Alphorn Productions

Center Stage

There are numerous concertos and solo works with band and
orchestra, from Leopold Mozart’s 1755 Sinfonia Pastorella to adventurous works by living composers. Of course, there's never a shortage of traditional Alpine songs and dances to enchant the audience.

Collaborations

The Alphorn makes a wonderful and unique partner in chamber music. Composers have written numerous works for Alphorn with harp, winds, and string quartet.The pairing of Alphorn and Organ is a favorite. Many pieces appropriate for recitals and church services exist for this duo.

Lederhosen Fun!

At Oktoberfests, markets, and special events music selections for one or multiple Alphorns are a fun mix traditional unaccompanied Alpine tunes, as well as songs and dances with accompaniments on my sound system.

Audience Participation

“Blow an Alphorn!” is extremely popular. Folks are welcome to come up and give the Alphorn a try. This is a great moment for photos and videos. For this, mouthpieces are sterilized for each player.Also children are often invited up to become a little herd of bell-ringing cows responding to the style of music being played by the cowherd (that's me).

"Shawn and his Alphorn were the stars of our 2-day 6th Annual Oktoberfest at Wheatland Spring. I cannot overstate his natural ability to connect with an audience. Guests loved learning about the Alphorn, Shawn’s impressive musical background, and even having the opportunity to try their hand at the instrument! Shawn was a
breeze to work with. He was an excellent communicator both leading up to and during his 2-day performance. We hope he will join us again!”Bonnie Branding, owner Wheatland Spring
Farm & Brewery

Who is your Alphornist?

Hornist and Alphornist Shawn Hagen proudly served for 25 years as a musician in the premiere bands of The United States Army in Washington, DC. He currently
teaches at American University and is a member of the National Chamber Winds.He has been a frequent guest with The Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, The National Symphony Orchestra, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. With the US Army Band, “Pershing’s Own,” he had the historic honor of being the first Alphorn soloist at the US Capitol.Beyond music, Shawn is a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher, Laughing Yoga and Breathwork coach, and a Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Good Grief Camp mentor for youth who have lost military family members.