Classical Circuit Podcast Episode 12 — Pianist and Barrister Paul Wee

Host Ella Lee chats with Paul Wee about his life as a pianist and a barrister

Launched this year, Ella Lee’s classical music podcast, “Classical Circuit” explores the intricacies of the classical music industry, and all that comes with working in it. Hailing from across the profession, the podcast guests discuss their careers and personal opinions.

“Classical Circuit” is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. We had a chance to talk to Ella about her inspiration behind creating this podcast in this exclusive interview.

Paul Wee is an internationally acclaimed pianist with a love for celebrating the hidden gems of the piano repertoire. His recordings for BIS have been met with great critical acclaim, including being shortlisted for multiple Gramophone Awards. Not your average pianist, Paul also happens to be a very successful barrister; he was called to the bar by Gray's Inn in 2010, and currently practises from Essex Court Chambers in London. Paul performs around his professional commitments as a barrister, both in London and internationally, and will be making his Wigmore Hall debut in June 2024.

In this episode, Paul discusses fitting the piano around life as a barrister, and his reasons for recording the repertoire he has so far. He also talks about wondering whether the success of his earlier recordings were due to the 'novelty' factors, and shares just how difficult it was to adjust to the sudden change of path from music to law.