A native of South Korea, Miss Lee began playing piano at the age of eight. She then moved with her family to the United States in 1984. She studied at the University of Colorado at Boulder with Professor Larry Graham obtaining a Bachelor of Music Degree in Piano Performance. She then attended Indiana University studying with Professor Edward Auer and earned a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance. During this time she also worked as an Associate Instructor at the Indiana University School of Music. She then returned to Boulder to work as the assistant instructor for Larry Graham at the University of Colorado for several years. During that period she performed as the pianist for a trio coached by Denis Koromsy and the Cosmopolitan quartet coached by Takacs. She also received coaching from Claude Frank, Robert Spillman, Angela Cheng, and Alvin Chow. She has since performed in a number of chamber and solo engagements and is known for delivering powerful and sensitive performances.

Crystal's students have garnered many awards in local, state, national, and international competitions. She has sent numerous students on to prestigious music programs including Juilliard, Mannes, Indiana (Jacobs), Rochester (Eastman), Johns Hopkins (Peabody), Oberlin, and many others. She holds monthly performance classes in her studio and the community that surrounds it breeds personal and academic excellence. She greatly enjoys watching her students develop into accomplished people and musicians.