Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee is an Associate Professor in the Music Department at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, within the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. He teaches composition, music theory, music technology, and mentors student artists in the Songwriting Ensemble.

His educational background includes:

• B.M. in Music Composition from Baldwin-Wallace University
• M.M. in Music Composition from Indiana University
• D.M.A. in Music Composition from Rice University

Lee's research focuses on contemporary music composition, music theory, sound recording technology, and STEAM education. He explores the application of architectural theory to musical form, analysis of harmonic and rhythmic structures in contemporary music, and the integration of music with STEM disciplines through projects like the EcoSonic Playground. His work emphasizes musical play, creativity in unstructured environments, and environmental impact on artistic processes.

His published work includes the composition "Skywriting" for solo flute (2006), and he is currently developing articles on the EcoSonic Playground Project's social-cognitive benefits and Steve Reich's musical antecedents. Current research trends highlight intersections of music with sustainability, technology, and immersive pedagogy.

Lee has received several awards, including:

• Excellence in Teaching Award (2020)
• Doctoral Teaching Fellowship (2008)
• Morton Gould Award (2003)
• Kuttner String Quartet Competition (2003)
• Juan Orrego-Salas Fellowship (2003)

He has secured multiple grants as co-PI for The EcoSonic Playground Project, including funding from the International Society for Music Education Research Grant (2019), UML Chancellor’s Community Impact Grant (2018), and University Sustainability Grants (2017-2016). Lee also advises Seven Six Records and established Dana Hall School's songwriting program.

As a founding researcher for The EcoSonic Playground Project, Lee leads initiatives that merge music education with sustainability for underserved communities, while developing open educational resources for music technology curriculum.