Timothy Lees, violinist, enjoys an exciting and eclectic career. Concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 1998 to 2018, Prof. Lees performs regularly as soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician.  Since his arrival in Cincinnati as Concertmaster in 1998, Prof. Lees has also been appointed as an esteemed member of the violin faculty of the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) where he serves a vital, dual role as teacher and private coach in preparing students in developing their orchestral audition skills.  A member of the Sarasota Festival faculty since 2004, and the Recontres Musicales Internationales des Graves in Bordeaux, France, Prof. Lees has also served on the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival and School where he performed as Concertmaster of both the Aspen Chamber Symphony and the Aspen Festival Orchestra. 

Prof. Lees’ Carnegie Hall, New York solo debut with the Cincinnati Symphony in 1999 was received with critical acclaim. As described by Strings Magazine, his performance of Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben: “the display of egotism is almost redeemed by the soaring melodies and the famous bravura violin solo, played with spectacular virtuosity by concertmaster Timothy Lees.” From Bach to Bartok, Mr. Lees’ flexibility and command of the solo violin repertoire is evident through his numerous solo appearances with the Cincinnati Symphony as well as on many other stages throughout North America.  As a recitalist, he has been featured in solo recitals in cities throughout the United States such as Cincinnati, Philadelphia, San Diego and at festivals including Sarasota, Spoleto, Sebago-Long Lake, Mainly Mozart Festivals, and in Europe at the Recontres Musicales Internationales des Graves in Bordeaux, France. 

An avid and highly sought-after chamber musician, Prof. Lees frequently has collaborated with the world’s most prominent artists including Maxim Vengerov, Jaime Laredo, Joseph Silverstein, Yefim Bronfman, Ida Kavafian, Peter Wiley, among many others.  Additionally, he has appeared in performances as guest artist with members of the St. Lawrence, Pacifica, and Jupiter Quartets.  Prof. Lees is featured regularly in chamber music on well-established series including the Linton Music Series, CCM Faculty Artist Series, Oberlin Conservatory Series, Concert Nova, as well as appearances on Aspen Music Festival Faculty Artists Series, and Spoleto Festival Series. His performances have been broadcast on NPR Performance Today, WFMT (Chicago Public Radio), NHK Radio (Japan), WGUC (Cincinnati Public Radio), KAJX (Aspen Public Radio), (WMEA) Maine Public Radio, and WFSU (Florida Public Radio).  Mr. Lees has been recorded on Telarc, Bridge Records, and Fanfare Cincinnati labels.  His recent recordings include the soon to be released Bruch Octet, a collaboration featuring Prof. Lees with members of the Jupiter Quartet and faculty members from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. 

A native of Philadelphia, Prof. Lees received the coveted Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Charles Castleman.  Prior to his arrival in Cincinnati, Prof. Lees established himself as a distinguished leader serving as Concertmaster of the internationally renowned Spoleto Festival, the Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and the Charleston (SC) Symphony Orchestras.  The expertise he has cultivated in his own command of solo, chamber music,  and orchestral literature is shared, not only by his addition to violin faculty of CCM, but also through master classes presented nationally and internationally at Universities, Conservatories, and festivals including CCM, Indiana University, Aspen Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, Beijing Central Conservatory, Sookmyung Women’s University, Yeungnum University, Korea National University of Arts, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Charleston, University of Kentucky, Northern Kentucky University, Ohio University, Biola University, Cincinnati Young Artists Festival, and many others.  Prof. Lees’ versatility in teaching effectiveness is evidenced by a consistent and strong track record of students claiming competition prizes as well as winning positions in major symphony orchestras domestically and abroad.   

Prof. Lees performs on a J. B. Vuillaume violin c. 1845 8/2020

Catharine Lees, violist, served as Chairman of the String Department at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) from 2009-2017. An active recitalist, chamber musician, pedagogue, and androgogue, Dr. Lees has received numerous nominations for the Glover Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award, was recipient of the American Viola Society Founders Award, and awarded the Certificate of Appreciation by the International Viola Society. Recent notable achievements include her service as Host Chair of the 2010 International Viola Congress, Founder and Coordinator of the 2017-2020 International Event Exchange between Sookmyung Women’s University (Seoul, Korea) and CCM, and a unique collaboration in the Borden Research Project which successfully quantified the positive affect of live classical music vs. recorded or no music in pain management and anxiety with post surgical patients at the Bethesda North Hospital.

