Homegrown cello phenom joins accomplished pianist for recital at Santa Fe College
Press release from Santa Fe College
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Celebrated cellist and Gainesville native Julia-Hyunji Lee is returning for an evening performance with pianist Andrew Barnwell, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, at the Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall at Santa Fe College (SF).
Tickets are available online from Showpass or at the Sasser Fine Arts Hall box office.
The artists will perform a program comprised of works by Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Nadia Boulanger, and Dimitri Shostakovich. Earlier in the day of the performance, Lee and Barnwell will conduct a masterclass for students in the SF Fine Arts programs.
A principal cellist for the orchestra at her alma mater, The Julliard School, Lee is committed to creating meaningful and authentic connections through music. She regularly collaborates with Molly Carr’s nonprofit Project: Music Heals Us, leading workshops and performances through the “Music For The Future” branch. She also has contributed to Orpheus Chamber Orchestra’s “Reflections” program, bringing interactive performances to individuals living with Alzheimer’s.
Lee is a prizewinner of the Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition, and she has performed with the New York Philharmonic and at the Kennedy Center. Her accolades include being a finalist of the Susan Barbash J.S. Bach Competition, winning the Mary Alice Cox Award, and first prize at the Florida Federation of Music Clubs Competition. As a soloist, she has performed with the Ocala Symphony, Alachua County Symphony, and the University of Florida Chamber Orchestra.
In her hometown of Gainesville, Florida, she co-founded the Buchholz High School String Orchestra — the school’s first string program — making music education accessible to underserved students.
Pianist Andrew Barnwell was a founding member of Trio Gaia — New England Conservatory’s most recent Trio-in-Residence and prizewinners in the WDAV Young Chamber Musicians Competition, Premio Trio di Trieste International Music Competition, Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition, and the Plowman National Chamber Music Competition. His trio is dedicated to inviting audiences into conversation through chamber music, and they have presented numerous recitals and educational workshops in the United States, Panama, and Japan.