Virtuoso pianist and prolific composer Noël Lee (1924-2013) grew up in the United States before discovering France in 1948, where he studied with Nadia Boulanger. He remained faithful to Paris, where he embarked on a dual career as composer and concert performer, winning numerous awards. A performer with a vast repertoire ranging from Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky to contemporary composers (Bartok, Ives, Copland, Gottschalk), the pianist has recorded several landmark complete works, including the first of Schubert's Sonatas . A Debussy specialist, he often performs with singers and pianists, notably Christian Ivaldi. In 1998, Noël Lee was made Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres, and took French nationality four years later. He died of a fall on July 15, 2013 in Paris.
