1999-2000 Joint Commissioning Project Committee

1999-2000 Joint Commissioning Project Committee Final Report North Central District Convention 2 April, 2000

Members: Carter M. Adler, Co-Chair,  Jeff Brown, Co-Chair,  Jim Valko,  Susan Lingenfelter,  Amy Dorsh,  Matt Drase, 

Charges: 1. Determine what ensemble will premier the commissioned piece. 2. Compile a list of 12-20 composers to consider for the commission. 3. Submit a “short list” of approximately 5 composers to the District Governor and Counselors by February 1.

Methodology: 1. The most urgent order of business was to determine what ensemble will premier the commissioned piece, in order to allow sufficient time for scheduling of the concert. We decided that the most reasonable thing would be to leave this up to the host chapter for the 2001 NCD Convention. In October of 1999 the joint District Council added this requirement to the Convention bidding guidelines. 2. Operating under the assumption that most composers are affiliated with a college or university, we mailed an open invitation for submissions to the composition departments or chairs at all schools within the geographic boundaries of the NCD. We also created a website, allowing composers to submit applications by mail or online. We set the deadline for submissions at December 1. This gave composers two months to submit their portfolios, and left us two months to review them. We received eleven responses by mail, and one online. 3. During the Leadership Workshop weekend, we listened to selected compositions by all applicants in an attempt to gain a sense for their personal composition styles. We followed this by perusing their résumés and discussing our personal preferences. Taking into account the composers’ experience, composition style, fee requested, experience with wind band, we ranked the applicants based on the composers’ potential to create a work that would be aesthetically pleasing, technically challenging, and of lasting value in the wind band repertory. Viewing this ranking, five candidates stood out as being clearly preferable, and we selected those as our “short list.”

In general, everything went very smoothly, and we recommend these procedures as a template for any future commissioning projects.

Communication: One of our highest priorities was keeping the district informed of our progress. This was accomplished by the creation of the website, several Kadenza articles, and question and answer sessions at the Leadership Workshop and at all three block meetings. At the opening joint session of the Convention, we announced the names on our short list and provided all delegates with brief summary information on those five composers. Throughout the day Saturday, submitted compositions were made available, to which anyone could listen. In the same room, we provided copies of all materials provided by the five “finalists.” We were overwhelmed by the high turnout for this!

Slating: The 1999-2000 Committee on the North Central District Commissioning Project has slated Jerome Paul Miskell as the composer for this project.

Recommendations for future commissioning projects: 1. All funds should be raised before the composer search is begun. 2. The compensation of the commission should be determined before the composer search is begun. 3. Approximately $150 should be budgeted for expenses of the search committee.

Thank You: Malinda Matney God Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior; through Him all things are possible The Dark Lord Rent-A-Computer The Sarcastic 8-Ball The wonderful workers at the hardware store Kelly Haniford, from whom all duct tape comes Mother Russia Microsoft: the REAL Evil Empire! All the other composers who applied – sucks to be you! Everyone who helped Jim burn the CDs Kinko’s in Lexington, KY Everyone who donated equipment for the listening room Pookie, for the lovely picture on the stickers Everyone in the district who helped pay for this project, particularly those who put money in the jug Amy Dorsh, who doesn’t yet know why we’re thanking her…