Velma Chan Lee

This is Mrs. Lee’s 12th year with the artistic staff of Cantabella Children’s Chorus, having been the director of all levels of the training choir and Children’s Choir (CC), theory instructor of performing choirs and accompanist of Honors Choir (HC) and Children’s Choir (CC).

She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education with concentration on piano (Magna Cum Laude) from University of Santo Tomas, Philippines; a Master of Church Music degree in Pipe Organ (Highest Distinction) from Singapore Bible College; and has received Kodály trainings from Holy Names University in Oakland, CA.

She has extensive experience working with children having conducted children’s choirs and  handbell choirs. Very much musically inclined at an early age, she first joined her church’s children’s choir and started taking piano lessons at age 5.  She became the pianist in her church’s Sunday worship service beginning at age 11. While in the Philippines, she was very much involved with her church and para-churches’ music programs either as conductor, member or accompanist.  She was also a member of Coro Tomasino, a prestige choir at the University of Santo Tomas.   In Singapore, she was Worship Director/Organist of St. George’s Church and free-lance Organist of Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO).  She had performed with the Orchestra works by Brahms, Britten, Faure, Handel, Mendelssohn, Rutter and Vivaldi.  She worked closely together with Maestro Lim Yau for SSO production of Britten’s Noye’s Fludde, with a cast of auditioning more than 75 children.  With the migration to USA in 1999 with her husband Stephen, Velma continues on her passion with music as choir conductor, pianist and organist for the churches that her husband is involved in.  She also served as pianist for Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) Women’s group for many years and taught in its children’s program.  She had directed the Contra Costa Gospel Church Handbell Choir and led them in their Christmas programs and Spring concerts.  With her 12 years as artistic staff of Cantabella Children’s Chorus, aside from directing the different levels’ choirs for their annual concerts, she had travelled with Honors Choir as accompanist to festivals in Korea, Oregon and Ohio.  She also assisted in its production of Britten’s Noye’s Fludde in 2012. She is an active member of the Music Teachers’ Association of California, Alameda County East Branch, as a Board Member and she teaches in her private piano studio in San Ramon. She is currently Music Director and organist for St. Clare’s Episcopal Church.

For her free time, Velma likes to knit.  She loves outdoor  hiking with Stephen and her lovely daughter Christine.