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that “if bass clarinet is going to be disparagingly referred to as a harmony clarinet, I will at
least harmonize with whomever I please”.
Aage has been the bass clarinetist with the Boise Philharmonic since 1988, the Sun Valley
Summer Symphony since 1998 and is on the adjunct faculty at Albertson College in Caldwell,
Idaho. He also coaches chamber music at the Sun Valley Summer Symphony Workshop and
Boise State Chamber Music Camp and is a frequent adjudicator in the Boise area. He earned
a Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Music from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa
Idaho, where he studied with Michael Bankston. He has taken post-graduate lessons from
Søren Elbo, in Copenhagen, Denmark; J. Lawrie Bloom, Chicago Symphony; and Dennis
Smylie, Aspen Music Festival.
While growing up in Oregon and Texas, Aage studied all woodwinds, but developed an early
affinity for the lower voices. After spending most of his youth packing around a bass clarinet,
baritone sax and bassoon, a little oboe seemed like a good idea. It was nevertheless a bit
shocking when, after several years of sinus damage and serious study as an oboist, he
gravitated back to bass clarinet at the age of 22, after a seven-year hiatus. His professional
debut came later that year with guest artist Doc Severinsen. The event seemed like a good
omen, so he decided to pursue an unlikely career as a bass clarinet specialist.
Aage’s background in languages has somewhat mirrored his musical studies. After five years
of studying French, he taught himself Danish with the help of correspondence courses in
college, 15+ years of journaling and an insatiable appetite for Danish pop music and film.
Not one to shy away from a genuine slice of Americana, Aage is addicted to Tab cola, has
been a devoted fan of Days of Our Lives since the seventies and shamelessly adopted Cree
artist/activist Buffy Sainte-Marie as his own personal Elvis.
Citizen Aage’s serves as a board member of the Medieval Society of SW Idaho (NOT those
annoying ”jousting in the park” people) and the Scandinavian Society of SW Idaho amd
frequently plays bass clarinet with the choir at St. John's Cathedral.
While he will never win Athlete of the Year awards, his single speed cruiser “Flying Sue” has
offered a healthy alternative to morbid obesity and his well-muscled right calf was recently
rewarded with a big bass clef tattoo.
Still trying to pronounce Aage? With a mouthful of mashed potatoes, mumble
Owen without the N and you’ll be close enough.
