Today we’d like to introduce you to Terre Lee.
Hi Terre, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Choosing to be a violinist and educator was key to diving into my own humanity. My love for violin was instant, and after hearing it played on PBS at five years old, I knew I wanted to play it. This core memory of hearing and asking my parents to play violin was the first and few times I was sure of anything in my childhood. When I reflect on this, I am in awe of five year old me and of my parents who responded to my curiosity with enthusiasm.
As a violinist, I’ve played for a crowd of 60,000 people, for the Moroccan Prime Minister, played celebrity weddings- even having my picture taken by paparazzi, played world premiers, been on tv many times, performed with symphonies throughout the country and in Korea, and have played concerts and at venues I attended in my teens. For most of my life, I did not even know I could dream of a life like this.
In contrast to many professional musicians, my path was winding. I decided on music as a career in college by way of environmental science- the message was the same for me- I wanted to make the world a better place. Music and art is a respite for many through the every day, and this is why I love bringing music into the world. In college, I also learned about and how to play music outside the classical repertoire, including folk music from around the world. This access to the world and teaching young students, unlocked a new layer for my love of music and led me to getting a degree in music rather than in the sciences.
My formal education is as a western classical violinist and have spent much of my career also playing in chamber groups, orchestras, and have also played with musicians in the pop realm like NeYo, Beck, Sigur Ros, Lord Huron, David Arkenstone and Ms. Lauryn hill. I am also developing skills in music technology, recording, and composing music.
I am a strong believer in play and in fun. As an educator for over ten years, my goal is to have students fall in love with music. I have a private violin studio for children and families, and for adult learners, and am currently developing a dopamine friendly book for music education. This book is what I have been searching for for my students, and wish I had as a child! Growing up, I remember often feeling anxious and overwhelmed in lessons and practice sessions. Though I loved the violin, learning it was hard! My book will help young students and the inner child, will help break down tasks into manageable bite sized victories and give them a sense of accomplishment through visually aesthetic, clear, and fun assignments.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I actively questioned and intentionally chose violin during my teen years, college, and seriously again during the pandemic. Having cancelled seasons as a freelancer was alarming, and like many other musicians, I questioned a career in the performing arts. Thankfully, I had a full teaching studio at the time, and taught lessons online, but performing was about half my income.
Out of college, I was supporting myself through music for five years, building a life to where I was performing with orchestras and chamber groups in California, teaching at my full home studio of thirty students, and just being grateful to pay my expenses through music. The cost of freelancing in the “freeway phil”, commuting hours to rehearsals and performances, and maintaining a private studio was physically and mentally taxing. Like many musicians, when the pandemic hit, I was forced to stop and think about my career when seasons of work were cancelled and uncertainty prevailed in the performing arts and in the world.
During the lockdown, I was forced to take a look at the relationship to my career; concerts got cancelled month after month. With half my income halted, I considered being an accountant or an administrator as I seriously considered a career pivot. I found a job as a homeschool teacher that I would go to in the morning, and then teach my violin students in the afternoons online. I was grateful for the work, but my body continued to feel taxed. During this period, I was studying and writing curriculum for pre-k and kindergarteners. I settled into teaching through music and song and musical cues across subjects. It was effective and the students loved it. I planned holiday concerts, a spring concert, and the students listened to and learned music throughout the day. My students learning violin also learned a lot that year when the world was shut down, and I embraced the power that music had for all my students and their families during the dark months of the lockdown. Parents saw their children unlock new skills and reach goals in music, continue forming a meaningful relationship with their mentor, and play and sing holiday music; they had guidance to incorporate music every day as a high quality activity, which served as an anchor during this time.
Once the lockdown ended and we were going back to rehearsals, cautiously testing for covid outside the performance halls, I was relieved to feel some normalcy. Though overworked, I felt fulfilled, having helped a lot of people through a difficult time through music.
Some of my most exciting concerts came soon after the lockdown. In 2022, I was asked to go on tour for the first time, and then again in 2023 as a soloist on an international tour for the composer David Arkenstone. Later that year, I was approached by AZA to tour with them in Morocco. Having always wanted to travel and play multi genres of music, I felt elated and delighted to share these feelings onstage with my bandmates and audience. My friends who attended concerts would beam to me saying, “I’m so glad you’re not an accountant!!” I was reassured that I was on the right path.
I hired a teacher and took time off from teaching for about six months to tour, travel and rest; I initiated conversations about why music matters and how people engage with music in the United States and in other countries I visited, like in Morocco and Turkey.
Through teaching and touring, I learned and embraced a simple thing: music matters! The road I have taken to find my brand of happiness with music through my experiences revealed that music matters on a personal growth scale, cultural preservation, human connection and happiness. When diving deeply to discover and take ownership of joy, there’s a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
The traditional path of sharpening my skills as an orchestral musician and teacher was tiresome, but now I’m empowered with the knowledge of how powerful music is on a global scale. Music affects lives by helping others to experience the joy, relief and beauty amongst the day to day.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My style is grounded in the ideal that happiness, joy, and humanity is to be experienced through music.
For my students, I find ways to be imaginative, direct, use positive reinforcement and have compassion for students learning a skill that is incredibly difficult. The book that I am developing will focus on short, bite sized tasks, have a low barrier to starting, and have a variety of modes to learn like listening, writing, playing, coloring, etc. I want violin to feel achievable for anyone who wants it in their lives and to encourage them through the inevitable difficult slumps.
My playing is informed by my experience of a lifetime of finding joy in my instrument and connecting with people and different genres.
I used to think that my interest in so many genres would hold me back; however, I’ve now learned that this is my strength! In today’s world, we see a fusion of cultures and styles. I think as a modern musician, it’s important to have the skills to play in an orchestra, chamber groups, and to play off the page- improvisation and playing by ear too. It’s hard for me to choose a favorite thing. I recently moved to Houston last year, and in that year, I played with the Houston Ballet, Houston Symphony, and at the 713 for a crowd of 5,000 playing solo fiddle with Lord Huron. I feel at home on a symphony stage as well as rocking out with a band!
The musical projects I feel most proud of is music with a purpose and where I feel I can make the biggest impact on the listener. As an artist, my favorite projects are with AZA, the Moroccan band I play with. We tour in Morocco and Europe a couple times a year, and the cultural exchange brings meaning to my life. It is music with a purpose. What feels important here is learning about the Amazigh culture, with history and musical traditions so rich, yet buried by years of adversity like colonization; it reminds me of the oppression that my people went through in Korea throughout history. I feel my voice matters being a part of this group because all of us bring our different skill sets into the music. With AZA, I have been an artist in residence with Rhizome Arts in Morocco, where our project was in collaboration with local environmental groups and musicians from the Canary Islands all around the theme of cultural and environmental preservation.
I’m beginning my second year here in Houston, after moving from the Bay Area and getting married to my amazing husband, Nick Platoff. He is a composer, songwriter, trombone professor at Rice University, and principal with the Houston Symphony. We love being silly and playing music together. We’ve toured and performed together, record as multi instrumentalists and singers, and produce music. Last year, we premiered a piece he composed called “Catharsis” for loop station, voice, and trumpet originally- though I played it on violin- at a coffee shop in Montrose, called Mercantile. As we find our way here, we’re hoping to be writing and performing more original music in Houston.
Houston has been a wonderful place to land, and I’ve met some great people here. I’m starting to open up a teaching studio in Montrose, and looking forward to sharing and being inspired by music in this vibrant and multi cultural city.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.terreleeviolin.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terreleeviolin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tleeviolin
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@azamusicofficial
