and conducted with Mark Shanahan.
At 52, Eric was first introduced to trombone at age 13 when he joined the Catholic High School Symphonic Band. He was a student at the Catholic High School in Petaling Jaya.
He never looked back since then.
In 1994, he founded the PJ Youth Symphonic Band as a platform for young musicians to develop their skills
For six consecutive years, starting 1996, Eric was selected to represent Malaysia in the Asia Youth Orchestra (AYO) that saw him performing in 40 cities across 20 countries.
The tours include performing in prestigious venues like the Royal Concertgebouw and the Sydney Opera House and the opportunity to perform under esteemed conductors and with renowned artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Mischa Maisky.
This certainly is a dream for many young and aspiring musicians.
Eric subsequently founded the Philharmonic Winds of Malaysia (formerly known as the Symphonic Winds of the National Symphony Orchestra) and the National Band Director Association of Malaysia.
Upon his return from Hong Kong in 1999, Eric made his conducting debut with the Kuala Lumpur Symphony Orchestra for the production of “Johan and Si Belang,” which is Malaysia’s version of “Peter and the Wolf”.
Later that year he conducted a critically acclaimed local production of “The Sound of Music”.
Eric is currently the president of the National Band Director Association of Malaysia and the principal trombone of the National Symphony Orchestra of Malaysia.
The leader: Eric is the Band Director for the Catholic High School in Petaling Jaya and Sekolah Menengah Sains Selangor which won multi champion and gold awards in Malaysia and internationally. Eric is also a recipient of Malaysia’s Anugerah Seni Negara (National Young Music Director Award) for young music directors in 2006.
To lead and serve : Eric who is currently the Artistic Director and Resident Conductor of the Philharmonic Winds of Malaysia sees music as a platform to do good.
In harmony: Eric conducting a rehearsal for Philharmonic Winds of Malaysia.
The nation’s pride: The concert themed ” Discover Malaysian Folk Song” by Philharmonic Winds of Malaysia.
Music is borderless : Eric conducting the Austria upper army band.
Also a regular guest player with several orchestras at a regional level, Eric has appeared as a guest principal with orchestras like the Macau Symphony Orchestra, the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Bangkok Opera.
Apart from that, Eric is frequently invited to adjudicate international band competitions and conducts workshops and concerts across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
Beneath all the glamour, education remains Eric’s enduring legacy in the music world – his dedication to performance and leadership training goes a long way in inspiring countless young musicians all around the world and elevating the standards of symphonic music in Malaysia.
He is set to continue to help shape the musical journeys of students in Malaysia, ensuring the continued growth and excellence of the nation’s musical talent; testimony to this is his remarkable achievements in leading and developing wind bands, chamber music, and orchestras.
And Eric has a family orchestra together with his wife Chew Yi Chien who is a pianist and violinist, and their sons 15-year -old Marques and 10-year-old Kyle who plays the trombone and trumphet respectively.
Yi Chien, 44, is the music department head at Mont Kiara International School.
Eric says Yi Chien’s unwavering support for him has enabled him to focus on his musical pursuit.
