Mikkel Myer Lee, Singapore’s 12-year-old piano prodigy, is embarking on a historic journey to perform Beethoven’s complete 32 piano sonatas over the next three years, beginning with a concert on 3 December 2024 at the School of the Arts Singapore (SOTA). Known for his perfect pitch, Mikkel has already made a name internationally, as the youngest participant in Switzerland's Verbier Festival and a winner of numerous piano competitions across Europe and the US. He set records as the youngest pianist to perform Chopin’s complete 24 Preludes at age nine and to play both Chopin Piano Concertos at age ten.
This ambitious Beethoven series is supported by the Foundation for The Arts & Social Enterprise and APRW, one of Singapore’s prominent communications agencies. Audiences can look forward to Mikkel's interpretations of four Beethoven sonatas, including the iconic 'Moonlight Sonata', each reflecting the depth of Beethoven’s musical evolution. We recently caught up with him to find out his thoughts on taking up this great feat at such a young age.
View this post on Instagram
Hello Mikkel! You’ve achieved so much at such a young age! How do you stay focused and motivated to continue practicing and performing?
Hi! Thanks so much! I stay focused and motivated because I really love what I do. Playing the piano never feels like a chore to me—it’s fun, and I enjoy discovering new things in the music. Plus, I always set goals for myself, like learning new pieces or preparing for concerts, and that keeps me excited. I also love the idea of sharing music with others, and knowing that helps push me to keep practicing and performing.
What do you feel when you’re playing a challenging piece like Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’?
When I’m playing something like Beethoven’s 'Moonlight Sonata,' I’m not really thinking about how hard it is. I just feel really focused on the music and the emotions. The first part feels calm and kind of mysterious, and then the last part is really fast and powerful, which makes it super exciting to play. To me, it’s more about bringing out the emotions and telling the story of the music.
What do you enjoy the most about performing Beethoven's sonatas?
What I love most about performing Beethoven's sonatas is how each one feels like its own adventure. His music has so many emotions—sometimes it's really powerful, and other times it's lighter and fun. I like that every time I play, it's different and exciting. It lets me express lots of feelings, which makes it super fun!
Can you tell us about your experience performing at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland?
For Verbier Festival, I went to participate in the Verbier Festival Academy. However, the minimum age was 16 and for Junior students, a qualified individual must be 13 years old at least. As I was only 12 years old, so I was very grateful they created a Junior Student of Promise for me and I was able to learn from many great masters! The most memorable experience was being able to talk to Yuja Wang and Evgeny Kissin and watch them play up close.
You have a passion for photography and painting too. Do you find that these creative hobbies inspire your music in any way?
Yes, I think photography and painting do inspire my music. When I take pictures, I try to capture a special moment, and that’s like how I play music—each phrase feels like capturing a feeling. Painting helps me think about using different colours, and that makes me imagine different emotions when I’m playing. It’s like finding new ways to make the music more exciting and alive.
If you could travel anywhere in the world to perform a concert, where would it be and what piece would you play?
If I could travel anywhere in the world to perform a concert, I would choose Nuuk, Greenland. The Arctic region is a place where many people might not have had much exposure to classical music, and it’s a dream of mine to share that experience with them. I truly believe that music has the power to connect across cultures, and it would mean so much to me to introduce the beauty of classical music to the Inuit people. If I could make this happen, I’d love to perform Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Its depth and emotion would fit so perfectly with the calm and majestic surroundings of the Arctic. I really hope there will be opportunities someday to make this dream come true and bring classical music to a place where it could be something totally new for people.
