Competition Contacts

2024 Gillet-Fox Bassoon Contact:
Lyndon Watts, Chair
E-mail: watts@idrs.org

2024 NHYAC Oboe Contact:
Celeste Johnson, Chair
E-mail: johnson@idrs.org

2023 NHYAC Bassoon Contact:
Jennifer Auerbach, Chair
E-mail: auerbach@idrs.org

2023 Gillet-Fox Oboe Contact:
Andreas Oeste, Chair
E-mail: oeste@idrs.org

The IDRS sponsors two international competitions for oboe and bassoon that take place each year during its annual conference.

The Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox International Competition (dedicated to the memory of the late master oboist and honorary member of the IDRS, Fernand Gillet, and to the memory of master bassoonist Hugo Fox, principal bassoonist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1922-1949) is for bassoonists and oboists who have not reached their 31st birthday by the date of the final round of the competition.

The Norma Hooks Young Artist International Competition (dedicated to the memory of Norma Hooks, IDRS honorary member and lifeblood of our organization with her tireless dedication to our membership, annual conferences, and Executive Committee meetings) is for those who have not reached their 22nd birthday by the date of the final round of the competition.

Both competitions alternate each year between oboe and bassoon.

For current information about the competitions (repertoire, deadlines, submission guidelines, etc.), click the appropriate link below.

2023 Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox International Competition for Oboe and Norma Hooks Young Artist International Competition for Bassoon Finalists

We are pleased to announce the finalists for the 2023 Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox International Competition for Oboe and Norma Hooks Young Artist International Competition for Bassoon.

The Norma Hooks Young Artist International Competition for Bassoon finalists (in alphabetical order) are:

• Abigail Lopez, United States, Studies at Oberlin Conservatory with Drew Pattison
• Seoyoung Mun, South Korea, Studies with Hojoon Choi
• Javier Sanz Pascual, Spain, Studies at Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía with Gustavo Núñez and Francisco Alonso

Alternate: Guilain Desenclos, France, Studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse de Lyon, with Carlo Colombo and Olivier Massot

The Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox International Competition for Oboe finalists (in alphabetical order) are:

• Mariano Esteben Barco, Spain. Solo Oboe, Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin. Studies at Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin with Dominik Wollenweber and Viola Wilmsen.
• Illyes Boufadden, France. Solo Oboe, Orchestra de Chambre de Paris. Studied at the Conservatoire de Paris with Jacques Tys.
• Vito Castagna, Italy. Studies at Hochschule für Musik Basel with Emanuel Abbühl and and David Seghezzo.
• Chi Yuen Pedro Lai, Hong Kong. Studies at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts with Yiu Song Lam.
• Hyunae Lim, South Korea. Studies at Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden with Céline Moinet.

Alternate: Mauro Sclafani, Italy. Studies at Musik-Akademie Basel with Emanuel Abbühl.

The International Double Reed Society wishes to extend the utmost gratitude to the Preliminary Round Judges.

The final rounds of the competitions will take place at the 2023 IDRS Conference, July 18 – 22, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.