Debussy’s Influence

Violinist Sean Lee joins the New World Symphony Fellows for a chamber program tracing Debussy’s influence through color, texture and atmosphere. Presented as part of New World Symphony’s 2026-2027 season, the concert takes place Sunday, November 8 at the New World Center in Miami Beach. The program pairs Debussy’s late Violin Sonata with works by Saint-Saëns, Tōru Takemitsu, Jeffrey Mumford and Jean Françaix.

The concert opens with Saint-Saëns’ Septet, followed by Takemitsu’s Rain Spell and Debussy’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, performed with Lee. After intermission, Lee returns for Mumford’s through a stillness brightening, with Françaix’s Quintet No. 2 for Flute, Strings and Harp completing the program.

Lee is a recipient of Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Career Grant and has appeared with orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony, Jerusalem Symphony and Utah Symphony. Known in part for his performances of Paganini’s 24 Caprices, he has also collaborated with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and released recordings on EMI Classics and other projects with pianist Peter Dugan.

The Fellows of the New World Symphony are early-career musicians selected for a competitive fellowship program that combines performance, professional development and work with leading guest artists. Their home base is the Frank Gehry-designed New World Center, where chamber concerts often highlight both established repertoire and less frequently heard works.