Love-Lee Music, Media Queen and a Kung fu Legend

Playing Love-Lee Music Together: The very talented Lee Trio flew in from New York just to play a benefit concert to raise money for the Presbyterian Church in San Francisco’s Chinatown, the oldest Chinese American church, established in 1853. It is most unusual to have three world-class, award-winning musicians in one family. However, it’s a sure bet that proud mother, Ruth Lee — a former piano teacher — played a major role.

The Lee Trio was formed in the Bay Area while the Lee sisters, Melinda, Lisa and Angela, were students in the Preparatory Division at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 1990. Melinda (pianist) began her musical studies at age 5 and gave her Carnegie Hall debut in October 1999 as a benefit to the youth and Chinese communities in NYC, where she has lived since graduating with honors from Harvard University in June 2000. Lisa (violinist) graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and received a graduate diploma from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London as a Fulbright Scholar. She debuted with the San Francisco Symphony at age 16 and performed with Yo-Yo Ma this past spring in Berkeley. Angela (cellist) is a graduate of the Julliard School and Yale School of Music. At age 16, she made her debut in the People’s Republic of China as a soloist with the Central Philharmonic Orchestra in Beijing.

The three sisters continue to colaborate and perform at chamber music festivals and concerts around the world. The Lee Trio look forward to their return to London next month for their Wigmore Hall debut.

Broadcast journalist/host/media consultant Lorna Ho.

Kung Fu Legend: Sammo Hung was in Los Angeles last month for the celebration screening of his 1989 classic Pedicab Driver. Best known in America as the star of the hit CBS-TV series Martial Law, Hung has been working steadily in Hong Kong as an actor/director/producer/action choreographer for over 25 years with over 100 films to his credit. As one of Hong Kong’s most innovative and prolific directors, Hung has been responsible for the popularization of many genres prevalent in Hong Kong cinema today. As one of Hung’s own personal favorites, Pedicab Driver showcases Hung’s mastery over genre and seamless blending of action, romance and comedy. Stephen Liu of Creative Interplay Inc. reports, “It was actually one of the funniest, slapstick action kung fu flicks I’ve seen! ”