Caroline KyungA Ahn

Embracing a wide spectrum of music in style, Caroline KyungA has been writing music that are deeply inspired by natural world.  Her music is described as 'entirely delicate and lyrical' yet has strong power that grabs audience's attention. Her recent style shows using more minimalistic approach to music but still greatly focusing on timbre using a lot of repeating and perpetuating motions.

Winner of 2018 Christine Clark/ Theodore Front Prize of IAWM (International Alliance for Women in Music), her achievements include being chosen in the Miami (FL) selection for New Music Days, as one of the five candidates to represent USA in the ISCM (International Society for Contemporary Music). She also received the Excellence in Composition prize for her piece “Sailing to the Deep Blue Sea” for Brass Ensemble at the IBCF (International Brass Chamber Music Festival, KY) and an honorable mention by IAWM (International Alliance for Women in Music) for the Libby Larsen Prize for her piece “Midnight Wind” for Chamber Orchestra.  Her chamber piece “Forgotten Times: 5 songs on Emily Dickenson’s Poems” earned her a performance selection for the SCI (Society of Composers, INC) national conference at Ball State University (IN).  Her piece “7 Plagues” for string orchestra was commissioned by Kaeum String Orchestra performed in NY.

Caroline also received a commission from ‘The 3Beats’ trio, and wrote a variation set on a famous theme of ‘Fur Elise’ by Beethoven which was broadcasted in Morning 8 TV channel in Indianapolis (IN) and was performed again in Summer Camp at DePauw University, IN by Lee Piano Trio. She also received a commission from Carmel City (IN) and wrote the opening and finale music of Carmel Festival (IN) in July 2012, which was used in TV and Radio commercials for the city. Her piece “Around Us” for String Orchestra was performed in Church of Heavenly Rest in Manhattan NY and NJ in September 2012 which was commissioned by New York Classical Players for the opening season of the calendar. "Around Us" was also named as the finalist at the prestigious Respighi Composition Competitions of 2014 season. Caroline was also selected as one of the finalists of Sioux Symphony Orchestra as ‘Composer of the Year’ in 2014. Caroline won the Donghak Civil War theme song competition in Korea in August, 2014. She also was one of the participants of the book 'Hymn for Hymn Vol. II' by BIC Publishing Company having written two pieces for SATB arrangement of two hymns and the book was published in July 2014.

Caroline’s recent appointments include as a music director and arranger at NAKS conference which was held in July, 2014 at Marriott hotel in Indianapolis, IN. NAKS hosted 1200 audiences from all over the states and abroad including the Mayor of the Indianapolis, Indiana. She also got a commission from the famous New York based percussion quartet group IKTUS and her piece "Deep, Deep" was played in Charlotte New Music Festival in Charlotte, NC in June, 2014.  Her another commission from Indiana Chamber group which was formed by ISO (Indiana Symphony Orchestra) members for string quartet and the piece “Falling” was performed at Meridian Hall, Indiana in November 2014. She also directed a National Day Reception of the Republic of Korea opening concert which was sponsored by Korean Embassy in Chicago at History Museum of Arts in October, 2014 and she arranged every music for the event. Her 3 piano quintet pieces which were commissioned by Thegenbals Music Society and the pieces was performed at Inframince concert and broadcasted by KBS in Seoul, Korea in May, 2015. Caroline recently got an honor to be named as a commissioned composer of IMTA and received a commission from Indiana State. Her piece “When the Oceans Speaks “was performed at Vincennes University Indiana at State Conference in September, 2015 and will be competing with other states as a representative of Indiana.

Her recent commissions include Cramped Spaces and Indiana State University,  Anderson Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Rick Sowers, Mirus Trio, Inspirare Trio, Pianist Jooeun Pak, Providence College Orchestra, and so on. 

She is an Artist in Residence for both The Classic Art and Thegenbals Society (musical group and agency) in Korea and recently relapsed an album entitled 'Classical Ballad' which is available on Amazon, iTunes and other streaming sites.

Born in Seoul, Korea, Caroline KyungA Ahn holds degrees from Yonsei University (BM in composition), Eastman School of Music (MM and MA in composition and pedagogy of theory) and Indiana University (DM in composition). Her compositions include orchestral, chamber, and theatrical works that have been widely performed in South Korea, the United States, Europe and South America. She worked as a full time adjunct professor at Indiana Wesleyan University in 2014- 2015 and currently works as an Assistant Professor and Artist in Residence at Anderson University. She also serves as a chair for Opus Composition Festival and a chair of Commissioned Composer program at IMTA and also serves as a president of the non profit community serving group Sound of Hope.

Caroline’s principal teachers include Richard Wernick (recipient of Pulitzer Prize), Claude Baker, David Dzubay, David Sven Sandstrom, PQ Phan, Don Freund, Robert Morris, David Liptak and Allan Schiendler.

She has also had master classes with Steven Stucky, Giles Swayne, and Stacy Garrup.