Yoon Jae Lee enjoys a multi-faceted career as conductor, arranger, and pianist. He is the Founder & Artistic Director of Ensemble 212, a New York-based orchestra. Under his baton, Ensemble 212 has quickly established itself as one of New York's most exciting young orchestras. His wide repertoire ranges from the Baroque era to the present and he collaborates with instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers from the concert hall to the operatic stage. In 2008, Mr. Lee was appointed Music Director of the Old York Road Symphony in Philadelphia and adjunct faculty at City College of New York (CUNY). As an arranger, his chamber versions of Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune and Mahler's Fourth Symphony have been frequently performed and highly acclaimed. The New York Times described his Mahler arrangement as “Illuminating.....with solos leaping out in unusually bold detail.” Most recently, Mr. Lee orchestrated Mendelssohn's Octet for full orchestra in honor of the composer's 200th anniversary.

A native of New York City, Mr. Lee began his musical studies on the violin and piano. At age 17, he began his conducting career and two years later, participated in a masterclass by Kurt Masur at Alice Tully Hall. He received degrees in piano and conducting from the Mannes College of Music receiving the N.T. Milani Memorial Conducting Fellowship and the Peter M. Gross Fund. Mr. Lee also studied at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg in Austria. During that time, he appeared as guest conductor with the Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Bruckner Orchester Linz, and served as Assistant Conductor to the Salzburger Kammerphilharmonie. Mr. Lee attended the American Academy of Conducting at Aspen under the tutelage of David Zinman and Murry Sidlin. His keen interest in Baroque performance practice led him to study at the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute. Principal conducting teachers include Dennis Russell Davies, Samuel Wong, David Hayes, and Michael Charry.