Hahn, Philip Lee | Special Collections and University Archives

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Music Faculty

Philip Lee Hahn, DMA, AAGO, born August 25, 1935, passed away on Sunday, April 13, 2003, from complications of myelofibrosis, a disease of the bone marrow. He received the Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Michigan where he studied with Marilyn Mason and Robert Noehren. He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition and Organ Performance from Chicago's American Conservatory of Music studying with Stella Roberts and Robert Lodine. He received Certificates in Organ, Composition, and Solfeggio from the Conservatoire Americain, Fontainebleau, France, where he studied with Nadia Boulanger and Andre Marchal. His earlier training included piano study with Charles Rousseau, a student of Claude Debussy, and with Frances Clark.

During his professional career he was an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Northern Iowa, where he oversaw the installation of a large four-manual organ built by Robert Noehren. While in Iowa, he was Director of Music at Waterloo's First United Methodist Church. After moving to California, Dr. Hahn served as Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church in Palo Alto for several years before being appointed Artistic Director of the San Francisco Boys Chorus. His tenure with the Boys Chorus was highlighted by several concert tours which included concerts at Westminster Abbey, Chester Cathedral, Tivoli Garden, and Notre Dame Cathedral, among many outstanding venues.

During his solo organ concert tours, Hahn enjoyed the great privilege of playing some of world's great instruments including those at St. Thomas Church and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, both in New York City; the Frederikskirken in Copenhagen; Coventry Cathedral; Washington National Cathedral; St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco, and Pasadena Presbyterian Church. He was a featured recitalist, workshop leader, and adjudicator at many conventions of the American Guild of Organists. A favorite memory for Dr. Hahn was the 1984 AGO National Convention Workshop he shared with Virgil Thomson, during which the two men reminisced about studying with Nadia Boulanger, Thomson being one of her first American students and Hahn being one of the last.

From 1990 until his death, Hahn served as Organist/Choirmaster at St. John's Episcopal Church in Ross, California, where he was also the Executive Director of the Friends of Music Concert Series. It was at this church that the Aeolian-Skinner Organ from 1962 was enlarged in 2001 by the Allen Organ Company resulting in a magnificent instrument of great tonal variety from beautiful string choirs, to strong principal choruses, thrilling solo stops, and fiery reed choruses. From 1992-2002, Dr. Hahn was a member of the National Council of the American Guild of Organists and served as its National President from 1998-2002. Dr. Hahn's compositions include many sacred anthems, several pieces for trumpet and organ including The Trumpet Sings Thanksgiving; Spiritual; Fanfare for Five Trumpets and Organ; two large concerted works: Fantasy for Orchestra and Acclamations!, A Fanfare, for Concert Band. For the organ, Hahn wrote several short hymn-based compositions plus larger works including the Sonata for Organ; Songs from the Forest, a Suite for Organ and Synthesizer; and Suite for Organ Celesta, Vibraharp, and Timpani. His Sonata for Violin and Piano was the recipient of a Sigma Alpha Iota Prize. His short ballet, The Dance in the Desert, was fully staged at both First Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto, and at St. John's Episcopal Church in Ross.

Philip Hahn loved food and was a professional chef holding the position of Sous Chef at the Clift Hotel in San Francisco, later running his own restaurant, Fanny's, in San Francisco. The latter was housed in a Victorian building in which the dining rooms were upstairs in what were the bedrooms of the home. The kitchen was downstairs in what was the sitting room, and the area that had served as the residence's garage was transformed into a lounge and cabaret. For several years Hahn ran the restaurant and served as organist at the First Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo, returning exclusively to church music in 1980.

Philip Hahn is survived by his partner of twenty-nine years, Norman Nagao. He was preceded in death by his brother, Manley Hahn. Philip is further survived by two sisters, Thelma Copeland of Adrian, Michigan, and Jean Redman of Dallas, Texas, plus a number of nephews and nieces. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 PM on Sunday, May 4, 2003, at St. John's Episcopal Church, Lagunitas at Shady Lane, Ross. The American Guild of Organists has established a scholarship fund in Philip's name. Contributions to the Philip Hahn Scholarship fund can be sent to the AGO National Headquarters, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260, New York, New York 10115-1260.

