“Next came the twentieth century, with Max Bruch’s posthumous String Octet, for which Lees and Oberlin faculty (violinist Marilyn Mcdonald, violist Michael Strauss, and bassist Tracy Rowell) joined the Jupiter.  The work, which the performers will record, is a rather unmemorable piece of German Romanticism, despite being written in 1920.  Less chamber music and more soloist with accompaniment, it lacks the intricate interplay of most string quartets.

Lees presented most of the material as the first violinist while the rest of the ensemble provided harmonic stability.  Motives occasionally passed from first violin to viola to cello, but Lees’ flashy part remains the fixation.  The heroic first movement leads to a solemn lament in the second, whose journey from tranquility through exuberance into restfulness was richly painted by the ensemble.  The piece ends with a sprightly and active finale.”
– ClevelandClassical.com, Cleveland, OH

 “Shaham returned with Lees…for a magnificent performance of Brahms B Major Piano Trio.  From the first iteration of the luscious opening theme to the passionate conclusion, it was something literally to bask in.  Immediately apparent was their ensemble precision… Their timing, nuances, even vibrato (or no vibrato) were matched impeccably.”
– Music in Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

 “In the second half, the Cincinnati Symphony revisited “Scheherazade,” Rimsky-Korsakov’s suite.  Lees played with enormous beauty and finesse as he wove his narrative connecting each tale.  His final solo, which soaredinto the stratosphere, was breathtaking.”
– Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH

“Lees delivered a spirited performance of the Bach [E Major Violin Concerto].  The fast outer movements were crisply articulated and the violinist’s phrasing grew more smiling as he progressed.  The heart of the concerto was it’s slow movement, in which Lees projected a radiant sound and a beautiful line.”
– Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH

“Because of his fine work in the first chair of the orchestra, it was not surprise that Mr. Lees would project a beautiful, sweet timbre and a seamless line.  His use of vibrato and the occasional slide gave the music an old-fashioned, romantic cast.  His phrasing had moments of great beauty, particularly in the beguiling second movement, and he communicated personality and involvement…the bravura passages in the finale sparkled, and Mr. Lees tackled its technical difficulties with ease, earning bravos from the 1,618 listeners.”
– Cincinnati Enquirer, Cincinnati, OH

“concertmaster Timothy Lees…played his difficult solos with polish and shapely phrasing [Ein Heldenleben]”
– American Record Guide

“…and then Richard Strauss’ EnHeldenleben, written to celebrate the composer himself.  This display of egotism is almost redeemed by the soaring melodies and the famous bravura violin solo, played with spectacular virtuosity by concertmaster Timothy Lees.”
– Strings Magazine

“Concertmaster Timothy Lees took several of Strauss’ violin concerto-like movements and turned them into tours de force [Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme].”
– The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC

“Timothy Lees is an eloquent player who seems equally at ease leading the section and lofting his sturdy tone in solo work.  The extended solo in the Haydn work was stylish, nuanced and played with restraint.”
– The Philadelphia Enquirer, Philadelphia, PA

“…the soul of sensuality oozing from the gossamer sweetness of the solo violin of Timothy Lees [Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade].”
– The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC

“Concertmaster Timothy Lees, in a searingly lovely and expressively balanced performance, literally stopped the flow of the concert with the sheer musicality of his solo artistry.  A sequence of simple but deeply emotive themes and embellishments in Lees’ gorgeously agonized portamenti and tonal depths will burn in the memory.”
-  The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC

“Dr. Lees is an extraordinary teacher.  Her outstanding knowledge and strategies on teaching are remarkable.  She explains and demonstrates very intelligently.  Her ability to teach technique was a great help for her students.  To feel cared for by teachers is extremely important for students.  Dr. Carroll [Lees] took the time to nurture all of her students.  She had many students, but she was concerned about each one.  I always felt that I received the attention that enabled me to thrive and succeed.”
– Sayaka Kokubo, Section viola, Seattle Symphony 

