Klaus Ager (born 10 May 1946 in Salzburg) is an Austrian composer and conductor. Ager studied piano, composition, and conducting at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, and musicology at Salzburg University. He continued his studies in composition with Pierre Schaeffer and Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatoire. From 1975 to 1986 he directed the Österreichische Ensemble für Neue Musik (Austrian Ensemble for New Music) (). In 1977 he founded the ASPEKTE-FESTIVAL, which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2006. From 1995 to 2000 he was Rector of the Mozarteum Hochschule in Salzburg. Beginning in 2000 Klaus Ager dedicated himself principally to activity as a guest composer in South and North America, and established himself throughout Europe for an improved standing for composers. In 2003 he w