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History of IDRS

  • 1969 - To the World’s Bassoonists

    Gerald Corey published the first edition of To the World’s Bassoonists in June 1969. A “double reed club” to promote opportunities for double reed players was founded by Lewis Hugh Cooper and Alan H. Fox, planting the seed for what would soon become the International Double Reed Society.

  • 1971 - Creation of IDRS

    The International Double Reed Society was established in December 1971. Lewis Hugh Cooper, Gerald Corey and Alan H. Fox held the inaugural meeting on December 16, 1971 during the December 1971 meeting of the Mid-Western Band Masters convention. The first edition of To the World’s Oboists was published in 1972 and The Journal of the International Double Reed Society was started in 1973.

  • 1972 - First IDRS Conference

    The first IDRS Conference was held August 1-3, 1972 at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA).

    Lewis Hugh Cooper, host

  • 1974 - The First Honorary Member

    In 1974, W. Hans Moennig (1903-1988) became the first Honorary Member elected to this distinguished position.

  • 1976 - First Canadian Conference

    The first Canadian conference was held August 16-18, 1976 at the University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada).

    Christopher Weait, host

  • 1980 - First European Conference

    The first European conference was held August 12-15, 1980 at the University of Edinburgh (Edinburgh, Scotland).

    Laurence Taylor, host

  • 1981 - First International Competition

    The first International Fernand Gillet Competition was held in 1981.

  • 1995 - IDRS Online

    IDRS Online (www.idrs.org) launched.

  • 1996 - 25th Anniversary

    The 25th anniversary conference was held in Tallahassee, Florida in 1996. The Françaix Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano was commissioned in 1995 as part of the 25th anniversary conference.

  • 1998 - Changing of the Journal

    In 1998 the Journal of the International Double Reed Society was discontinued. In 1999 the publication was changed to The Double Reed, the quarterly publication that is still being delivered to our members via mail and digital PDF. When The Double Reed was first published in 1999, it went out with a special 25th Anniversary edition and CD.

  • 2000 - First South American Conference

    The first South American conference was held August 10-14 , 2000 at the Conservatorio Municipal de Musica, Manuel de Falla (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

    Andrea Merenzon, host

  • 2001 - IDRS Videos Go Online

    In 2001 members could view videos for the first time at idrs.org.

  • 2004 - First Oceania Conference

    The first Oceania conference was held June 29-July 3, 2004 at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia).

    Anne Gilby, host

  • 2006 - First IDRS Female President

    Nancy Ambrose King became the Society’s first female president.

  • 2015 - First Asian Conference

    The first Asian conference was held August 15-20, 2015 at the National Olympic Memorial Youth Center (Tokyo, Japan).

    Hitomi Sugawara, host

     

  • 2016 - IDRS Video Livestream

    In 2016, IDRS offered the ability to view livestreamed videos from our annual conference. The first video was a livestream of the Gillet-Fox Competition.

  • 2018 - New Website

    In August 2018, idrs.org was updated. The new website offered exciting new interactive features, a mobile responsive layout, easy navigation, and a brand new member interface.

  • 2021 - 50th Year Anniversary

    In 2021 IDRS will celebrate 50 years! This exciting milestone will be celebrated with a brand new 50th year commission and our annual conference. As we approach our half-centennial, IDRS is proud to continue growing as a community and serving as a resource for double reed members across the world!