“I remember her as a highly attentive teacher who was able to spot any technical problem and suggest an effective remedy for it.  She helped me improve and develop my musicality without ever imposing her own style or musical ideas.  She was equally helpful in preparing me for international solo competitions, auditions for major orchestras and performances with chamber ensembles.  Overall, she has a talent for bringing out the best of each student, while at the same time working to fix the weaker points.  She challenged me personally to grow and mature as a musician, and I know many other students who felt the same way.  Additionally, I will always remember how she attended nearly every dress rehearsal, recital or concert in which her students performed.  This made us understand how much she cared about our progress as musicians, but it also showed how much she wanted to support us as performers.  Dr. Lees is in many ways responsible for helping me to become the successful musician that I am now, for which I am extremely grateful.”
– Arie Schacter, Associate Principal – Seattle Symphony Orchestra 

“Dr. Lees is an outstanding violist both as an educator and a performer. She was very supportive and made every effort to improve my musicianship and technique.  As a result of her help, I won a special prize at the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition in United Kingdom.”
– Masayo Higuchi 

“Dr. Lees is an excellent teacher with extreme patience and great amount of knowledge…Under her instruction, I became a well-trained violist as music educator, a concert soloist, an orchestra musician, and a chamber music performer…Her valuable guidance helps me in both performing and academic studies and leads me to my recent employment with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and Augustana College.”
– I-Chun Chiang, Former Associate Principal – South Dakota Symphony; Viola Instructor – Augustana College; Currently residing in Tainan, Taiwan 

“As a former student and graduate assistant, and current Adjunct Instructor at the College-Conservatory of Music, I have a unique perspective to comment on the teaching, mentoring, and collaborative skills of Dr. Catharine Lees.  I met Dr. Lees at my audition for CCM back in 1999. From day one, she has been an exceptional and important role model in my student and professional life.  From her thoughtful and ingenuity of teaching style, to her strategies in guiding me into my career as a violist in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Lees is a person with as much passion for music as for teaching her students how to reach their potential. A large amount of any student’s development is guided in private lessons, but Dr. Lees takes a pragmatic and effective approach in preparing her students for success in achieving their goals as performing musicians. This kind of dedication is inspiring and contagious, and I am lucky and humbled to work alongside someone with the qualities we all strive for, which Dr. Catharine Lees wholly exemplifies.”
- Rebecca Barnes, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

“When I attended The Cincinnati College -Conservatory of music back in 1993-95 Dr. Lees was starting her teaching career. Even back then she had a solid understanding of viola technique and knew how to transmit her knowledge to the students. Her respect and faith for the student made the viola studio one of the best. During my first year at CCM she started the Viola Orchestra Rep class. She designed the curriculum, organized mock auditions and provided students with a book of standard excerpts for detailed study. The class helped me achieve success in professional auditions. During my college years I won auditions for Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic, Toledo Symphony and various international festivals. This training was instrumental for achieving my tenure at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in which I’ve been a tutti member since 1996. I have been lucky to be an Adjunct Instructor for the CCM viola studio since 2013. I had the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Lees for Rep Class and private teaching. Her students are talented hard-working young violists with big aspirations, I have witnessed them advance, mature and move on to better things. They are grateful to her dedication.”
- Denisse Rodriguez Rivera, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

“Dr. Lees is a pedagogue in every sense of the word. She is constantly working to improve her teaching and has boundless energy when it comes to working with her students. I am routinely blown away by the progress her students make when I hear them in boards or auditions. They always far exceed my expectations. She is truly student centric as well. Dr. Lees is always looking for ways to improve our program so that our students get the very best education at CCM and are well-equipped to go into the world and make a difference in the music field.”
- Alan Rafferty, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra 

“I consider Dr. Lees to be one of the unsung heroes on the faculty of CCM.”
– Eugene Pridonoff, Professor Emeritus – University of Cincinnati, CCM