Commissioning
If you're considering commissioning a new work for your ensemble, I'd love to have a conversation with you!
Here are some things that are important for me to know, and which I'll ask during the course of our initial conversation...
- What is the exact instrumentation of the ensemble?
- What is the general technical level of the ensemble? What difficulty level would you like to see in a new piece?
- Which are your strongest and weakest sections, and which sections would you like to see featured?
- Who are your strongest players, or who would you like to give an opportunity to shine?
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Do you have any particular TYPE of work in mind? (For example, a fanfare, march, dance, concerto, symphony, etc.? Or perhaps a piece appropriate for a specific occasion?)
- Is there a particular CHARACTER you'd like the work to have? (For example, would you like a piece that is lyrical and beautiful… exciting and energetic… rhythmic and groovy? Are you envisioning something introspective and meditative... or something colorful and extroverted? This kind of general description still leaves plenty of room for creativity.)
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Is there a general THEME, or subject matter, you'd like the piece have? (For example, celebrating a particular culture, event, or something you find interesting? If this is important to you, you'll want to work with a composer who can draw inspiration from it. I'll be honest if I don't resonate with it, or don't feel inspired by it. Things I'm often inspired by include outer space, inner space and spirituality, and culture.)
- How LONG should the piece be? For marching band, it might be a matter of exact minutes and seconds. For concert band or wind ensemble, a range is usually more appropriate, such as 6-8 minutes.
- Finally, what is your budget?
It's not necessary to be specific and detailed about every question above. In fact, the less specific you are with the requirements, the more I'm willing to be flexible on the commissioning fee!
If you'd like to start a conversation, please reach out to me using the contact form below, and we'll set up a time to do a zoom call.
Looking forward to hearing from you!