Domenico Scarlatti, like his father Alessandro, wrote music in various genres, but he is best known for his 555 keyboard Sonatas. These remarkable single-movement works were mainly composed for his pupil in Madrid, the Infanta Maria Barbara, who became Queen of Spain in 1746. Maria must have been a talented performer as Scarlatti was able to pour endless variety into his creations, from sparkling virtuoso showpieces with sometimes audacious harmonic clashes to sonatas of serene beauty; all demonstrating his originality and genius within the frameworks of his chosen form. First prize winner of the Naumburg International Piano Competition and the Concert Artist Guild International Competition, Korean-American pianist Soyeon Kate Lee has been rapturously received as guest soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as many symphony orchestras across the US. She is a Yamaha artist and an associate professor of music in piano at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
