A San Francisco native, Dr. Austin Han received his Bachelor’s in Viola Performance at the University of Michigan, studying under Williams Primrose protogé Yizhak Schotten. Subsequent studies were at Indiana University and the University of Kentucky where he served as doctoral assistant. Significant mentors include Stephen Wyrczynski, Catherine Van Hoesen, Victoria Chiang, Caroline Coade, Tze-ing Wu and Jorja Fleezanis.

Currently, Austin freelances in the Portland OR metropolitan area where he is member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. He additionally substitutes with the Oregon Opera, Oregon Ballet Theater, and Orchestra Nova Northwest. Prior to Portland, Austin freelanced in the Bluegrass and Cincinnati area where he was a tenured member of the Lexington Philharmonic.

As a chamber musician, he is a former member of the Verdi String Quartet, giving recitals in 2017 and 2018 in Northern France as a part of the Lexington Sister Cities Commission. A 2015 alumnus of the Aspen Music Festival and School, he collaborated with pianist Vladimir Feltsman and oboist Elaine Douvas in a series of chamber recitals featuring music by Roslavetz and Scriabin. The 2018 awardee of the Levitt Amp Grant, he has organized summer chamber music outreach performances in Kentucky Appalachia as part of Lexphil’s summer season.

In addition, he has served as substitute for the New World Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, and Chautauqua Symphony orchestras. His extensive list of collaborators include Gil Shaham, Julian Rachlin, Michael Tilson Thomas, Sara Ramirez, Bela Fleck, Amy Grant, and Andre Watts to name a few.

As a photographer, Austin specializes in portraiture and music. His writings have been published by the University of Kentucky, and the Toledo Museum of Art.