Born in Würzburg in 1983, Andreas Böhlen moved to Northern Germany in 1988. He began playing recorder at the age of six, and started alto saxophone soon after. Since beginning music he was involved in many different ensembles and bands throughout North and South Germany. While at high school he received lessons in both instruments at the conservatories of Bremen and Cologne, and was awarded many prizes at German competitions including “Jugend musiziert” and “Jugend Jazzt”. From 2003-2007 he completed a Bachelor degree in music at the Conservatory of Amsterdam, studying recorder with Walter van Hauwe and Paul Leenhouts. During this period he also majored in jazz saxophone.

In Amsterdam Andreas founded several of his own chamber music groups for early music, contemporary music and jazz, namely Theatrum Affectuum (violin, recorder, cello and harpsichord), Duo Obelix (recorder and percussion) and Alkitran (bass clarinet, recorder, double bass and percussion), and he is a member of The Royal Wind Music.

He specialises in improvisation in various musical styles. Andreas has collaborated with different radio stations in Germany and Holland, and performs extensively throughout Europe. Andreas is currently living in Basel studying for Masters degrees in both early music improvisation at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and in jazz at the Musik Akademie.

Next to the recorder, Andreas plays jazz-saxophone. He studied under Jasper Blom, Ferdinand Povel and Dick Oatts at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. He has been a member of leading bigbands in Germany, including playing lead-alto in the “Bundesjugendjazzorchester” between 2007 and 2008. Currently, he is studying at the “Musikakademie” in Basel under Domenic Landolf.