I'm always amazed that most music directors haven't considered commissioning a new work for their band, choir, or orchestra. I guess that's because I've always written for my students so I never really think twice about it. But it's different for my students. My students don't think of it as any big deal, as they think that ALL school directors are composers, too.
But other students usually have a much different reaction, along the lines of "WOW! He wrote THAT for US!" I'm not begrudging my students their opinion, but I like the second reaction a whole lot more. So, how does a director go about commissioning a piece from a composer (notice I didn't say "me" - I've got a lot of colleagues out there who, I'm sure, would react to my advice here in a very similar fashion)?
First, think about how much you've got to spend on the work. Some composers work on flat fees. Some have a minimum amount and then add on for any "extras" (i.e. solo parts, a longer work, multi-movements, etc.). And some just throw out an exorbitantly high figure thinking it'll scare the commissioner off (and sometimes to the horror of said composer, they agree and he/she is stuck writing a big ol' big ol' piece)!
Me? I've done all of the above, but mostly I take it on a case-by-case basis. Some schools have commissions as part of their annual or bi-annual budgets. Some directors have never thought about commissioning a piece until some flagrantly meat-handed composer (that'd be me) suggests it.
One thing that a lot of folks forget is that there are a lot of available funds out there for the creative director: local arts councils, local MEAs (music educators associations), PTAs, school district education foundations, and the like. And then there's the good, old-fashioned cheesecake sale (which paid for my most recent commission - no lie)!
So, how exactly do you commission a new piece? You contact the composer and see what their schedule is like (some composers have a "waiting list" that will cost you a little more if you need to bump into their schedule). My docket is about 9 months long at the moment, meaning if you commissioned a piece from me today, I could only promise to deliver it in about 9 months (geez, sounds like I give birth to them, doesn't it?). Then you offer payment. The composer will usually say "sorry, I don't work for less than $xxxx" and you go back and forth. Most composers want to write your group something, especially if you've got something cool planned for it (big concert, appearance at a convention, etc.). I've written some really fun stuff for a lot of different events and for a lot of very great people.
Some composers make the premiere of the work part of their commission fee and other times they just send off the music and hope for the best. Again, I've done both, but I like to share in the creation of the work. As I tell my students, musicians have the awesome responsibility to recreate what the composer intended. Brahms, Stravinsky, and even lil' ol' Bishop is just a bunch of ink on paper until musicians pick up that piece of paper with little black dots all over it and make something of it!
So, don't be scared of the commissioning process. In my fifteen years of writing on commission, I've seen it all and lived through it (mostly). It's especially rewarding if the composer is willing to let the student musicians be a part of the creative process. So, if you're interested in commissioning a new work, do some research and send off that email. And if you decide to go with a commission from me, I can guarantee you a painless process that you AND your students will enjoy and remember for a long, long time. You can contact me at jeffreysbishopmusic(at)gmail(dot)com.
