Described by New York Concert Review as “A knockout performance,” classical saxophonist Wonki Lee has distinguished himself as one of the leading saxophonists of his generation. Feeling equally at home in traditional and contemporary repertoires, Mr. Lee’s musical exploration has encompassed fascination with the history of saxophone repertoire and interpreting original works for saxophone with new insights and understandings. 

Mr. Lee’s artistic mission is to share the sheer beauty of the saxophone tone and its music to enrich lives of listeners. As a recording artist, he has released four solo albums (American Sonatas, Air-Songs for the Saxophone, French Masterpieces vol.1, and Respectfully Yours). Currently, he is working on a new album Masterpieces for the Saxophone - American Sonatas from two millennia, which features a prodigious work by David Maslanka and Willam Albright. As a soloist, Mr. Lee’s engagements extend globally, including solo recitals at La Plantation in Beijing, Seoul Arts Center in Seoul, Yamaha Japan, and the Lincoln Center in New York. Recent engagements include a guest soloist with Bozeman Symphony Orchestra, guest artist in Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul, a sold-out recital in Tokyo performing all American program to Japanese audiences. As a Yamaha Performing Artist, Mr. Lee has given recitals showcasing Yamaha custom saxophones and explore their potentials through performing significant works for the saxophone. He exclusively plays the Yamaha Custom 875 EX saxophones.

As an advocate of contemporary music written by composers of his generation, Mr. Lee has premiered numerous new works ranging from solo to orchestral and contributed to the addition of over 20 works, including three new saxophone concertos by Susan Botti, Thiago Tiberio, and Avner Finberg. Upcoming projects will include premiering new saxophone concertos by American composers Eric Funk and Joel Love. As well as solo performances, Mr. Lee is an avid orchestral saxophonist. He has collaborated with numerous conductors, such as Leonard Slatkin, Robert Spano, Philippe Entremont, and Norman Huynh. He has appeared with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Wind Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony Orchestra, Bridgeport Symphony Orchestra, and Bozeman Symphony. Prior to moving to Bozeman, Mr. Lee served as a principal saxophonist of the New York Wind Orchestra. More