Dear Mr. Corey:
The news of the formation of the "Double Reed International Club" has prompted me to investigate the possibility of forming a double reed club here in Melbourne. To help me, I would ask you to mention this club in the next convenient issue of "The World's Bassoonists," with the idea of any interested double reed players in Melbourne (or elsewhere -- Australia) at least knowing my name, address and phone number.
As an amusing aside, I recently had the privilege of being the best bassoonist (probably) in a continent as big as North America -- during a summer visit to the Antarctic in pursuit of my less important vocation, that of meteorologist. However, the thrill of being the best bassoonist in a whole continent was tempered by the fact that I was probably also the worst bassoonist in the continent!
My best regards,
Garry Bradley
1 Beena Avenue
Carnegie, Victoria,
Australia 3163
Phone: 568-1796
Dear Gerry,
. . . I don't know if you are in need of ideas for articles, but I would be interested in learning what bassoonists consider fair conditions and requirements for a first bassoon audition-- especially in view of the San Francisco auditions for that position for the past two years! (A student of mine got it finally.) How should auditions be conducted, and what do bassoonists listen for in their colleagues' playing?
Norman Herzberg
Encino, California
October 1971
Dear Gerald,
I am flattered to be on the forming committee of the double reed club. l plan to post your letters to me on our bulletin board at the (Hollywood) Bowl as soon as we open, for suggestions from our double reed section. Our section is now:
Oboes
- Bert Gassman, First
- Barbara Winters, First
- Donald Muggeridge, Second
- William Kosinski, English Horn
Bassoons
- David Breidenthal, First
- Alan Goodman, First
- Walter Ritchie, Second
- Fred Duttton, Contrabassoon
In the free lance field we have many: oboes only--William Criss, Norman Benno, John Ellis, Peter Christ, Arnold Koblentz, Gordon Pope, Gordon Schoneberg, Jules Jacob, Gene Cipriano, Don Leake and many others.
I think any voting must be able to be done by mail ballot to make the club effectual - all of us on the west coast (of Europe if it extends that far) makes our actual presence impractical.
Sincerely,
Don Muggeridge
Los Angeles Philharmonic