“Absolutely thrilling recital…elegance, and exuberant joy…energetic performance…rewarding a fabulous performance with shouts of ‘Brava’ and enthusiastic applause.” – American Guild of Organist.
Organist Ahreum Han’s imaginative, powerful, and extraordinary performances have thrilled audiences throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe.
She appeared as a featuring artist at the International Organ Festival in Arbon, Switzerland, Jack Singer Hall (Calgary, Canada), Michealskirche (Leipzig, Germany), Oxford Town Hall (Oxford, United Kingdom), Nottingham Albert Concert Hall (Nottingham, UK), and Esplanade Hall in Singapore.
Han was a featured soloist at the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists held in Nashville, Tennessee in 2012. She was a featured artist at the Regional Convention of the AGO held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa (2017), New Haven, Connecticut (2015), Atlanta, Georgia (2007), the Winter Conclave of the AGO held in Sarasota, Florida, (2010); the Young Virtuosi Festival held at Wesleyan University, Connecticut, Colorado State University, Colorado, and the White Mountain Musical Arts Bach Festival in New Hampshire.
Han has appeared as a solo recitalist in major venues include the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall (Philadelphia); The Riverside Church, The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, St. Bartholomew’s Church, and Trinity Church, Wall Street (NYC); Princeton University Chapel; Memorial Chapel at Harvard University (Boston); Ocean Grove Auditorium (Ocean Grove, New Jersey), St. Philip’s Cathedral (Atlanta), Broadway Baptist Church (Fort Worth), Merrill Auditorium (Portland, Maine). She has appeared as organ soloist with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra at Kimmel Center and the University of Pennsylvania Orchestra at Irvine Auditorium.
Han has received top prizes from numerous competitions including the Oundle Award, undergraduate division of Westminster Choir College Scholarship Competition, the Charlotte Hoyt Bagnall Scholarship Competition, the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) National Young Artist Performance Competition, the John Rodland Memorial Church Music Scholarship Competition, the Albert Schweitzer organ competition, the Carlean Neihart Organ Competition, the Edwin Seder prize at Yale Institute of Sacred Music, and the West Chester University Organ Competition. Her live performances have been featured on the radio show PIPEDREAMS from American Public Media.
Han was born in Seoul, Korea. Her family immigrated to Atlanta, Georgia when she was sixteen. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in organ performance from Westminster Choir College, a Diploma from prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, Master’s degree from Yale School of Music and Yale Institute of Sacred Music, Doctor of Musical Arts degree from University of Iowa. Her teacher includes Ken Cowan, Alan Morrison, Thomas Murray, and Brett Wolgast.
Han is presently the Director of Music and Organist at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth, Texas. She was on organ faculty at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa and the College Organist at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. She has served as the Principal Organist and Artist-in-Residence at First Presbyterian Church in Davenport, Iowa, the Principal Organist at First Presbyterian Church in West Chester, Pennsylvania, an organist at Marquand Chapel of Yale Divinity School, an organist the Berkeley Divinity School of Yale University, and Organist at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Stamford, Connecticut.
Han is married to Todd Congdon and they have two boys, Daniel and Bradley.