A Biography of

ROLAND RIGOUTAT

Roland Rigoutat was born in Paris in 1930. He left school at the age of fourteen and began an apprenticeship in oboe making with his father, Charles Rigoutat. He began to learn to play the oboe in 1947, and was admitted to the Paris Conservatoire in 1950, where he won a Second Prize two years later. From that time through 1954, Roland Rigoutat was the principal oboe of the military band of the 5th regiment at Versailles. In the military, as well as at the Conservatory at Versailles, Rigoutat became friends with many musicians who praised his playing abilities long after Rigoutat joined his father in 1954 to become a full-time oboe maker. Roland Rigoutat married his wife, Claude Rigoutat, in 1957, and they have two sons, Denis—who chose medicine as his field—and Philippe. In 1964, Charles Rigoutat died, and Roland Rigoutat took over Rigoutat Oboes. At that time he had one worker and one apprentice. Today there are thirty employees, twenty-five of which are production workers—all trained at the Rigoutat factory. The hour of his retirement sounded for Roland Rigoutat in 1992, giving him the chance to enjoy his garden in the country. Nevertheless, he did not lose interest in the family business after his second son, Philippe, became the successful new Director.

Roland Rigoutat became an Honorary member of the International Double Reed Society in August of 1995. He was nominated for the French Legion of Honor during that same year. This was the first—and only—time in history that a French musical instrument received such a distinguished honor. The ceremony of Mr. Rigoutat's induction as a member of the French Legion of Honor took place in October of 1995.