Reprinted with permission, The Tennessee Musician, Spring/Conference 2010

BRINGING IT TO LIFE:

A Look at the Commissioning Process
Andrew Boysen

By the time this article comes to print, I will have recently conducted the premiere of Iron Mask, a new work for the wind symphony at the University of New Hampshire composed by one of our faculty composers, Michael Annicchiarico. This fantastic new piece provides an extraordinary opportunity for my students. It is a completely unique work of art, an original film score to be played live with Douglas Fairbanks’ silent classic from 1929, Iron Mask. At around 90 minutes of solid music, it is one of the longest pieces ever written for winds! Most important, though, my students are participating in bringing a new piece into the world and they have had the chance to interact with the composer during every rehearsal. These types of opportunities are exactly what make commissioning music such a great experience for all involved...and the process, although intimidating at first, is not really that difficult.

Why should you commission?

Commissioning a work for your ensemble has enormous benefits in many areas. It brings attention to your program, allows you to honor someone or something that has been important to your program or school, contributes to our repertoire, and provides incredible opportunities for your students. These opportunities include the chance to be part of the first time a piece comes to life, the chance to interact with and understand that composers are living people, the chance to have a work of art created just for them, the chance to contribute their own thoughts and ideas to the genesis of a new piece, and the chance to be part of the incredible energy that comes with an event like a premiere.

Money, Timeline, and Composers

Once you have decided to commission a piece, the three most important items to consider before proceeding are money, timeline, and composer. Consider what funding you have available to pursue the project. For most ensembles, this money cannot come from the regular school budget, so contemplate using money from your boosters or even fundraising to meet your goal. Other funding options may come from sources outside your program. For instance, building projects or other events going on at your school might warrant the premiere of a significant work to mark a special occasion. Or consider asking other schools to join in a consortium project.

If you have little to no money to spend, there are still options for commissioning. At the University of New Hampshire, for instance, we have established a special program with Leighanne Jezierski, the music director at Franklin High School in Massachusetts, in which we select one of our top student composers each year, and she agrees to commission that person to write a work for one of her ensembles for $100…less than the cost of buying most published works these days! The result is a win-win situation. Her students have the benefit of premiering a piece every year, working with living composers, having music written just for them, and all at a fraction of the normal cost. The student composer has the opportunity for a real commission experience, complete with contracts, interactions with students and audiences, and even a small monetary reward!

Once you know what your budget is, consider your timeline. When do you need or want the piece? Try to be flexible, as this will give you more options for potential composers. Some well known composers have waiting lists that are several years long, so be prepared to either wait in line or find a different composer. Before you finally settle on a deadline for the piece, consider budgeting a few weeks of extra time just in case the piece arrives late. Most composers try to fulfill their commissions on time, but sometimes it just isn’t possible.

Next, make a list of potential composers; pick ones whose music you like, but don’t expect them to write the same piece over again for you. Also consider local options like college students or college professors, even if they haven’t written for band before. Sometimes these people just need the opportunity and encouragement, and many times professors are looking for commissions to build a portfolio for promotion and tenure. You can use this to your advantage!

The first contact

The most intimidating part of the process for the majority of people is making the initial contact with potential composers. Certainly it is fine to still make the initial contact over the phone or through a letter, but these days most of the time this happens through e-mail. Don’t be shy, as you are making a great offer to composers here. It is an honor to be asked to write a piece for an ensemble and nearly all composers will be very pleased to hear from you. For most composers, the decision to accept a commission or not has to do purely with money and timeline, although grade level or length of piece could have an impact.

The Contract

Although some composers are willing to write without a contract, it is probably best for both parties if the expectations are in writing and agreed upon before the process goes further. Many composers have standard contracts that they can use. If not, there is an excellent sample contract printed in Timothy Mahr’s chapter of volume one of Composers on Composing for Band. In general, the contract covers such items as the fee, deadline, expected performance date, grade level, length, payment schedule, dedication, rights for performance, and publication and mechanical rights (which should remain with the composer).

Discussions and Interactions

Once the contract is in place, be prepared to discuss the specifics of your ensemble and what type of piece you would like. Most composers want to write a piece that is designed specifically for your group. They will want to know your exact instrumentation, strengths and weaknesses of various sections, potential soloists within the ensemble, auxiliary instruments that may be available to use (piano, string bass, soprano saxophone, English horn, flugelhorn, etc.), and what percussion instruments are accessible.

