Soo Hwan Ahn | School of Music
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- Grade:Associate Professor
Introduction
Soo Hwan Ahn is a composer and scholar whose work bridges contemporary composition, computer music, musical semiotics, and digital sound technologies. He currently serves as Associate Professor of Composition at the Department of Music, College of Music and Arts, Dankook University, where he actively integrates academic research, creative work, and pedagogy.
He earned his Ph.D. in Composition from the University of Huddersfield (UK) through an integrated master’s and doctoral program. He also holds an M.A. in Music Production from Leeds Beckett University and a Graduate Diploma from the University of Leeds. He completed his undergraduate studies in musicology at Dankook University.
Dr. Ahn’s recent research explores the intersections of music and visual media, focusing on musical identity, symbolism, and genre. His 2025 publication, Expanding the Boundaries and Reinterpreting the Genre of Musical Films, analyzes the hybrid functions of music in musicals through the lens of musical semiotics. Previous works include semiotic and narrative analyses of classical music in film, such as Minari, The Imitation Game, and The Children Act, highlighting the emotional and symbolic roles of music in multimodal storytelling.
His earlier studies on leitmotifs, spatiality, and film sound technology laid the foundation for his ongoing exploration of music as a symbolic and structural system. As a composer, he has presented works in major concerts including the 2025 Carlos Symphony Orchestra’s Variations of Light and Shadow, and multimedia projects blending electronic and acoustic elements. He also composed for Korean television, including the 2018 SBS election broadcast.
Through a synthesis of theory and practice, Professor Ahn’s work emphasizes the complex meanings of music in contemporary media and performance, positioning him at the forefront of research in film music, semiotics, and digital composition.
Research
Film and Visual music composition
Computer Music
Recording Technique
Music Semiotics
Music Psychology
Consulting
Film and Visual music composition
Computer Music
Recording Technique
Music Semiotics
Music Psychology
Dissertation Writing Skills
Research Methodology