李佳恩出生於1981年、臺灣。四歲時，幼稚園老師挖掘其不凡的音樂天賦。她在還未學琴之先，首次聆聽貝多芬的《給愛麗絲》之後，精準在鍵盤上重復主旋律，從此其母親成爲她的啓蒙音樂老師。
1990 年佳恩全家移民至紐西蘭，之後事師名師屈勇。往後幾年在屈勇老師的指導之下，贏得不少國家大獎，舉凡青年鋼琴協奏曲比賽、CNZ 獨奏大賽、年度青年演奏家等等。至14嵗起，就不斷與交響樂團合作演出鋼琴協奏曲，其中邀約合作的指揮大師有英國、俄國、德國、臺灣人等。佳恩演出的協奏曲涵蓋古典音樂所有時期，其中含括巴赫、莫扎特、貝多芬、格裏格、李斯特、拉赫曼尼諾夫等等之鋼琴協奏曲。佳恩也曾經以全英國與紐西蘭最高成績考取倫敦 Trinity College LTCL 鋼琴演奏文憑。在1996 與 2000年，佳恩分別在 “Westpac 青年演奏家” 與 “Asia Down Under" 之電視紀錄片裏爲特寫人物。
佳恩在1999 年跳級進入奧克蘭大學音樂系，主修鋼琴，在 Bryan Sayer 門下繼續學習。在 Sayer 教授指導之下，她獲得當時其中最主要的兩場鋼琴比賽之首獎 – Thelma Gordan 獨奏賽、以及貝多芬奏鳴曲比賽。 之後連續兩年，佳恩蒙係主任賞賜 “最佳鋼琴家”之獎項。除了贏得4項獎學金之外，也在校内舉辦的協奏曲大賽，以《拉威爾》左手協奏曲之艱難曲目奪得亞軍 （冠軍為國際知名鋼琴演奏家 John Chen）。在這期間，佳恩幾次受邀，在不同的國家、國際政治盛會裏獨奏。
雖然佳恩在畢業演奏會裏，贏得所有評委站立鼓掌，但因爲突發手部受傷，迫使中斷手頭上一系列協奏曲演出的合約。堅持不放棄音樂的她，不久後找到了新方向、取得奧大教育學位，主修音樂教育，同時也取得心理學學位，並且也在往後的兩年裏，在音樂系擔任助教一職，指導大一、二的學生。婚後更是在臺中市衛道高級中學任職。從此之後，熱愛教育的她，幫助不少學生達到他們的音樂理想。舉凡《2016 紐西蘭郎朗全國青年鋼琴大賽》，她的學生入圍總決賽。在其他的年份裏，他的學生也以奧克蘭榜首考取皇家8級資格、榮獲青年協奏曲比賽季軍、少年獨奏賽冠軍等等。
除了音樂，佳恩也喜歡寫作，以及與朋友打羽毛球、乒乓球。現在身為三個幼小孩子的母親 （現任奧克蘭高中老師），她更是投入幼兒的音樂教育。盼望更多學齡前的孩子有更多機會接觸音樂，作爲正式學琴前的開路先鋒、培養對音樂的興趣與熱愛。
她的教學特色除了引導初學孩子快速的進步，更是幫助中、高程度的學生用符合人體工學自然彈奏的種種方法，防止演奏傷害的侵襲。
“Lee's piano performance brings tears” ~ Dominion Post, New Zealand
"李（佳恩）的鋼琴演奏使人落淚“ - 紐西蘭《自治領郵報》
“She blew everyone away” ~ Daily Post, Rotorua
"她震撼了所有人“ ~ Rotorua 《每日郵報》
"She is a star in the southern hemisphere!" ~ The Independence Daily
“她是南半球的音樂之星”~ 紐西蘭 《自立快報》
Auckland pianist Justine (Chia-En) Lee was born in Taiwan in 1981 and upon demonstrating musical talents at the age of four, through correctly repeating the melody of “Fur Elise” on the piano after listening for the first time, (without ever learning the instrument), her mother became her first music mentor.
When Justine’s family moved to New Zealand in 1990, she studied piano under the tutelage of Qu Yong, whom in the next few years, helped her won numerous major prizes and competitions in New Zealand, including 1st Prize in the Kincaid Alexander Concerto Competition, CNZ Recital competition, the Young Performer of the Year Awards etc, of which led to a series of concerto appearances with various orchestras in major venues. Justine was also the youngest candidate who attained the highest mark in New Zealand in the LTCL diploma piano exam. In 1996 and 2000 respectively, Justine was featured in both the “Westpac Young Performer” and “Asia Down Under” TV documentaries.
Justine continued studies at the University of Auckland majoring piano performance in 1999 with Bryan Sayer, who helped her won the Thelma Gordan Recital and the Alice Cole Beethoven Piano Sonata Award, which were two of the major piano competitions back then. In the next two years, she was consecutively awarded the Janetta McStay Prize for “The Most Deserving Pianist” at the university, receiving four scholarships in addition to winning 1st runner up at the university’s concerto contest (performing Ravel’s left hand concerto), after the internationally renowned concert pianist John Chen. She was a highly sought-after soloist, who was invited to play in several important national and international political functions.
Despite earning standing ovation from all adjudicators at her graduation recital, Justine had to terminate further studies and all future concerto engagements due to a serious hand injury. Leaving performance behind, she turned to music education, and later gained a postgraduate degree in Secondary School teaching. In the next two years, she worked as a tutor at the University School of Music, teaching year 1 and year 2 students, and have since found passion in teaching students at higher levels. Throughout the past 20 years of teaching, she has helped private pupils through achieving their goals in local competitions as well as ABRSM exams up to Diploma levels, including attaining the highest mark in Auckland in grade 8 exams, and winning prizes in junior concerto and recital contests.
Aside from music, Justine also enjoys writing. In 2005 she won first prize in the International Creative Writing Competition under 25, held by the Ministry of Foreign affairs in Taiwan. She also loves playing badminton and table tennis with friends. Now as a mother of three young children, she is looking deeper into inspiring young pupils in excelling their music learning. She hopes more pre-school children can be exposed to music, fostering interest and passion first, inspired for formal learning to come.
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