ATLANTA — The Georgia State University School of Music is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Nicholas Han as Interim Director of Orchestras, effective August 2026. A conductor and violinist whose rise has been marked by international competition wins, prestigious festival fellowships and a growing portfolio of engagements with professional orchestras across the United States and internationally, Dr. Han brings a clear-eyed vision and a deeply student-centered approach to one of the School of Music’s most visible roles. In addition to leading the GSU Symphony Orchestra, he will assume leadership of the Campus Orchestra, an all-string ensemble that will benefit from his background as a trained violinist.
Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Dr. Han made his conducting debut at The Music & More SummerFest Music Festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He earned his Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from Central Washington University, his Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Oklahoma State University and his Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Georgia in 2026. He began his professional conducting career as Assistant Conductor of the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony in 2022 and served as Apprentice Conductor of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic in May 2023. He later served as Cover Conductor for the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra from fall 2023 through spring 2025. His recent conducting engagements include guest appearances with the LA Conducting Workshop and Competition Orchestra, the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and the Aspen Conducting Academy Orchestra.
Dr. Han’s talent has been recognized on the international competition circuit. In 2022 he was selected as one of three winners of the International Conducting Workshop and Competition (ICWC) in Atlanta and took first place and the Audience Prize at the LA Conducting Workshop and Competition in Garden Grove, California. This summer he participated as a Conducting Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival, studying with renowned conductors Robert Spano, Jane Glover, Leonard Slatkin and Mark Stringer. His principal conducting mentors include Nikolas Caoile, Alexander Mickelthwate and Mark Cedel.
Director Dr. Julia Bullard expressed enthusiasm for what Dr. Han will bring to both ensembles. “We are so excited to have Nicholas Han joining us this year as our interim director of orchestras,” she said. “He is an accomplished conductor and I’m looking forward to the energy and creativity he will bring to the GSU Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Han is also a violinist and will be assuming the leadership of our Campus Orchestra — his pedagogical knowledge will be a great benefit to this all-string ensemble.”
In the classroom, Dr. Han’s pedagogy is built on rigorous score study and symphonic literature. He teaches students to hear structure, harmony and orchestration before stepping onto the podium — grounding conducting in deep musical understanding rather than physical technique alone. “Conducting is one of the most unique art forms where the conductor does not make a single sound, but is the most important figure in a large orchestra,” he said. “Expanding the sense of the art form of conducting is beyond just beat patterns, but also gestures, listening, rehearsal pacing, how to diagnose a problem in real time and fix it efficiently.” He is equally emphatic that theory without practice is incomplete: conducting students need hands-on time with a physical ensemble to truly internalize these skills.
His vision for the GSU orchestra program is equally clear. “A thriving collegiate orchestra is one where rehearsal has real purpose in the act of music making,” he said. “Not just hitting every note perfectly, but shaping phrases, building ensemble listening and searching the why behind the music, not just the what.” He is committed to building programming that pairs core masterworks with underrepresented and living composers, developing both historical range and engagement with the music of today.
“It is also one where students feel genuinely invested in programming — understanding how and why a piece is on the stand and feeling some ownership, not just handed a folder full of music.”
Beyond the rehearsal room, Dr. Han is focused on building stronger ties between the GSU orchestra program and Atlanta’s professional music scene, using the city’s proximity to working musicians as a living resource for students. He is also committed to concrete audition preparation — equipping students with the skills to succeed at professional orchestra and graduate auditions so that their training at Georgia State translates directly into their careers. Dr. Han joins the School of Music this fall.
About the Georgia State University School of Music
The Georgia State University School of Music, part of the College of the Arts, offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs in performance, composition, music education, music therapy and music industry. Located in the heart of Atlanta, the School of Music is home to a dynamic community of students, faculty and staff committed to artistic excellence, scholarly inquiry and community engagement. For more information, visit music.gsu.edu.