The Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox 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.
Congratulations to the finalists of the 2020 Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox Bassoon Competition and the Norma Hooks Young Artist Oboe Competition.
Due to the recent cancellation of the 49th IDRS Conference in Iowa City, and after much deliberation, the IDRS Executive Committee has decided that the 2020 Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox Competition and the Norma Hooks Young Artist Competition will not celebrate a final round. The 2020 IDRS Competition Finalists will be honoured and invited to perform in the IDRS 2021 conference in Boulder, Colorado.
They will also receive a cash prize:
- The five 2020 Fernand Gillet- Hugo Fox Competition finalists will receive a cash prize of $2000 USD
- The three 2020 Norma Hooks Young Artist Competition finalists will receive a cash prize of $1000 USD
The 2020 Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox Bassoon Competition finalists (in alphabetical order) are:
- Filipe Castro, Brazil, studies at the Haute école de Musique de Genève with Afonso Ventuieri
- Giovanni Epasto, Italy, studies at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg with Diego Chenna
- Francesco Giussani, Italy, studies at the Musik Akademie Basel with Sergio Azzolini and is also second bassoon/contrabassoon with Philharmonisches Orchester Freiburg
- Szymon Michalik, Poland, Principal Bassoon of the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra and Guest Principal Bassoon of the Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra studied in Warsawa with Artur Kasperek and Mannheim with Ole Kristian Dahl
- Ben Roidl-Ward, USA, DMA candidate at Northwestern University studying with David McGill and is also second bassoon with Illinois Symphony and bassoon/contrabassoon with Civic Orchestra of Chicago
The IDRS Executive Committee very much appreciates the hard work and energy put into these competitions by the Competition Chairs, Albie Micklich (GF) and Geralyn Giovannetti (NHYAC). The IDRS Executive Committee also thanks the Preliminary Round Judges for their time and work:
2020 Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox Competition for Bassoon Preliminary Judges:
- Kaitlyn Cameron, 2nd Bassoon and Contrabassoon, Gothenburg Symphony (Sweden)
- Nancy Goeres, Principal Bassoon, Pittsburgh Symphony (USA)
- Amy Pollard, University of Georgia (USA)
- Christopher Schaub, Principal Bassoon, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra and Mahidol University (Thailand)
- Adam Trussell, Contrabassoon, Houston Symphony (USA)
Gillet-Fox Bassoon Contact:
Albie Micklich, Chair
E-mail: micklich@idrs.org
2020 Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox Bassoon Competition Repertoire
Repertoire for the preliminary round:
1. Giovanni Antonio Bertoli*
Sonata No. 7 (entire piece) (TrevCo Music Publishing)
2. Heitor Villa-Lobos
Ciranda das Sete Notas (Peer Music)
*Special note about Giovanni Antonio Bertoli’s Sonata settima (required piece for the Gillet-Fox International Competition 2020).
This piece was selected to allow both the bassoonist and keyboardist (harpsichord, organ, or piano) to free themselves from the printed page: they can create their own articulations, ornaments, dynamics, aesthetic and, in some cases, a realized figured bass.
Understanding the challenges that might arise from this decision, the 2020 Gillet-Fox Bassoon Competition has a readily-available and cost effective realized keyboard part for each competitor. However, competitors and keyboardists are free to consult and/or use the manuscript facsimile of this sonata or Lorenzo Girodo’s complete Compositioni musicali found on imslp.org. Click here to download it.
Repertoire for the final round:
1. Giovanni Antonio Bertoli
Sonata No. 7 (entire piece) (TrevCo Music Publishing)
2. Phillipe Hersant
Niggun for solo bassoon (Durand)
3. Serge Lancen
Sonatine (entire piece, with repeats) (Billaudot)
4. Gioachino Rossini
Concerto for Bassoon (entire piece) (Hofmeister)