Principal Violist for 25 seasons of the Aspen Chamber Symphony at the Aspen Music Festival where she was a member of the Artist/Faculty until 2016, Dr. Lees has also served as Principal Viola of the Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. Currently, Dr. Lees spends her summers teaching and performing in Europe, in addition to guest appearances at festivals within the United States.

Dr. Lees has been featured on numerous occasions as soloist with orchestras including the Aspen Chamber Symphony, CCM Chamber Players, “Wired”, and the Cincinnati Philharmonia Orchestra. Upcoming features include appearances with orchestras performing Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante, and with the CCM Philharmonia in Strauss’ Don Quixote. As a chamber musician, she has collaborated on numerous occasions with the world’s most prominent artists including Maxim Vengerov, Gil Shaham, Adele Anthony, Jaime Laredo, Sarah Chang, Alisa Weilerstein, Don Weilerstein, Vivian Weilerstein, Joseph Swensen, Nadja Solerno-Sonnenberg, members of the Tokyo, Cleveland, American, Fine Arts, LaSalle, and Amernet Quartets, the Beaux Arts Trio, and has been featured on chamber music series including the Linton, Chamber Music in Dublin, Aspen Winter Concerts, Aspen Music Festival Faculty Artist Series, and at the United Nations Italian Consulate. In addition, she has been featured in broadcasts on WGUC, WFMT, NHK Radio, CBS Sunday Morning, NPR, and WOSU.

Dr. Lees’ passion for teaching and the advancement of pedagogy/androgogy began with her collaboration with Dorothy DeLay resulting in Essentials for Viola, a book on basic technique widely used by her students, many of whom have claimed top prizes in international competitions (such as Tertis, Sphinx, Markneuenkirche), won positions in many major symphony orchestras (such as Cincinnati Symphony, Seattle Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, and more), as well as winning teaching positions in universities in the United States, Asia, and Europe. Other scholarly publications include A Comprehensive Overview of Left Hand Technique for Violin and Viola; GPS: Grounded Practice Strategies, GPS: Volume II (Grounding Perfect Intonation/Scales); as well as forthcoming publications GPS: Volume III (Grounded Performance Strategies), and Viola Excerpts/Strategic Audition Preparation. In addition to her scholarly works, Dr. Lees’ background in Alexander technique and Performance Anxiety Psychology are areas of expertise, directly benefiting her students by injury prevention, as well as combating performance anxiety.

Dr. Lees has presented annual master classes at the Aspen Music Festival and School, and at numerous universities domestically and abroad, including Eastman School of Music, University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, Carnegie-Mellon, University of Memphis, Ohio State University, Florida State University, Penn State University, New World Symphony, Cincinnati Young Artists, Fine Arts String Academy, Beijing Central Conservatory (China), Sookmyung Women’s University (Seoul, South Korea), Yeungnam University (Daegu, South Korea), and in Tainan, Taiwan. In addition, she was featured at the 2014 American String Teachers Association Convention as well as at the 2011 International Viola Congress in Wurzburg, Germany.

As host chair of the 2010 International Viola Congress at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, Dr. Lees featured 75 internationally acclaimed artists in master classes, recitals, chamber music, lectures, and two orchestra gala concerts. These highly renowned performers included Nobuko Imai, Kim Kashkashian, Tabea Zimmermann, Roberto Diaz, Bruno Guirrana, Garth Knox, Paul Coletti, Lawrence Dutton, Samuel Rhodes, James Dunham, David Aaron Carpenter, Gil Shaham, Adele Anthony, Akira Eguchi, Eric Kim, Richie Hawley and many more.

Dr. Lees earned her Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctorate of Musical Arts Degrees at the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory and was a fellowship student of the Aspen Music Festival where she received training in orchestral leadership with the concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Lees’ teaching philosophy emphasizes the unique individual learning styles of each student as the basis for developing authentic, versatile, and flexible musicians.