Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hanbyeol Lee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hanbyeol, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I was fortunate to grow up in an environment where I could learn to play musical instruments from a very young age. My dream of becoming a pianist began even before I could properly pronounce the word. I probably decided on my future career as a “pinano-nist” or something similar, and I thought I was preparing to become an artist. I focused more on technique than creativity and artistry, practicing like a machine to play repertoire perfectly. When I turned 23, a doctor told me that my hands were damaged and I could no longer play the piano, and I was devastated to give up my dream of becoming a pianist. Looking back now, I realize that I wanted to be an artist at the age of three, but I didn’t understand the meaning of it for 20 years. I thought it was cool to play the piano perfectly on stage. I only learned the true meaning of being a musician after I could no longer play the piano. Despite having issues with my joints and ligaments that prevented me from moving my hands freely, I decided not to give up on my dream of being a musician and started learning the harpsichord. I went to Italy and started learning the basics of the harpsichord, and soon fell in love with the instrument. When I saw and played the harpsichord for the first time, I felt like I became a 3-year-old kid again. But I finally understand what I want to do with music, and my attitude about my life and career changed after the injury. I began to ponder how I, who grew up in Korean culture, could professionally understand the traditional and historically rich harpsichord in Western music history and share it with modern audiences. This instrument inspired me so much as a musician, opened up more possibilities for my career, and made me a creative artist. Finally, I began a new life as a creative artist.

Hanbyeol, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a Historical Keyboardist, dedicated to playing old keyboard instruments that were primarily used before the invention of the piano. My repertoire mainly focuses on music from the 16th and 17th centuries, performed on early instruments such as the harpsichord, organ, and clavichord.

In addition to performing as a soloist, I have collaborated with many artists in festivals and concerts across South Korea, North America, and Europe. I am also the founder and artistic director of the In Nomine Ensemble, which I had the fortune of starting with my talented friends from The Juilliard School.

The name “In Nomine” translates to “in the name of,” reflecting our group’s belief that music can be performed in the name of anything you believe and feel—love, grief, joy, power, or faith. The ensemble’s instrumentation is rare and special, as we perform on historically accurate instruments while striving to create new sounds from these ancestral tools with our motto, “New Sounds, Old Notes.”

My mission is to bring early music to life with refreshed interpretations and a strong sense of community. This passion led me to research old folk music and traditions. We have curated numerous concerts, primarily in New York City, offering free admission and relying entirely on donations. To reach a wider community, I organize free online events such as the “Annual In Nomine Music Advent Calendar” on Instagram and our YouTube Channel, @innomineensemble.

Early music performances on historical instruments are unique, revealing a wealth of repertoire that has been hidden for 300 years and is now rediscovered, like finding treasures. My goal is to share these beautiful old treasures with the world and use my creativity to reinterpret this wonderful music to suit 21st-century trends and tastes.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

As a musician, my goal and mission are to coexist with the past, present, and future. The early music that I fell in love with may be too static and boring to climb the Billboard charts, but it is a quite charming genre that was once the contemporary music of our ancestors. (In my very personal opinion, it will feel more familiar than Mahler’s symphonies!)

My first step is to discover early music from the 16th and 17th centuries, find unknown composers, analyze their works, and understand them accurately. Many early music pieces have insufficient documentation and information, so much research and understanding of not only music but also history and art are required, and it is important to apply this knowledge to music flexibly. Especially due to the nature of Baroque music, improvisation allows musicians to creatively perform beyond the constraints of the sheet music, which is very interesting.

I consider how to respect the performance practices of the past and how to convey them to today’s audiences. To introduce lesser-known composers, early music, and unfamiliar instruments like the harpsichord in a more accessible way, I sometimes add explanations or link them to artworks, or introduce the predecessors of familiar traditional folk music alongside them.

For the past three years, my friends and I have been introducing traditions and matching music through the In Nomine Ensemble Advent Calendar every year. We share 24 short videos from December 1st to 24th on social media, trying to reach a more diverse and larger audience with Baroque music and folk music.
My goal is to discover early music that might otherwise be forgotten, share it with current and future audiences, and ensure it can be performed interestingly.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

The greatest support for musicians can come from the interest of individuals and organizations. The most successful performance culture I pursue receives financial support from many institutions and organizations, where performers are sufficiently rewarded for their efforts, and audiences can enjoy performances with minimal economic burden. Furthermore, those audiences will continuously follow the performers and take an interest in their future projects after listening to their performances.

Performers need sufficient financial backing to provide high-quality performances. It is true that the rehearsal and practice time musicians invest in an hour-long performance are hard to quantify in monetary terms, and thus the efforts of musicians are often overlooked. Unfortunately, many musicians, including myself, often cannot dedicate much time and effort to their self-development as musicians due to livelihood concerns.

Many artists have sacrificed themselves for creative results and have carried out their artistic activities with the support of society. Without the Medici family, Michelangelo’s artworks would not exist. If Louis XIV had not sponsored musicians, the music and ballet performances we enjoy today might be different. Art can only continue with the interest and support of those who love it, and it has been this way for a long time. Currently, many genres of art are emerging, and there will be even more in the future. However, it is also important to pay attention to the efforts and creativity of artists who preserve the tradition of pure art while reinterpreting it to suit the tastes of contemporary communities.

Financial support for artists’ creative projects, fair compensation for recordings and streaming, and guaranteed residency and performance opportunities for creative projects would be helpful. I believe that if continuous interest from the audience, support from social organizations, and efforts for creative and high-quality results by artists are repeated, the overall cultural level of society will rise.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.innomineensemble.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hanpsichord
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hanpsichord

Image Credits

Romina Zanon
Joselito Verschaeve
Lionel Hug
Mei Stone