How to Commission a Work:
Why should I commission a new work?
Your students/ensemble will be the first to put life into a new work of art.
Your audience will have the experience of hearing a never before heard piece of music.
You as a conductor would stretch yourself artistically to learn a piece "from scratch."
You will add to the body of work for the type of ensemble you are directing, making a lasting mark on the artistic community in general.
You can commemorate a special event in the life of your ensemble.
You can honor a member, director, or supporter with a piece specifically written for them.
* If you listened to my work on the compositions page and like what you hear, I am available to write a work for your ensemble/group.
How much will it cost?
Commissioning fee is based on length of work, level of difficulty, and the size of the ensemble. Of course, the ultimate price can only be established after a complete understanding of the specifics involved. Please contact me to discuss your idea!
Fees are paid 50% at contract signing and 50% upon presentation of the completed score to the commissioning party.
Funding for commissions is available from many governmental, foundation and private sponsors, including New Music USA and Meet The Composer.
Who makes the decisions?
The commissioning party decides on the wording of the dedication, the desired duration of the piece, instrumentation, voicing, the style/mood, and is encouraged to submit text possibilities (in the case of a choral piece). The commissioning party will have sole rights to the premiere performance of the work. The composer has final choice regarding the text (in the case of a choral piece). As the theme is typically the starting point, the composer’s ability to creatively connect with that theme is paramount. A contract is created before any composing is done to ensure that both parties are happy with the parameters and all requests are clearly understood.
All copyrights and ownership to the work remain with the composer.
What time frame is required?
The amount of time required for each work varies, but Mr. Kamerling prefers to start talks on a commission 1 year out from delivery of the finished work.
Will the work be published?
Ultimately, it is the composer’s decision whether or not to publish the work, and which publisher to utilize. In many cases, the work will be published. The commissioning body’s name/dedication will always be included on manuscript and published scores.
How do I get started?
