Why commission a new piece of music?

Anyone can commission a new work. Commissioning a piece of music—paying a composer to write a new piece for a specific purpose or event— does not take a specialized skill or knowledge of music. You don’t have to be an artistic director, or a well-established performer. You do not have to be able to read music, play an instrument, or even carry a tune. It does help to be passionate about enriching the world by making art.

When you commission a new piece of music you enter into a relationship with an artist and craftsperson to bring into being a new work of art. This relationship requires thought and trust from both parties. Without fail, the new composition takes on characteristics that it never would have without the meeting of two minds keen on the creation of music.

There are many reasons a patron might decide to commission a new work.

• To celebrate a loved one’s birthday and life

• To celebrate the acquisition of a new instrument such as a piano or organ

• To celebrate the dedication of a new school, church or other institution

• To create new repertoire for a favorite ensemble or solo musician

• To mark a holiday, religious observation, or festival

• To mark any number of significant life events

• To mark the anniversary of a marriage

• To mark the anniversary of a music ensemble such as a chorus, band, or orchestra

• To mark the anniversary of an institution such as a school or church

• To mark the beginning of a new music ensemble

• To mark the installation of a new leader such as a minister, college president, mayor, or conductor

• To mark the professional achievement of a community member

• To memorialize a beloved relative or friend

• To stir thought and consideration of social justice issues

• To support the creative activities of a specific composer

• To support the talented people who have enriched your community and life

Will the commission need to fulfill a particular function?

Some commissions are designed for educational purposes or for use in a ceremony to create a unique mood or atmosphere. Some commissions are created to provide music for a theatrical production or ballet and serve to shape the dramatic arc.

For other commissions there are little or no limitations and the composer is encouraged to be as creative as possible.

What to consider when commissioning a new piece:

• Is this a composer with whom you want to work?

• Do you have trust in the composer’s personal and musical integrity?

• Do you respect the composer’s craftsmanship as separate from musical style or aesthetic?

• Have you thoughtfully considered your expectations?

• Have you defined the parameters of the commissioned piece?

• Who will be the performer and/or performing ensemble?

• Be ready to negotiate a fee.

• Be prepared to sign a contract.

• Continue communication throughout the process.

• Work with the composer to honor the expertise, time, and craft of the performers.

Is this a composer with whom you want to work?

Are you and the composer genuinely enthusiastic about working together? Once you have zeroed in on a composer who’s work intrigues you, inquire into what kind of commissioning work the composer has done in the past. Make sure the composer has an interest in writing for the musicians you have in mind and has experience with that level of artist. It is often more difficult to write for fourth grade band than for a professional orchestra. The composer may ask to attend rehearsals and concerts or listen to recordings of the group.

Don’t be shy about asking for references. You’ll need to know if the composer meets deadlines, communicates clearly and timely, and if the composer carefully consider all of the parameters of the commissioning agreement. Did the composer show a commitment to the music, your audience, and your performers.

Did the composer provide well-crafted performance materials and give the musicians every chance to play the music well?

An excellent resource is the American Composers Forum. The ACF is committed to connecting patrons with composers and artists. They will be glad to help you find a composer that’s right for you.

Have you thoughtfully considered your expectations?

What do you imagine the final piece will be like?  What emotional effect do you hope it will have on the audience? Should it challenge, comfort, affirm? Should it show a sense of humor? Do you want a “crowd pleaser?” Do you expect it to “sound like” the composer’s other works or are you comfortable with the composer moving into uncharted stylistic territory? No composer is likely to write the same piece of music twice and composition is always a learning process. Somehow the finished product is going to surprise you. This is going to be a learning process for you too.

Have you defined the parameters of the commissioned piece?

Basic parameters include:

• Instrumentation or voicing

• Duration

• Difficulty level

• Number of discrete parts

• Performance requirements, including unusual instruments

• Text or poem (if applicable)

• Timeline (including dates for delivery of score and performance materials, important rehearsals and performance)

• Level of composer participation (could include workshops, lectures, rehearsal attendance, premiere attendance, conducting or accompanying the performance)

• Commission fee schedule (usually paid in two or three installments)

• Travel costs

• Dedication of the piece

Time Table

A commission can take as little as a few days for a simple song or as much as two years for large symphonic works. Keep in mind that the composer may have a backlog of projects and may not be able to begin your piece right away. This is a good topic for your first conversation.

Who owns the music?

It is standard practice that composers retain the rights to their own work, and so the legal ownership of the piece—the copyright—remains with the composer. The patron may be acknowledged in any number of ways including acknowledgement on the first page of the score, on official recordings, in the performance program and often in other written materials, such as program notes. It is customary that the commissioner is given a presentation copy of the completed score inscribed by the composer.

Be ready to negotiate a fee.

Negotiating a fee doesn’t have to be a traumatic experience. Neither should it be a competitive or confrontational experience. If you have found a composer that you really want to work with and the composer is confident of your commitment to the production of art, then negotiating the fee is just another step in a cooperative, artistic collaboration.

Once you've found a composer and you have come to an understanding about most of the project’s parameters and scope, you’ll want to begin thinking about what the ideal fee for the commission will be. Fees vary widely, depending on the composer’s level of experience and the resources of the commissioning party, but one starting place for determining a commission fee is Meet the Composers and their document, Commissioning Music: A Basic Guide.

The composer understands the amount of work required to complete a project. What the composer considers fair compensation may be quite different from what your budget allows. This is a common occurrence and there is always a way to meet in the middle if you are both dedicated to the project.

Be aware that the commission amount will often include the composer’s fee for writing the music as well as a second amount for the copyist who prepares the final score and performance materials. Creating performance materials is an art in itself and separate from the art of composing. Any composer that provides both services naturally will need to be compensated for both skills.

Searching for additional sources of funding is common at this stage.  Creative Connections and Meet the Composer can help cover the cost of having the composer participate at rehearsals, attend or perform in the premiere performance, or give a brief talk, formal lecture or workshop in conjunction with the concert.  While these fees are not a substitute for a commission fee, they can provide more compensation for the composer’s time and work than the commissioning party is otherwise able to provide.

Think outside the box. There are many ways to adapt and change the project to make it feasible.

• Shorten the piece.  

• Change the number of required performers.

• Co-commission the piece with another similar soloist or ensemble. Composers love additional performances!

• Perform the piece at a national conference or convention.

• Record the piece professionally and allow the composer to use that recording for his/her own promotion.  This is always welcome!

• Announce the commission in a music journal, or agree to promote the piece among your professional colleagues.

Be prepared to sign a contract.

Putting the terms of the commission in writing is a vital part of the commissioning process.  The Commissioning Agreement/Contract includes all the details of the commission that are known at the time the document is signed.  This document makes clear the rights and responsibilities of all parties and insures that everyone is on the same page.

No contract is perfect or set in stone. Inevitably there will be unforeseen circumstance along the way that will require tweaks and flexibility. The most important thing is that the contract/agreement represents a best effort to create trust and clear communication.

• You request a fixed list of parameters and then trust the composer to create something brand new within the “box” you created.

• The composer trusts you to honor their craftsmanship and creativity.

• The composer trusts the musicians to enthusiastically learn, perfect, and interpret the music and bring their own creativity and craftsmanship to the performance.

• The musicians trust the composer to provide them with reliable, proofread materials that allow them to ply their trade without impeding their ability to prepare other performances and especially without damaging their professional reputation.

The commissioning process is clearly a collaboration that creates art that would never have been possible without the vision and trust of all parties. In my experience it never fails to create something surprising and honest. Enjoy the process. It can be a joyous experience of creation!