Ulrik Spang–Hanssen was born in 1953 in Copenhagen but received his earliest education in Paris, where he grew up. He graduated with honors from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, Denmark, having studied with cathedral organist Anders Riber. He has also studied with Gaston Litaize in Paris and Jacques van Oordmerssen in Amsterdam, and he has consulted with Jesper Christen at the Schola Cantorum in Basel to study early performance techniques.

Mr. Spang–Hanssen has appeared in numerous recitals throughout Europe and the United States and has recorded more than 25 CDs to date, among them the complete organ works by Carl Nielsen, J. P. E. Hartmann, Mendelssohn and Buxtehude, as well as recordings of works by J. S. Bach. He has broadcast on radio and television in about twenty countries and is at the moment busy with research into romantic performance practices. In 1983, he was appointed organist of the Church of Our Lady in Assens, Denmark, and he combined this position with the posts of associate professor at the Academies in both Odense and Aarhus until he decided a few years ago to concentrate full time on his teaching career. He has given several master classes abroad, at the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin, Musikhögskolen in Oslo, and at American universities. He is also in demand as a juror in competitions.

Beyond his activities as a classical organist, Mr. Spang–Hanssen is also a well-known Hammond organ player in the be-bop and fusion styles, and he is generally acknowledged to be among the leading players of that instrument in his country, with several recordings to his name.