At last we are happy to feel the coming together of all aspects of IDRS communications for every member of the Society -- with the inauguration of this new format double newsletter, THE DOUBLE REED.
I hope that long-time readers of "To The World's Bassoonists" will find the new 3-times a year publication familiar in content although quite different in size and appearance. We are certain to gain several advantages with this format: A more on time publications schedule (see the page of Advertising Rates for deadlines for articles and ads, and print dates. The slight delay in this first issue of THE DOUBLE REED was one of "birth pangs" of the new format. Our local typesetter had to locate the proper IBM type fonts to fit the new style, and there were delays in the mailing of these to the printer. But now that we have them in hand, publication should not suffer delays in future.) -- nicer over-all appearance -- room for slightly longer articles and columns to fit (although I would like to maintain the newsy character of former newsletters and reserve the more serious and technical articles for the Annual Journals)--a boost to our treasury and subsequent security for the future of IDRS with the inclusion of specialized double reed advertising for the first time in the newsletters (I would like to re-state that this addition of advertising will not influence the content of any of the publications. I expect that it will be greatly appreciated by the majority of members who have a daily interest in many of the products and services mentioned and who don't always have the right address or phone number as handy as they will appear in these pages.)
I want to thank again our new budding staff of artist and columnists: Vincent Ellin (ART)--L. Hugh Cooper (FINGERINGS)--and Philip Kolker (RECORDINGS). They will have much preparations work to do, and certainly will improve the reading interest of the newsletters with their individual points of view.
As always before, the Editors urge all members of IDRS and anyone else (of course) to send us articles, news items, poems, performance information (remember that the column is Interesting Performances, and of course we cannot print every program sent in -- we will try to mention all performances with orchestra or other large ensemble accompaniment and certainly all reports of students' special performances and achievements) Type your article copy on white paper, double spaced, and do include drawings and photographs whenever you can (5 x 7 inch glossy prints are best, but we can reproduce most photos with little difficulty . . . they add so much eye appeal and information).
I hope 1978 will prove to be the best year to date for IDRS and for its internationally growing family of membership. If you want to be really informed about the bassoon, order WILL JANSENS new book (in serial form)--it should be phenomenal! Happy concerts to all.