Biography of Dr. Vernon Read, D.M.A.
(1936 - 2003)

Vernon B. Read was a Professor Emeritus from San Jose State University where he taught in the school of music for 37 years. His teaching responsibilities were in the areas of Music History, Theory, Bassoon, Conducting and Music Performance. He conducted both the University Orchestra and the Symphonic Band, and was founder/conductor of the early music ensemble Collegium Musicum. He earned awards from the University for Outstanding Achievement on numerous occasions. He has also taught in the California Public Schools, the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Hawaii.

He received Grants from the Ford Foundation, and Danforth Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts for research into Beethoven sketches at Harvard University. He received achievement awards from National Penwomen, Kappa Kappa Lambda and the University of Southern California.

His training was from the University of Southern California (B.M. and D.M.A.) and the Eastman School of Music (M.M.) with post-graduate research at Harvard University. He performed internationally and served as recitalist and principal bassoon in orchestras in California, New York and in Europe. He was a former member of the Westwood Quintet, the San Jose Quintet and the Los Gatos Wind Quintet. He was the founder/conductor of Concordium of Honolulu and the Los Gatos Chamber Orchestra. He conducted Honor Bands throughout the United States and in Western Canada. Passionate about early music, he founded Camerata California, an early music ensemble based in San Jose, California.

Read's hobby of editing and composing music became a small business endeavor upon his retirement from San Jose State University. RR Products is a company which specializes in the publication of unknown, lesser-known, or original compositions and study books for the bassoon. RR Early Music is separate branch of RR Products that specializes in performance editions of numerous works from the Medieval and Renaissance eras.

RR Products specializes in the publication of unknown, lesser-known, or original compositions and study books for the bassoon. You can order a wide range of editions, arrangements and original works for bassoon and chamber ensemble from the RR Products Catalog. RR Early Music is separate branch of RR Products that specializes in performance editions of numerous works from the Medieval and Renaissance eras.