TBSO PROFILE

Section Violin

Birthplace: Edmonton

Instrument: Violin

Age you started to study music: Piano at age 4, violin at age 6

How long have you been with TBSO: In her first season

What’s on your personal playlist: Berlin Philharmonic, Itzhak Perlman, Eric Chou

It’s safe to say Allison Lee is enjoying her first full-time gig with an orchestra.

“It’s been really cool,” says Lee, who’s in her first season with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. “I really enjoy the huge range of repertoire we get to play, because in university you really stick to classical things. But here, we get to play all kinds of music, like movie music.”

“It’s been really fun, and everyone in the orchestra has been really friendly and nice, so it’s been a really good time so far.”

Lee got her musical start on piano at age four, but it wasn’t long before she developed an interest in the violin. “The place where I studied piano was a music studio, and they often had violin teachers there,” Lee says. “After hearing someone play violin, I was like ‘I want to do that instead.’”

“I find it really rewarding, and just enjoyable to be able to make music with people,” Lee adds. “Also, every musician is so different, so it’s really cool to work with different kinds of people, and hear their ideas and learn from them.”

Lee did her undergrad at the University of Alberta, graduating in May. Over the summer, Lee enrolled in a program in Hamilton with another TBSO violinist, who recommended her for the job with the TBSO. “The position that I got is a one-year position,” Lee says. “I would love to stay here, but I also do want to do a Master’s, as well, so I’ll kind of have to see how that goes.”