Senior Daniel Lee Selected for Performance at Carnegie Hall
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By Barry Lemoine for Nola.com
The best way to get to Carnegie Hall? For Kenner resident Daniel Lee, an 18-year-old senior at Jesuit High School, it was recognition from the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America.
Lee, a violinist, was recently named as one of 109 teens from around the country, and the only musician from Louisiana, to be selected for the 10th annual National Youth Orchestra, which means Carnegie Hall recognizes them as among the finest players in the country.
This was the third year that Lee has been recognized by the group for his musical excellence. The experience has been transformative.
An honor roll student with a 4.67 grade point average, Lee is active in a number of organizations at Jesuit. He said juggling all of his school responsibilities with his musical ones can be a challenge.
“Practice time depends mostly on how much sleep I am willing to sacrifice. School work and other extracurriculars take so much time, but I usually try to practice at least an hour a day, preferably two or three.”’
Mike Begg, an English teacher at Jesuit, said Lee’s character strengths are as impressive as his school accomplishments.
“Daniel is a model for others through his kindness, drive, and love for learning,” Begg said. “He is one of the most naturally talented and hardworking students with whom I have had the opportunity to work. It is clear to me that he has a very bright future in whatever field of study he decides to pursue.”
Lee said his future plans and career path are a bit uncertain right now, but he is sure of one thing going forward. “I know that I will always share the gift of music.”
