People: Tage Larsen

PRESIDENT'S OWN CORNETIST

Making the U.S. Marine Band--named by Thomas Jefferson as 'The President's Own'--is considered one of the most prestigious achievements by American musicians. To be selected, one must win a blind audition and beat out some of the nation's best musical performers.

Cornetist Tage Larsen, '92, managed that in his first try. 'I auditioned in August (1995),' he recalls, 'and began in September.' Since then, Staff Sargent Larsen has performed all across the country.

While in D.C., his band regularly plays 'Hail To The Chief' in official functions and 'Honors' to recognize visiting dignitaries at the White House. In June, among many events, Tage (pronounced Tah'-guh) performed during the visit by President Mary Robinson of Ireland in June.

Tage attributes much of his success to MSU's School of Music, which he calls 'top notch, the best in the country.' A native of Cambridge, MA, Tage came to MSU after meeting Leon Gregorian, MSU professor and director of orchestras, at a music camp in Maine. 'Four fantastic years,' he recalls his MSU education. 'The academics, whew, that was really hard, but it's the best in the country. My trumpet teacher (Richard Illman) was absolutely great.'

At MSU, he played in the Symphony Band, the Symphony Orchestra, and various jazz ensembles, winning the Sudler Award from the College of Arts and Letters in his senior year. Tage then studied at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY, and toured the country with the Dallas Brass for nearly a year. 'We traveled for the most part in a giant tour bus,' he recalls, 'and saw a lot of interesting places--Walla Walla in Washington, Florida, Southern California, New York, New England, basically everywhere.'

Tage's family has received attention for its multi-ethnicity. He is one of 10 siblings, six of them adoptive, including younger sister Siri Larsen, who starred on MSU's gymnastics team. 'We didn't think it was anything special,' he says, 'except when people would do stories on us.'