Hailed for her “electrifying performance” by music reviewers in Thailand and praised for her “melting performance of Brahms Op. 118” by The Boston Globe, Han Nah Son is a pianist of remarkable virtuosity and profound artistic sensitivity. The Chiang Mai Music Post described her playing as “melodies made to sparkle like diamonds.” Having performed across the world, she has captivated audiences with her artistry and depth, establishing herself as a dynamic and inspiring musician.

 

Han Nah Son has performed in Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Thailand, and the United States, appearing in prestigious municipal concerts and international festivals. She was a featured soloist with the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and performed with the Boston University Symphony Orchestra at Boston Symphony Hall. Her artistry extends beyond the concert stage, as she was invited as a guest pianist on National Public Radio’s WBUR On Point program for Boston After the Bombings: A Public Conversation of Hope & Healing. She was also cast as a musician in Michael Frayn’s contemporary play Copenhagen at Central Square Theater in Cambridge.

 

Throughout her career, Han Nah Son has earned numerous accolades in international piano competitions. She won first prize at the Young Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Russia and at the Ingrid Martin Foerder Foundation competition in Germany. She was awarded second prize at the Richmond Piano Competition in the United States and third prize at the International Franz Liszt Piano Competition in Italy. She also received a special prize at the Rotary-Rotaract International Piano Competition in Spain. In Malaysia, she won the first Gold Prize at the ASEAN International Chopin Piano Competition and was a finalist in the first Thailand International Piano Competition. Additionally, she won first prize at the Thailand Beethoven Piano Competition and second prize at the International Piano Competition in Costa Rica.

 

Born in South Korea, Han Nah Son moved to St. Petersburg, Russia, at the age of nine. She began her piano studies under the guidance of Olga Terentyeva and trained at the prestigious Rimsky-Korsakov Lyceum Pre-Conservatory before continuing her education at the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory. In 2003, she moved to Germany to study at Freiburg Musikhochschule. After completing her undergraduate studies, she pursued a Künstlerisch Ausbildung degree at Hannover Musikhochschule. She then earned her Master of Music at Mahidol University’s College of Music in Thailand before completing her Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at Boston University in 2015. Her doctoral research, Post-Shostakovich Composers: Sergei Slonimsky and Boris Tishchenko, explored the evolution of Russian piano music in the post-Soviet era.

 

Dedicated to mentoring the next generation of musicians, Han Nah Son has given masterclasses at the Tanglewood Institute of Boston University and the Chiang Mai Music Festival in Thailand. She has taught at the College of Fine Arts at Boston University and at Mahidol University’s College of Music. She has also served as piano faculty at St. Joseph’s University, Montgomery County Community College, Sharon Music Academy, and Maestro Musicians Academy. Her students have won numerous national and international competitions, including the Crescendo Piano Competition and the Distinction Award (ABRSM), leading them to perform at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York City.

 

In addition to her work as a performer and educator, Han Nah Son actively serves as a jury member for international piano competitions, including the Artcial International Piano Competition in Boston and the Liszt International Piano Competition in Grottammare, Italy.

 

Currently residing in Needham, Massachusetts, with her family, Han Nah Son is a faculty member at Bunker Hill College. She continues to inspire through her performances and teaching, passionately dedicating herself to the artistry of piano and the cultivation of young talent.