Hi, my name is Ethan Lee, I am a senior in high school, and I am going to college to study engineering. I love to listen to, play, and write jazz music, I love to play soccer, I love surfing, and I enjoy spending time with my family.
Organization Name: New Jersey Performing Arts Center
Award Title: Excellence in Music
Year: 2026
What does receiving a New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education mean to you? This award is an honor for me, and it recognizes the time I’ve dedicated to music, and my passion for studying it. I am very thankful to my teachers to whom I credit for this award as well as my dad for getting me obsessed with music from the beginning.
How has receiving this award influenced your artistic journey and future aspirations? One of the greatest experiences for someone developing their skills is the moment you realize you don’t know what you’re doing. I had several moments during my time in Jazz for Teens where I would be playing amongst peers more experienced than myself, or teachers whose ears picked up on exactly what I was doing, and there was nowhere for me to hide. When it came time for me to take a solo it was all ears on me and you could tell I just didn’t know the changes. But my teachers and peers always supported me through those moments and helped drive me to improve for the next time. Moments like those were what led to my greatest improvement.
Can you share a specific experience in arts education that had a profound impact on your development as an artist? If this young artist is anything like myself: maybe afraid to take a chance or be in the spotlight, even for a small moment, I would tell them to take that opportunity. Take every chance you get. I say this because getting used to taking risks and being outside of your comfort zone is what leads to growth.
