Commissions
Photo by Ann Marsden
Elizabeth Alexander's Guide to Commissioning Music Why do people commission music? Commissioning a new piece of music is more than a financial transaction. It is an undertaking of vision and trust, in which the music lover invites the composer to walk down a certain path and, in turn, the composer welcomes the music lover to participate in what is often an entirely private endeavor, the creation of a new work of art. In all cases, the new composition grows from a meeting of curious and passionate minds. New music is commissioned for many purposes. I have written music for a variety of reasons and occasions, including: . The 55th anniversary of a children's choir in Austria. The establishment of a new choir in New York . The calling of a new minister in North Carolina . A conductor earning her doctoral degree in Toronto . The opening of a new middle school in Wisconsin . A choir director being named Teacher of the Year in Connecticut . Weddings, Births, Memorials, and other significant life events What form will the commission take? My commissions have involved school residencies, community education, formal lectures, and informal talks. Theaters have asked for music for their plays. Teachers have asked for pieces to help them teach improvisation. Choruses have asked for pieces for thematically-programed concerts. What steps should I expect to take when commissioning a new piece?1) Find a composer you want to work with. If you and the composer are both enthusiastic about working together, many of the other pieces - including funding - will fall into place. This may sound like an idealistic philosophy, but I've found it to be true many times! (If you are secretly wanting to commission Ron Doe Brillant, and the composer is secretly wanting to write for Magnifichoir, there are bound to be disappointments all around!) After you find a composer whose music you are drawn to, ask what kind of commissioning work the composer has done in the past. Peruse a variety of his or her scores and recordings. Feel free to ask for references. As a composer, I also like to get to know the musicians and the commissioning party. Do they have a vision or mission for their music-making? What audiences do they serve, and why? What keeps them keep practicing every day, or coming to rehearsals week after week? I may request a program or recording of your favorite past performance, or, if possible, attend a rehearsal or concert. 2) Define the parameters of the commissioned piece including: . Instrumentation or Voicing. Duration . Difficulty Level/Performance requirements . Text or Poem (if applicable) . Timeline (including dates for delivery of score and parts, important rehearsals and performance) . Dedication . Level of Composer Participation, which may include: Giving Workshops, Lectures or Talks Attendance at rehearsals and/or premiere performance Conducting or playing piano at the premiere performance . Commission Fee Schedule (usually paid in 2 or 3 installments) 3) Explore any subjective or unspoken expectations you and the composer might have. Think about what kind of piece you want. Why are you commissioning the piece? Is there an event or occasion that this commission will be celebrating? Are you looking for a particular kind of music, a special theme, or work influenced by a specific musical style? Do you want music which challenges, comforts, questions, affirms, or invites laughter? Or are you wanting to offer the composer a great deal of artistic freedom, opening yourself up to the direction of the composer's imagination? 4) Negotiating a Fee Negotiating a fee is often the last step in the process. It is frequently fraught with emotion and anxiety, but - as I said before - if you and the composer really want to work with each other, financial hurdles are often not the obstacles we fear they are. Once you've found a composer you'd like to work with, and mutually fleshed out the project scope, figure out what you would expect to pay and what kind of payment schedule you'd like (1, 2, or 3 installments). An excellent source for information about commissioning music, including a rough fee scale, is "Commissioning Music: A Basic Guide," a publication of the national organization Meet the Composer (also available at http://www.meetthecomposer.org/programs/CommBasicGuide04.pdf). The composer will also be figuring out what his or her ideal commission fee for the piece would be. The composer will be thinking about many aspects of the job, including preparing the score and parts, communicating with musicians about musical questions or concerns, participating in rehearsals and perhaps finding a text. When you discuss the commission fee with the composer, you'll each have a clear idea about what feels fair and possible for you. There's a good chance that the two numbers will be quite different, but don't worry about that - it happens all the time. There may be some negotiating, but that's just part of the process of making sure everyone's needs are met. Searching for additional sources of funding is common at this stage. Creative Connections and Meet the Composer can help cover the cost of the composer participating at rehearsals, attending or performing in the premiere performance, or giving a brief talk, formal lecture or workshop in conjunction with the concert. Many states and private foundations may also provide funding for new art. By necessity, professional composers often accept a wide variety of fees or "in-kind" contributions for the same size piece of music, and they'll often try to work with you to determine the best alternatives for mutually satisfying the financial aspects of the commission. At times, other creative solutions can bring a commission fee in line with the scope of the project. For example: . Shorten the piece. An 8-10 minute piece may become a 5-7 minute piece.. 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. . Announce the commission in a music journal. Putting it in writing Getting the terms of the commission down on paper is a vital part of the commissioning process. The Commissioning Agreement or Contract includes all the details of the commission that are known at the time the document is signed. Not only does this document make clear the rights and responsibilities of all parties, but it also becomes the working document for the project, insuring that we're all on the same page. No contract is ever perfect or set in stone, nor does it need to be. What's important is that the contract represents everyone's best efforts to create a trusting relationship, communicating specifically and openly along the way. Letting loose, and letting goCommissioning music is a process of putting our dreams into each others' hands. The commissioning party asks for music, specifying a finite number of parameters - then allows the composer to go away and create something. The composer hands a completed and proofread score to the musicians - then allows them to learn and interpret the music in their own way. The musicians pour their energy and musical talent into a score - trusting that that score offers a compelling artistic vision. At its best, the commission process is a dance calling upon everyone to imagine, listen, stretch and trust. |