PHILIP HAHN DIES AT AGE 67

Twenty-eighth President of the American Guild of Organists The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is very sad to announce the death of PHILIP HAHN, AAGO, the Guild's immediate past president. He died peacefully at his home in San Francisco, California, on Sunday, April 13, 2003, from complications of myelofibrosis, a disease of the bone marrow. From 1992 to 2002, Philip Hahn was a member of the National Council of the American Guild of Organists and served as president from 1998 to 2002.

He is survived by his partner of twenty-nine years, Norman Nagao; two sisters, Thelma Copeland of Adrian, Michigan, and Jean Redman of Dallas, Texas; and a number of nephews and nieces. A memorial service will be held at St. John's Episcopal Church in Ross, California, on Sunday, May 4, 2003, at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, it is requested that donations be made to the Philip Hahn Scholarship at the American Guild of Organists, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260, New York, New York 10115. During his professional career, Philip Hahn was an associate professor of music at the University of Northern Iowa, where he oversaw the installation of a large four-manual organ built by Robert Noehren.

While in Iowa, he was director of music at Waterloo's First United Methodist Church. After moving to California, Dr. Hahn served as director of music at the First Presbyterian Church in Palo Alto for several years before being appointed artistic director of the San Francisco Boys Chorus. His tenure with the Boys Chorus was highlighted by several concert tours that included concerts at Westminster Abbey, Chester Cathedral, Tivoli Garden, and Notre Dame Cathedral, among many outstanding venues. During his solo organ tours he enjoyed playing some of the world's great instruments including those at St. Thomas Church and the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in New York City; the Frederikskirken in Copenhagen; Coventry Cathedral; Washington National Cathedral; St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco, and Pasadena Presbyterian Church. He was a featured recitalist, workshop leader, and adjudicator at many conventions of the American Guild of Organists.

A favorite memory for Dr. Hahn was the 1984 AGO National Convention Workshop he shared with Virgil Thomson during which the two men reminisced about studying with Nadia Boulanger. Thomson was one of her first American students and Hahn was one of the last. Philip Hahn loved food and was a professional chef holding the position of sous chef at the Clift Hotel in San Francisco, later running his own restaurant, Fanny's, in San Francisco. The latter was housed in a Victorian building in which the dining rooms were upstairs in what were the bedrooms of the home. The kitchen was downstairs in what was the sitting room, and the area that had served as the residence's garage was transformed into a lounge and cabaret.

For several years Hahn ran the restaurant and served as organist at the First Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo, returning exclusively to church music in 1980. From 1990 until his death, Hahn served as organist-choirmaster at St. John's Episcopal Church in Ross, California, where he was also the executive director of the Friends of Music Concert Series. It was at this church that the Aeolian-Skinner Organ from 1962 was enlarged in 2001 by the Allen Organ Company. Philip Hahn received bachelor and master of music degrees from the University of Michigan where he studied with Marilyn Mason and Robert Noehren. He earned a doctor of musical arts in composition and organ performance from Chicago's American Conservatory of Music studying with Stella Roberts and Robert Lodine. He received certificates in organ, composition, and solfeggio from the Conservatoire Americain, Fontainebleau, France, where he studied with Nadia Boulanger and Andre Marchal. His earlier training included piano study with Charles Rousseau, a student of Claude Debussy, and with Frances Clark.

Dr. Hahn's compositions include many sacred anthems, several pieces for trumpet and organ including The Trumpet Sings Thanksgiving; Spiritual; Fanfare for Five Trumpets and Organ; two large concerted works: Fantasy for Orchestra and Acclamations! A Fanfare for Concert Band. For the organ, Hahn wrote several short hymn-based compositions plus larger works including Sonata for Organ; Songs from the Forest: A Suite for Organ and Synthesizer; and Suite for Organ Celesta, Vibraharp, and Timpani. His Sonata for Violin and Piano was the recipient of a Sigma Alpha Iota Prize. His short ballet The Dance in the Desert was fully staged at both the First Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto, and at St. John's Episcopal Church in Ross.