Otto Hage is a native of Cheraw, South Carolina. A graduate of Cheraw High School (South Carolina), he went on to complete a Bachelor of Music Education Degree at Newberry College. He studied horn with Lavon Bazemore and composition with Bill Long. Mr. Hage began his teaching career at Marion High School in Marion, SC.
Under Mr. Hage’s direction the Marion Bands gained a reputation for superior performances and crowd-pleasing concerts. Mr. Hage reestablished the Marion Jazz Band, which performed at local community events. Mr. Hage also formed the Marion Brass and several other chamber ensembles. Prior to working at Marion High School, Mr. Hage assisted several superior ensembles at Mid Carolina High School and Middle School. Mr. Hage was also the director of choirs and ensembles at Macedonia Lutheran Church in Newberry County, where he conducted the Children’s Choir, Youth Choir, and Adult Choir.
Mr. Hage spent 15 years at Pelion High School leading a comprehensive band, percussion, and color guard program. Under Mr. Hage’s direction the Pelion High School Bands continually received Superior ratings at both State and National festivals. The Marching Pride were crowned the 2014, 2015, and 2017 AA Lower State Band Champions and the 2015 AA State Marching Band Champions. The Marching Pride were also SCBDA Silver Medalists in 2014 and 2018 as well as Bronze Medalists in 2017. The band program was awarded the Outstanding Performance Award for musical excellence 11 times under Mr. Hage’s guidance, the highest award given to a band program in South Carolina. The Concert Band was honored to represent South Carolina at the 75th Anniversary Remembering the Heroes Memorial at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The Pelion “4:00” Jazz Band was selected as a featured performance at the 2020 SCMEA State Convention. The Pelion Aureate Winter Guard was a four time SCBDA State Champion, as well as three time CWEA Champion and WGI Super Regional Finalist. The Bands of Pelion High School experienced continuous growth over Mr. Hage’s 15 years beginning with a group of 18 students to an enrollment of 150 in year 15; and gained a statewide reputation for Superior, Innovative performances in the concert, jazz and marching band mediums. Ensembles under Mr. Hage’s guidance included the Pelion Panther Marching Pride, the Pelion High School Wind Ensemble, The “4:00” Jazz Band, Solstice Percussion Ensemble, The Pelion Pans Steel Drum Band, The Pelion Brass, and The Pelion Aureate Winter Guard.
This is Mr. Hage’s 2nd year at White Knoll High School and he is very excited to continue the excellence of the White Knoll Bands while creating lasting memories and leaders of the future! Mr. Hage is active as an arranger and performer. He has been a guest conductor for High School and Middle School Honor Bands and Clinics throughout the southeast, including the SCBDA Region II Honor Band. He is a free-lance performer on horn and guitar and has arranged marching band music for a number of bands in South Carolina. Mr. Hage is a devoted member of St. David Lutheran Church in West Columbia, SC where he directs the chancel choir and brass ensemble. Mr. Hage also performs regularly with the Carolina Wind Symphony, Columbia Concert Band, the Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra, and his local Blues Band “Civil Remedy”. Mr. Hage was selected as the 2014-15 Pelion High School Teacher of the Year. Mr. Hage has received citations of excellence from the National Band Association three times for excellence in Instrumental Music Education. Mr. Hage’s professional memberships include the Music Educators National Conference, the National Association for Music Education, the South Carolina Music Educators Association, the American Scholastic Band Directors Association, and the South Carolina Band Directors Association where he has served on the Marching Band Committee and currently the Jazz Committee. He is also a member of Delta Omicron National Music Fraternity. Mr. Hage and his wife, Deana, have a daughter, Madeline (22 years old) and two sons, Preston (19 years old) and Lukas (12 years old).