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Cora Swenson Lee

Instructional Assistant Professor of Cello
School of Music
Office
CH Cook Hall 205
Office Hours
by appointment
  • About
  • Education
  • Awards & Honors

Biography

Praised by the San Francisco Classical Voice for playing "with maturity and panache," Dr. Cora Swenson Lee is a cellist and baroque cellist who performs actively around the United States. She regularly performs with large ensembles such as the Bella Voce Sinfonia, Schola Antiqua of Chicago, the Rochester Philharmonic, and the Illinois Symphony. As a chamber musician Dr. Swenson Lee is a member of Trio Speranza and the Illinois State University faculty string quartet.

A passionate educator, Dr. Swenson Lee is currently Instructional Assistant Professor of Cello at Illinois State University and the director of the Eastman Cello Institute.

Dr. Swenson Lee holds a Doctorate of Music in Cello Performance and Bachelors Degree in Cello Performance with highest distinction from the Eastman School of Music, as well as a Masters Degree in Cello Performance from Boston University College of Fine Arts.

Current Courses

236.001Applied Music (Advanced Cello)

136.001Applied Music (Cello)

436.001Applied Music (Cello)

139.001Ensemble: Baroque Chamber Music

239.001Ensemble: Baroque Chamber Music

439.001Ensemble: Baroque Chamber Music

498.002Professional Practice in String Pedagogy

236.001Applied Music (Advanced Cello)

136.001Applied Music (Cello)

436.001Applied Music (Cello)

274.001Elem/MS Teaching Methods: Band, Choir, Strings

139.001Ensemble: Baroque Chamber Music

400.004Independent Study

330.001Pedagogy And Literature: Cello

420.001Pedagogy and Literature: Cello

498.002Professional Practice in String Pedagogy

498.002Professional Practice:Music Performance

Teaching Interests & Areas

Private cello studio
Healthy habits for cellists of all ages
Chamber music
Viola da Gamba/ Viol Consort
Beginning strings classes

Research Interests & Areas

Historically Informed Performance
Baroque String Playing
Realization of Basso Continuo on the Cello

DMA Cello Performance

Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY

MM

Boston University College of Fine Arts
Boston, MA

BM

Eastman School of Music
Rochester, NY

First Prize in Instrumental Performance

The American Prize
2020

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Fellow

Emmanual Music
2014

Presentation Prize

Early Music America
2014