Last year it was my pleasure to serve as chairman of the First Annual Fernand Gillet Performance Competition of the IDRS at Lubbock in August, 1981. The development of this competition was the result of the hard work of a lot of people who merit recognition for finally putting it all together. The first of these is Ed Lacy, bassoonist and teacher at Evansville College, Indiana who brainstormed the first plan for a performance competition in 1976-77 when he was serving as Secretary of the IDRS. The next is past President, Lowry Riggins, who kept pushing for the competition all during his tenure as our chief executive. The third person is Laila Storch, oboist in the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet at the University of Washington who served so faithfully and intensely with me on the first performance competition committee. (Laila continues to serve on the current committee as well). The fourth person was Mrs. Ferdinand Gillet, widow of the great oboist and honorary member of the IDRS, whose donation of $1000 to the society was the financial impetus to bring the competition to fruition.
But finally I want to recognize and thank the double reed industry who collectively contributed $825 to support the competition. The following impressive list of contributors express to me the deep interest and commitment to our Society that speaks well for the future of our endeavors.
Fox Products
Pfeiffer Double Reed Supplies
Claude Reynolds Company
Selmer
Robert D. Gilbert Industries Vigder Reeds
Dulcian Music
Edmund Nielsen
Forrest's
Don Christlieb Supplies
Jones Double Reed Supplies
To all of the above, thank you. The Gillet Competition is launched, rising on course, and all systems are go!
Ronald Klimko