Mihae Lee has figured out how she can do two of her favorite things at the same time: practice the piano and watch the New York Yankees. To make that possible, there is a small television set next to the concert grand piano in the rehearsal studio of her Deep River home.Mihae, a concert pianist with an international reputation, has just been named the artistic

Mihae, a concert pianist with an international reputation, has just been named the artistic Longtime board president Fenton Brown, who also fulfilled the functions of an artistic director, now becomes trustee emeritus.

director of the Essex Winter

Series, starting with the 2011 season. Artistic director is a new position, according to Greg Shook, the vice president of the winter

series board. This year's concert series will begin on Sunday,

Jan. 24 with the Idee Woodwind Quintet from Finland. All concerts take place at Valley

Regional High School in Deep River.

Longtime board president Fenton Brown, who also fulfilled the functions of an artistic director, now becomes trustee emeritus. "We were thrilled to have a musician of Mihae's caliber living close by for this position," says Shook. "Fenton has been a great leader. He has given years to this organization. People in the community love him, love the series, and we hope to have a smooth and strong transition."

"We were thrilled to have a musician of Mihae's caliber living close by for this position," says Shook. "Fenton has been a great leader. He has given years to this organization. People in the community love him, love the series, and we hope to have a smooth and strong transition." Looking forward, Mihae says she would like to continue the successful format of the winter series and even add a fifth concert by an emerging artist, with the performer also doing a day in residence visiting local schools. She is eager for the new responsibilities that artistic director will bring.

Looking forward, Mihae says she would like to continue the successful format of the winter series and even add a fifth concert by an emerging artist, with the performer also doing a day in residence visiting local schools. She is eager for the new responsibilities that artistic director will bring. "It is different than playing a concert and then going home. It is a chance to be a kind of ambassador to people about classical music," she says.

"It is different than playing a concert and then going home. It is a chance to be a kind of ambassador to people about classical music," she says. Mihae does not have to wait

Mihae does not have to wait Mihae began lessons in her native Korea with her mother, a piano teacher, at the age of four. Mihae says her mother told her that, as a child, she would go to the piano and flawlessly play music that she had heard other students make mistakes on. At 14 she won the Korean National Music Competition, which led to a solo performance with the

until 2011, however, to make further connection with the Essex Winter Series. She has already appeared as a soloist with the

series and this year she will perform as a member of the

Triton Horn Trio with her

husband William Purvis, a French horn player, and violinist Ani

Kavafian. Mihae is also familiar to shoreline residents for her

appearances in the Chestnut Hill Concerts, a summer series that this year will present its programs at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old

Saybrook.

Mihae began lessons in her native Korea with her mother, a piano teacher, at the age of four. Mihae says her mother told her that, as a child, she would go to the piano and flawlessly play music that she had heard other students make mistakes on. At 14 she won the Korean National Music Competition, which led to a solo performance with the She had musical success, but at a price.

Korean National Orchestra.

She had musical success, but at a price. "I was very pressured," she says. "I had really no childhood."

"I was very pressured," she says. "I had really no childhood." At 15, Mihae came to the United States alone, living with a Korean family in New Jersey, to study in Juilliard's pre-college program. Her English, she says, was rudimentary, but it improved quickly after Mihae accepted a scholarship to Westover, a girl's boarding school in Mddlebury, Connecticut. Westover, she

At 15, Mihae came to the United States alone, living with a Korean family in New Jersey, to study in Juilliard's pre-college program. Her English, she says, was rudimentary, but it improved quickly after Mihae accepted a scholarship to Westover, a girl's boarding school in Mddlebury, Connecticut. Westover, she "I thought it was a good way to find out what it was like to live in America. It was difficult and I was not always happy, but I thought it was important to do," she says.

explains, wanted some Juilliard pupils as members of its student body.

"I thought it was a good way to find out what it was like to live in America. It was difficult and I was not always happy, but I thought it was important to do," she says. The school drove her into New York on Saturdays for lessons. The other students awarded

The school drove her into New York on Saturdays for lessons. The other students awarded After completing both her bachelor's and master's degrees at Juilliard, Mihae earned an artist diploma from the New England Conservatory.

music scholarships left after a year, but Mihae graduated from Westover. She has returned to perform, inaugurating a new

piano at the school four years ago.

After completing both her bachelor's and master's degrees at Juilliard, Mihae earned an artist diploma from the New England Conservatory. Although she has performed as a soloist all over the world,

Although she has performed as a soloist all over the world, "I am a people person," she

Mihae is best known for her chamber music. She says it fits her

personality.

"I am a people person," she Unlike a group of chamber

explains.

Unlike a group of chamber "Even a violin soloist has an

musicians, a piano soloist, she points out, is always alone.

"Even a violin soloist has an Her fascination with baseball, Mihae says, began when she first came to the United States.

accompanist," she adds.

Her fascination with baseball, Mihae says, began when she first came to the United States. "I was in New York, so

"I was in New York, so Even her stay in Boston at New England Conservatory, she says, could not change her to a Red Sox fan. She attended two Yankee games last season and is particularly fond of Melky

naturally the Yankees," she

explains.

Even her stay in Boston at New England Conservatory, she says, could not change her to a Red Sox fan. She attended two Yankee games last season and is particularly fond of Melky "I was getting emails from

Cabrera, whom the Yankees

recently traded to Atlanta.

"I was getting emails from At the urging of her mother-in-law, Mihae has also become a golfer. First she says, her mother-in-law gave her clubs, then a subscription to a golf magazine, and finally golf clothes. To her surprise, when she played with her husband, a good golfer, she

everybody saying how sorry for me they were," she says.

At the urging of her mother-in-law, Mihae has also become a golfer. First she says, her mother-in-law gave her clubs, then a subscription to a golf magazine, and finally golf clothes. To her surprise, when she played with her husband, a good golfer, she "I will not practice. I will just go out and hit the ball and enjoy myself," she says.

enjoyed herself. But she has

made one rule about golf. For an artist who has spent her life practicing piano at least three hours, often much more, each day, she is not about to add rehearsing a golf swing to her routine.

"I will not practice. I will just go out and hit the ball and enjoy myself," she says.

For information on programs and tickets for the Essex Winter series, visit www.essexwinterseries.com, or call 860-391-5578.