Lee Mills Bids Adieu to the Seattle Symphony ... For Now

By Dalanie Harris

During his tenure with the Seattle Symphony, Douglas F. King Associate Conductor Lee Mills has been an invaluable asset to bringing its dynamic artistry to a global audience. From spirited Pops and community concerts to thrilling Masterworks programs, Mills has gripped listeners with his liveliness on the podium. Now, after three years with the orchestra, the accomplished maestro is moving on to new endeavors with his musical prowess  — but not before reflecting on his time as a member of the Symphony family.  

What were you most looking forward to when you first joined the Seattle Symphony as Associate Conductor? 

Lee Mills: The Seattle Symphony has an incredible reputation as an industry leader for not only the artistic quality of the orchestra, but also the innovative initiatives undertaken here. When I was attending Whitman College, I often came to Seattle to see the Seattle Symphony perform, and once I decided to be a conductor, I set myself the goal of conducting the Seattle Symphony! Naturally, it was an immense honor to be selected in 2019 to be the Associate Conductor of the orchestra, and I was looking forward to getting to work with these fantastic musicians on interesting and innovative programs and projects. 

How has your experience working with Symphony impacted you as an artist? 

Seeing the dedication of the musicians, crew, and administration during the COVID-19 pandemic was incredibly inspiring. Everyone was impressively committed to continuing our live performances throughout the pandemic. The launch of Seattle Symphony Live was emotional — none of us had heard live music for many months at that point — and seeing the response from our online audience was inspiring. During one session where we filmed a segment for FOX Sports in January 2021, several members of the Fox camera crew started crying. It was one of those situations where you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. The experience of returning to music making and seeing everyone else’s dedication to continuing our art making throughout the pandemic really opened my eyes. I’ve always loved making music before, but now I feel I have more of a sense of purpose. It’s not just for fun anymore. I have a new, profound understanding of what music means to our listeners, and because of that, I am a lot more intentional about my music making. 

In previous projects, such as your collaborations with EDM and nightlife producers in Brazil, you’ve worked to bring classical music to new audiences. How have you applied that mission to your work with the Seattle Symphony? 

I can’t overstate the importance of casting a wide net and sharing our music with as many other people as possible. I’ve been fortunate here in Seattle to have had a myriad of opportunities to break the mold and present music in new ways. Some highlights have included conducting the Essential Series, where the Seattle Symphony joined forces with Whitney Mongé and Ivan & Alyosha for some great concerts featured on Seattle Symphony Live. These concerts were exceptionally special because we commissioned Andrew Joslyn to create some wonderful arrangements of these artists’ works that showed off the range and capabilities of the Seattle Symphony’s musicians. We also recorded a pre-game segment for FOX Sports with the orchestra, playing Copland’s Appalachian Spring for over 30 million football fans. And to top everything off, this month we are performing Pride Pops with Thorgy Thor and the Seattle Men’s Chorus. I love blurring the lines between our traditional audience and new audiences. It’s really all about sharing my love for this music with as many people as possible! 

What has been the most rewarding part of your collaboration with Seattle Symphony musicians? 

These three years seem like they’ve been such a short time, but it has been a long journey. Throughout the pandemic and all the external chaos going on, I’ve really come to rely on my SSO colleagues. The musicians here are committed to their art, and they are also committed to seeing me grow and succeed as a conductor. I’ve had the honor of making several friends in the orchestra, and I have many colleagues who generously share their knowledge with me and help me become a better conductor every day. When you have so many capable musicians, the depth of knowledge is astounding! It has been an absolute joy to learn from these musicians. 

Where will audiences be able to see you next? 

Next season, I’ll be doing a lot of guest conducting around the country, but of course, you can all see me again here in Seattle the second weekend of February 2023! I’ll be coming back to do a program with Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony. I’m looking forward to returning to this great orchestra, beautiful hall and enthusiastic audience.