It is easy to commission a work tailored especially for your chorus, orchestra, or performance situation. It can be to give your group a chance for a significant premiere, as a memorial or celebration, for a dedication, or to help build the body of distinguished 21st century music.
Send an email, or telephone me, giving the general nature of your project. We will work out issues of musical forces, approximate duration, difficulty, budget, and date required, and begin a list of special features for your needs. These can include musical requests, inscriptions, number of copies to be provided, and so on. At present, my standard rate is $500.00 per minute, and minimum is $1500.00. Negotiating is possible, especially for larger works.
For choral works, selecting a text is often the next step. If you have a specific text, or a general notion of the kind of text, that helps speed the completion.
We then agree on the commission in writing, you pay a deposit, and I put it in my schedule in order to satisfy your rehearsal and preparation requirements. Together we plan for publicity, interviews, masterclasses, and open rehearsals as appropriate for the magnitude of the commission. If my services as conductor or pianist are to be part of the event, more details regarding rehearsals and travel need to be specified.
Your input is welcome. Some music directors want a frequent cycle of review and discussion, some want only progress reports. Either is fine; generally, the more communication the better everyone feels about the results.
Send a commission inquiry email! Or telephone, USA (302) 654-7283.