Musical masterpieces: Sohee Bae and Doh-Hee Lee inspire in Essen!

Musical masterpieces: Sohee Bae and Doh-Hee Lee inspire in Essen!

The prestigious concerts by Sohee Bae and Doh-Hee Lee at the Folkwang University of the Arts are approaching. Sohee Bae, a talented pianist, opens her solo recital on July 11, 2025 in the Mayor's House Essen-Werden at 7:30 p.m. The program includes works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Gabriel Fauré, Edvard Grieg and Eugène Ysaÿe. Entrance fees are 15.00 euros (reduced 5 euros), while students and members of Folkwang University have free entry. Tickets can be purchased via the Folkwang ticket hotline, by email or, if necessary, at the box office.

Doh-Hee Lee will give her solo recital on July 17, 2025 in the Neuer Saal in the West Wing on the Essen-Werden campus. The concert starts at 2 p.m. and is free. Their program includes, among others, variations by Ludwig van Beethoven as well as works by Benjamin Britten, Robert Schumann and Edvard Grieg. These concerts are part of their final examination as part of the Folkwang Concert Exam, one of the highest degrees at German music universities, which promotes the training of instrumental soloists, composers and chamber music ensembles.

Further appearances and career paths

Sohee Bae holds a Bachelor of Music from Seoul National University and is currently pursuing a master's degree at the Eastman School of Music, where she is taught by Marina Lomazov. She is expected to graduate in 2026. Bae completed her bachelor's degree summa cum laude in 2023 and has already been honored with numerous awards in competitions, including the Korea Chamber Orchestra Competition, where she won first prize in 2016. She has been principal of the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra since August 2023 and first violin of the WDR Symphony Orchestra since August 2024.

Doh-Hee Lee was born in South Korea in 1993 and received her first cello lessons at the age of six. After completing her bachelor's degree at Yonsei University in Seoul, she completed her master's degree at both the Folkwang University of the Arts and the Orchestra Center|NRW. She has won prizes in numerous national and international competitions, including the International Seoul Music Competition. Her experience as an orchestra musician includes engagements with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Bochum Symphony Orchestra.

Competitions and awards

Both musicians have taken part in various important competitions and can point to an impressive list of achievements. These include top-class events such as the Concours Internationaux de la Ville de Paris and the Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann in Kronberg. The commitment to such competitions testifies to their high level of performance and their determination to assert themselves in the international music circuit.

The conceptual design of these concerts underlines the commitment of the Folkwang University of the Arts to promoting young talent in classical music. Bae and Lee are promising artists on stage who will surely inspire the next generation of musicians.

In addition, Sohee Bae will perform at the Luise-Albertz-Halle Oberhausen on December 18, 2025, while Doh-Hee Lee will be at the Folkwang Gala at the Anneliese Brost Musikforum Ruhr in Bochum on October 3, 2025. These performances promise not only musical highlights, but also an exciting development in the careers of both talented musicians.

Overall, the upcoming concerts and the impressive CVs of Sohee Bae and Doh-Hee Lee show that these musicians will not only shape the history of the Folkwang University of the Arts, but will also make a significant contribution to classical music.

Folkwang University of the Arts reports that the concerts are part of their final exams. Further information about Sohee Bae show their academic career and success in competitions. Also offers Classic Professionals an overview of relevant competitions in which Doh-Hee Lee has participated.