Clara Lee

Dr. Clara Lee, D. M. A.

Across Southern California, Dr. Clara Lee has managed to leave her mark on both operatic and concert stages alike, in more ways than one. A prolific musician, Ms. Clara Lee has performed numerous oratorios and operas in partnership with organizations such as the Korean
Philharmonic Orchestra, La Sinfonietta and World Mission Orchestra, and holds previous associations with the Long Beach Opera Company and the West Symphony Choir. As a vocal instructor, Ms. Clara Lee is also a member of the National Association of Teachers in Singing (NATS), the College Music Society (CMS), and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) to further herself and her knowledge of the world of vocal music. Dr. Lee has attended institutions across the globe, holding a bachelor’s degree in English Language & Literature from KonKuk University in South Korea, a Master’s in Voice from World Mission University, CA, and her Doctorate in Historical Performance Practice in Voice from Claremont Graduate University, CA.

She has also studied under the tutelage of Kathleen Roland-Silverstein, Judith Natalucci, Lisa Sylvester, and Camelia Voin. Not a stranger to non-profit organizations, Ms. Clara Lee serves as a board member for Bona Music, as both Executive Secretary and Scholar for the Musicus Society, and as Music Director of the OC Philharmonic. Additionally, Ms. Clara Lee doubles as both lecturer and voice instructor at World Mission University and California Art University while also serving as conductor for both Korean Church of Orange County and the Harmonia Chorales in Orange County, California. While pursuing her Doctorate, Clara Lee specialized in researching topics such as Monteverdi’s madrigals and operas, the Bach family’s keyboard and vocal compositions, Rameaux’s, and many of Schoenberg’s compositions. Not only that, but Clara Lee has also written about the ways to utilize IPA to analyze the Korean language, with specific regards to classical Korean song literature and diction in her final dissertation.

One of her goals is to introduce unfamiliar, non-Western cultures and their wealth of vocal repertoires to the English-speaking community, and seeks to inspire and educate others about the importance of these fantastic musics that lie obscured from due to impediments of translation, both linguistically and culturally. As Dr. Clara Lee possesses a full background in both Korean and American cultures, with the added benefit of bilingual fluency, she has plans for several publications, including collaborations with other groups or individuals, as she is serving as an editor to Musicus Society, but also seeks to publish her own works. Her current work is a continuation of her doctoral dissertation, in which she hopes to be able to publish an educational piece which would consist of a comprehensive guide to utilizing IPA for the Korean language and a collection of Korean art songs, fully embellished with IPA and English translations.

Dr. Lee has gained recognition for her musicianship over the years, such as the Bitsori Scholarship in 2019 for her outstanding achievements in both academics and singing, the Claremont Graduate University’s Music Fellowship from 2015 to 2018, the Walker Endowed Fellowship in 2014 and 2015, and also the World Mission University Professor’s Award in 2007 and 2008 for her spectacular performance as both an educator and a musician. Dr. Lee also holds a diverse skill set that fully incorporates and even extends beyond her musical talents. She holds a long history of serving as conductor for many choirs and orchestras, as well as the capability to establish new musical foundations and organize musical events.

While she is currently active as a professor and vocal teacher, Dr. Lee has also been known to teach piano lessons to nearly advanced proficiencies. An additional surprise, Dr. Lee possesses a California Real Estate Broker’s License, with experience in the real estate field totaling over a decade, and recently was credited with certification for Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training from the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, demonstrating her multifaceted capabilities and willingness to serve the community, especially in these uncertain and difficult times.

I have taught singing to diverse age groups from little kids to seniors who love singing to live a better life with music. Through teaching, I have earned a great deal of achievement and would like to help more people to live a happier life with the learning that I can provide for them. Currently I teach singing at my music studio and World Mission University to the students in diverse music fields. Some of them are in the positions for churches and missionary groups as worship leaders or praising members, some want to acquire more skills and techniques for becoming professional musicians, and others are to learn just to make their lives more fully and happier. As much as I sing for myself and audiences, I have been filled with joy and satisfaction through teaching and education to students with diverse backgrounds and goals.