Founded in 2004 by conductor Yoon Jae Lee, Ensemble 212 is an exciting New York-based orchestra comprised of young talented professionals. The orchestra performs a diverse range of repertoire from the Baroque era to the present, featuring a series of chamber music, ensemble, and orchestra concerts. This allows Ensemble 212 flexibility to range from an intimate duo up to a symphony orchestra of over fifty musicians. Because of this unique aspect of the orchestra, both conductor and orchestra musicians are involved with the artistic process. Chamber music concerts feature orchestra musicians performing in small groups without the conductor’s intervention. Ensemble concerts allow the conductor and musicians to collaborate together and in orchestra concerts, the artistic decisions emanate from the conductor.
One of Ensemble 212’s major goals is promoting and collaborating with musicians based in the greater New York metropolitan area. Featured guest soloists have included Daniel Phillips of the Orion String Quartet and pianist Lisa Yui. Ensemble 212 also holds an annual Young Artist Competition series dedicated to featuring young musicians who demonstrate exceptional abilities for a promising career in classical music. Each season, the age and categories for each competition are rotated to include instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers. Concerts are held about six times a year and take place in venues such as Merkin Concert Hall or the Good Shepherd-Faith Presbyterian Church at Lincoln Center.
