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Commission a New Choral Work for $1 – $100 (or free)!

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Commission a New Choral Work for $1 – $100 (or free)!

If you missed the first announcement about this unique, first-time, low- or no-cost Commission Project that is taking place from July 15 until October 15, 2012:

More than 30 talented, highly-motivated composers are participating in this special project, and for a limited time you can commission one of them (or more than one) to write a special piece of music for YOUR choir. (More composers have joined the project since the first announcement in July.)

In return for a brand new piece that meets your standards and is provided on time, you will guarantee a premiere public performance of the work and provide the composer with a nice audio recording of the piece (not necessarily of the premiere).

Some, but not all, composers request a very modest fee, ranging from $1 – $100. Most composers reside in the United States (but are willing to work with any choir, anywhere), and the list also includes one composer each from Barbados, France, Sweden, and England (ditto).

This special project is open to all choir directors and choirs everywhere who have never before commissioned a choral work. Interested? See https://choralnet.org/view/384044 for all the project details and information about each composer.

Not quite sure how to participate? Please also see https://choralnet.org/392961 for solid advice on how to successfully commission a piece from a composer.

Real art is one of the most powerful forces in the rise of mankind, and he who renders it accessible to as many people as possible is a benefactor of humanity.
-Zoltán Kodály


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  1. I would add a third point, that once people get the experience of working with a composer in the commission process, they are much more likely to do so again for a real and fair wage.  This is a valuable and charitable offer.  The first time commision is the safeguard that is stopping this from hurting composers’ income.  I congratulate Julia, and all composers who are participating for this innovative and exciting opportunity.  

  2. Hear, hear!  When I put a piece about this project on one of the ‘linked-in’ newsgroups, I received a comment along the same lines. But when I explained the project further, and stressed that it is time-limited, and only aimed at choirs that might not otherwise have considered commissioning any music, the person was won round completely, I’m glad to say!
     
     I put up a flyer about the scheme at an ABCD (British choral directors) convention last weekend, but I’m not sure that many people saw it. I must try and think of some other ways of publicising it over here…

  3. I strongly disagree that this project or any similar project “undervalues the contributions of talented artists.”  This particular project has two major goals: (1) To enable choirs that have little or no money for commissioning, and who have never had that opportunity in the past, to work closely with a composer in the creation of a work, experience the joy of doing so, and end up with a special piece of music for the choir, and (2) to provide composers, many of whom have not been commissioned before, with the opportunity of working with a choir to produce a unique piece of music that meets that choir’s specific needs and desires, in exchange for learning experiences and tangible things that, at this point in many of their careers, may be much more valuable than money. 
     
    I do agree–in principle–that “real art should earn real money,” if that is the artist’s desire or goal.  Unfortunately, there is very little “real money” out there these days.  And not all composers see dollar signs as their ultimate goal; many are thrilled and content to simply have their music appreciated, performed, and enjoyed.

  4. Real art should earn real money. I am deeply disturbed by crowdsourcing, which undervalues the contributions of talented artists in all fields. 

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