Consider sending recordings of your group or, better yet, have the composer come to hear your group and discuss the piece with your students. This is a great way to introduce the composer to your students and allow them to be part of the process from the beginning. I have had several commissions where ideas for the piece came directly from the students in the band. If possible, try to build into your budget money to bring the composer back for the premiere, as this provides great visibility for your program to the community and the administration, and affords one more unique aspect of the project for your students.

And now we wait

Now comes the longest part of the process. Once the initial gears have been set in motion, there is really very little for you to do but wait. In general, leave the composer alone during the composition process. Some may be willing to bring in or send sketches as they complete the work so that your students may see and hear them. Others may prefer to simply have the time to focus and work. If your commissioned composer has a significant wait time, you might not hear from him for several years, but trust that you haven’t been forgotten! When the time comes, the composer will contact you to proceed with the piece.

The rehearsal process

Once you finally receive the finished product from your commissioned composer, it is time to start the rehearsal process. Try to send the composer recordings during this time or bring her in for a rehearsal or two, especially if she won’t be at the premiere. This is important, as composers want to make sure that what they think they have written is actually going to work.

I personally have had unfortunate experiences with this very situation. I can think of one occasion in which I had marked the tempo slightly too fast and when I finally heard the group rehearsing it (at exactly the tempo I had marked!), I was able to suggest relaxing the tempo just a bit and it made the whole piece come alive. I also remember a time when I was not able to hear the piece at all until the premiere. Not only was the whole experience incredibly nerve-wracking, but the piece did not come off nearly as well as it could have. In general, composers will not be judgmental of your ensemble, so don’t wait until you think the performance is perfect before you invite them to listen…otherwise you might never let them hear their piece!

The premiere and beyond

As stated before, try to get the composer at the premiere if possible, as this only increases the excitement of the event for everyone involved. Either way, send her a recording after the premiere. She will then hopefully forward it, along with a copy of the score, to be considered for publication.

Most composers do not have exclusive contracts with publishers. They submit each piece individually to a publisher, and it is either selected or not based on its own merits. Therefore, it is vital that the package have a high quality recording along with the score. Nearly all publishers and editors have very little available time to consider new scores, and, although they may be excellent musicians, it is asking a lot for them to look beyond a poor recording to notice a strong piece. So, if you hope to see your commissioned work become published, make sure there is a good recording!

Don’t be disappointed if the piece is not accepted for publication, though. Remember that publishing is a business and most publishers make decisions based purely on what they think they can sell, not what they think is quality art. If you are lucky enough to see your piece published, also remember that it can sometimes take several years to move from the editing stage to actually being in print.

If you choose to pursue the commissioning process, please remember that not every piece will instantly become a classic in the literature. In fact, most will not. This should not dissuade you, though, because the process itself is what will generally be the most rewarding for you and your students. And, if you’re fortunate, you might be part of commissioning the next great work in our repertoire. Right now, I’m hoping that might be Michael Annicchiarico’s Iron Mask!

Andrew Boysen, Jr. (Andrewboyz@aol.com)is presently an assistant professor in the music department at the University of New Hampshire, where he conducts the wind symphony and teaches conducting. Previously, Boysen served as an assistant professor and Acting Associate Director of Bands at Indiana State University, where he directed the Marching Sycamores, conducted the symphonic band and taught in the music education department. Prior to that appointment, he was the Director of Bands at Cary-Grove (IL) High School and was the music director and conductor of the Deerfield Community Concert Band. He remains active as a guest conductor and clinician, appearing with high school, university and festival ensembles across the United States and Great Britain.

Boysen earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in wind conducting at the Eastman School of Music, where he served as conductor of the Eastman Wind Orchestra and assistant conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble. He received his Master of Music degree in wind conducting from Northwestern University in 1993 and his Bachelor of Music degree in music education and music composition from the University of Iowa in 1991.

He maintains an active schedule as a composer, receiving commissions from the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library, the Iowa All-State Band, the Rhode Island All-State Band, the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association, the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association, and many university and high school concert bands across the United States. Boysen won the International Horn Society Composition Contest in 2000, the University of Iowa Honors Composition Prize in 1991 and has twice won the Claude T. Smith Memorial Band Composition Contest, in 1991 for I Am and in 1994 for Ovations. Boysen has several pubished works with the Neil A. Kjos Music Company, Wingert-Jones Music, and Ludwig Music, including pieces for band, orchestra, clarinet and piano, and brass choir. Recordings of his music appear on the Sony, R-Kal, Mark, St. Olaf, and Elf labels.

Back to Resource Room

Back to the News