About the Artists

Earl Lee, conductor

A dynamic and energetic figure on stage, Canadian musician Earl Lee pursues a diverse career both as a conductor and a cellist. Lee is currently the RBC Resident Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO), and the Artistic Director & Conductor of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. Lee frequently appears on the podium at Roy Thomson Hall leading the TSO, as well as makes guest conducting appearances throughout the world. Recent highlights include his South Korean début leading the Gangnam Symphony Orchestra at the Seoul Arts Center and leading the inaugural season of the Yeosu International Music Festival and Ensemble in South Korea as their Music Director & Conductor.

As a cellist, Lee toured with the acclaimed Chick Corea-Gary Burton Duo as a guest member of the Harlem String Quartet in 2012. He has also toured all over the USA as part of such ensembles as Musicians from Marlboro, and has performed at the Marlboro Music Festival, Music from Angel Fire, Caramoor Rising Stars, and Ravinia’s Steans Institute. He is currently a member of the East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO), a conductor-less chamber ensemble.

A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School with degrees in cello, Earl began his conducting studies in 2010 with Ignat Solzhenitsyn. After receiving a master’s degree in conducting from the Manhattan School of Music in 2013, Lee continued his post-graduate conducting studies at the New England Conservatory with Hugh Wolff.

Ryan Roberts, oboe

Ryan Roberts is the solo English hornist of the New York Philharmonic where he has been recognized as a “pillar of the ensemble”, and praised for his “flawless poetry” and “beautiful”, “eloquent”, “exquisite”, “alluring solo playing” by the New York Times. Ryan also serves as principal oboist of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Lincoln Center, and is a member of the oboe faculty at the Mannes School of Music and Bard College Conservatory of Music. Ryan has performed as guest principal oboe and English horn with many of the country's leading orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestra.

A passionate teacher, Ryan has worked with students in the US and abroad at The Juilliard School, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, the New World Symphony, Lynn University, and many others.

An award-winning soloist, Ryan received first prize at the International Double Reed Society's Young Artist Competition and the National Society of Arts and Letters' Woodwind Competition. In 2018, Ryan premiered Michael Torke’s Oboe Concertino with the Albany Symphony and recorded the work for Albany Records.

During the summer, Ryan performs at the Marlboro Music Festival under artistic directors Mitsuko Uchida and Jonathan Biss. He has also been a guest artist at the Rockport Music Festival, and recently collaborated in recitals with the Gamut Bach Ensemble and Musicians from Marlboro at the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. His past recital engagements have included performances with the Pacifica Quartet and Emanuel Ax.

Before joining the New York Philharmonic, Ryan spent one season as a member of the New World Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson-Thomas. As a Kovner Fellow graduate of The Juilliard School, Ryan studied with Elaine Douvas and performed frequently with the Juilliard Orchestra.

Ryan is also an accomplished pianist, and made his concerto debut at age 11. When he isn’t busy making reeds, Ryan can be found practicing piano, rock climbing, surfing, or running on the beach with his 8-year-old Whippet named Malley.