Richard C. Gigax Memorial Scholarship Fund
Richard C. Gigax was born in 1930 in Macomb, Illinois. He studied business at the University of Tulsa and began his career by selling television sets and stereos while in college. He accepted a full-time sales position with Magnavox and later went to work for Steinway, where he began as a traveling sales representative and advanced to the position of vice president. In 1967, Mr. Gigax moved from Tulsa to Indianapolis to manage the Wilking Music Company. In 1988, declining Steinway's request to relocate to New York, he founded Meridian Music Company, Inc. Since Mr. Gigax's untimely death in 1995, his son Craig has managed the family business. In addition to selling guitars, pianos, organs and other instruments, Meridian Music currently offers Yamaha classes to approximately 900 piano students. These students regularly perform their recitals in Munger Hall in Indianapolis.
During his 30 years of involvement with musical instrument sales, Mr. Gigax developed a positive relationship with the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. As a result, the Gigax family felt it would be appropriate to establish an endowed scholarship in his memory. The Richard C. Gigax Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to piano students at IU Jacobs School of Music.