Violinist, 19, debuts with grace

ORONO – Kristin Lee, a superb 19-year-old violinist with a notably sophisticated technique for her years, made her local debut Sunday at a Maine Center for the Arts concert in Minsky Recital Hall. It’s a debut worth noting because it’s entirely likely that Lee, who is still only a sophomore at the Juilliard School in New York City, will be back one day as a star.

The South Korean-born musician is already impressively professional onstage. The first half of her concert, for which she received top billing even though her pianist, Hannah Shields, is a formidable presence in her own right, was a traditional lineup. Lee gave a declarative beginning to Beethoven’s Sonata No. 8 in G Major, establishing her ease with carefully articulated notes and virtuoso swiftness. Although she isn’t exactly playful, Lee found Beethoven’s humorous side, moving faster and faster in repeated themes.

For Brahms’ Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Lee sustained a big voice but also showcased tenderness and delicate dynamics. Throughout, Shields was effervescent and expressive, even if the piano had a boomy sound in the hall.

For all her ardent ability and comfort with fiddling, Lee is not a flamboyant player. She smiles only during her bows and does not address the audience. She’s serious, focused on the music rather than ambiance. Yet she truly connects with the audience through precision and rhapsodic elegance. That’s rare for someone so young and shy. But Lee, a multitalented musician who also plays piano in her free time, has made no secret of her love for romantic music. Naturally, Rachmaninoff is her favorite composer.

Lee is emerging from more than a dozen years of academic training, but her tastes reveal that her sweet emotional clarity comes from a genuine appreciation for sounds that pull at the heart. Never was that more apparent than during a wistful performance of Ernest Chausson’s “Poeme,” marked by a kind of angelic prettiness. Lee seemed not so much to play her violin as to hug it during Chausson’s lustrous piece. Lee undoubtedly will continue to refine this particular work as she matures, but it’s unlikely she can improve on the breathy, girlish beauty of yesterday’s performance.

The program also included “Duo Fantasy” by the living composer William Bolcom, and “Polonaise Brilliante” by Polish composer Henryk Wieniawski, another of Lee’s favorites. The Bolcom was dazzling, with plucky rhythms, nightmarish strains, ragtime intimations and a waltzing centerpiece. Lee and Shields were up for the challenge. Each musician showed versatility, rigor and intricacy in this satisfying concert.