Editor's Note: To make enrollment of new members more convenient, we are enclosing a copy of the membership application form with this newsletter. The format is up-dated from the form which was sent with the December, 1976 TTWO. You may want to pass it along to a student or colleague.
There are a number of items to discuss at this time, but first--a reminder that the Sixth Annual Meeting of the International Double Reed Society will be held August 15-17,1977 in Evansville, Indiana. Our host-chairman of the event will be Edwin Lacy. Ed is being very secretive about his plans, but has let the cat out of the bag as to the double-barreled main events. He is attempting to secure George Goslee, principal bassoonist of the Cleveland Orchestra, and Robert Sprenkle of the Eastman School of Music. As of the writing of this letter, Ed has not confirmed the above, but tells me that many other events are now secure. In the near future, he will mail a brochure to all detailing the convention schedule of events and room reservation information.
Our membership remained rather static this past year. The end-of-the-year figures totaled approximately 1,100 members, just about equal to the total of the preceding year 1975. Of these totals, we have quite a group of new members for which we are thankful. However, we lost a goodly number of former members, the great majority of them being bassoonists. We also know that the reason for this was that our editor of "To the World's Bassoonists" had gotten behind on publications to the point that a number of publications were overdue by one and a half years. This situation has been corrected, and we are now up to date on all publications. Consequently, we ask to be forgiven by our former members, and sincerely hope they will return for the many benefits which can be derived from the Society. In addition, we need to attract many new members. Our last meeting in Toronto was more expensive than we anticipated, and the costs of publishing and mailing our newsletters and Journal have doubled in the past two years. If every member of the Society were to talk with others who are not now members of the Society, and each one secured just one other, we would solve all our financial problems yet this year. Unless this kind of increase in our membership can be achieved, we will be forced to increase our yearly membership dues; or combine our newsletters; or decrease the number of publications per year; or some combination of the above. I have asked in previous years that each member of the Society carry the name and address of our Treasurer (Lowry Riggins, Treas. IDRS, NLU School of Music, Monroe, La. 71201) at all times, and talk International Double Reed Society. I do, and I know that I've brought dozens of new members into the Society. If we all get behind this and exert the effort, we can do it.
I pointed out earlier that we are now up to date with all our publications. We owe many thanks for this monumental task to our editor, Gerald Corey. Our editors constantly need articles for our publications. Many of us are doing research ourselves, or supervising the research of graduate students. Send this information to our editors so that all of our members may share the benefits of your efforts. Again, let me congratulate Jerry on the completion of this difficult task.
Richard Rath, Chairman of the IDRS Composition Contest, informs me that the Committee has received a total of 38 compositions in the various categories, and the judges are now at work selecting the winning compositions. Winning compositions will be announced and performed at the Evansville meeting.
At the Toronto meeting, it was suggested by the Nomination Committee that this year's committee be appointed ahead of time, so they would have more time for selection of a slate of officers. By the time this letter is published, l hope to have the new committee at work. In the meantime, I will strongly recommend the retention in office of those who are currently doing work of the Society. l have not contacted any of them to confirm their availability, but I assure all of you that we have a very active group in the Executive Committee.
Looking toward the future, Don Christlieb has invited the IDRS to hold the 1978 convention in California. He will be ably assisted by Norman Herzberg. We have discussed holding the 1979 convention in England, and find that it would not only be quite expensive to the Society, but locating an individual to act as host-chairman is proving to be quite difficult. This individual must be able to set up the program, contacting those who will participate as well as making arrangements for display and performance rooms at a convenient location. Then he must also arrange sufficient accommodations for those expected to attend. Since university professors are part-time teachers and full-time performers in Europe, the task of locating such an individual is quite difficult. We would be very interested in hearing from anyone in Europe willing to undertake this task. In the meantime, we have an invitation from William Baker of Ohio State University, inviting us to come to Columbus in 1979. Currently, they are building a new facility and they would like to share it with us. This invitation will be presented in detail at our next meeting.
I am looking forward to the meeting in Evansville in August, and hope to see all of you at that time. Meanwhile, secure a new member for the Society and invite him to join us in all ways.