Naki Kripfgans

Dr. Naki Sung Kripfgans is a distinguished musician whose versatile career spans roles as a collaborative pianist, concert organist, recording artist, improviser, music educator, and choral conductor. Naki has performed internationally and regionally in North America, Europe, and Asia. Recent and upcoming performance highlights include a chamber music concert that was funded by the Arts Initiative Program at the University of Michigan in November 2023; a performance of Saint-Saëns’ “Organ Symphony” at Hill Auditorium in May 2024; and a clinician and conference organist for the 2024 Fellowship of Worship Artists’ Conference in Lake Junaluska, NC.

Naki received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Organ (Sacred Music) and a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of Michigan, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Northern Iowa. During and after her studies, Naki has received numerous scholarships and awards in piano and organ performance. She won the 2015 UM Life Sciences Orchestra Concerto Competition, which led to her performing Poulenc’s Organ Concerto at Hill Auditorium in 2016. As a virtuoso improviser, she also won the Robert Glasgow Award for Organ Improvisation at the University of Michigan in 2012 and served as one of the judges for the competition in 2019. She was featured in an article series titled “Women in Improvisation,” in the December 2020 issue of the American Organist magazine.

At the University of Michigan, Naki serves as faculty in the Music Program at the Residential College and as a collaborative pianist for the String Department at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. She also brings her extensive expertise and experience to her devoted role as the Director of Music and Organist at Bethlehem United Church of Christ in Ann Arbor.