Wolfgang Gaag

The fact that Wolfgang Gaag, born in Waldsassen, would one day become a horn player, was by no means immediately clear. His musical talent, however, already became apparent during his primary school years, when he received his first music and singing lessons. After the transferral to secondary school, his instruments to begin with were the violin and the viola and his first performance was as a violin soloist.

After doing his "abitur" certificate in Bayreuth in 1964 he decided on the horn. With a grant from the Richard-Wagner society he began training as a sound engineer at the technical university of Berlin, and studying music at the college of music in Berlin (including horn with professor Gohlke and music theory and harmony theory with professor E. Pepping). During his studies, which he completed in 1969, Wolfgang Gaag was already the solo hornist of "Rias Jugendorchester" and "Jeunesse-Musicale-Orchester".

After finishing his studies he became solo hornist with the Bamberg symphonic orchestra, between 1979 and '81 Wolfgang Gaag was a member of the Bayreuth festival orchestra, from 1980 onward he was solo hornist for the radio symphony orchestra of Stuttgart and since 1982 he has been solo hornist for the Munich philharmonic orchestra. He has nevertheless found time for countless solo and chamber music performances with renowned conductors and orchestras in Germany and abroad.

Wolfgang Gaag has demonstrated particular didactical aptitude, for example in heading numerous master classes and in his teaching activities at the state colleges of music in Tossingen (1982-1985), Stuttgart (1986-1981) and Munich, where he has been professor for horn since 1995. He also judges in many competitions in Germany and abroad.

Along with Enrique Crespo, he was one of the founding members of the DEUTSCHE BLÄSERSOLISTEN and, finally, in 1984, of GERMAN BRASS.