Are you interested in commissioning this composer?

The commissioning process is one of the most rewarding relationships between the composer and the commissioner. Both go into the project with wide-eyed anticipation towards the creation of a new piece. There are often many suggestions about an event in which to commission a piece. This is the most popular. If you haven't commissioned a work from Dr. Kilstofte you haven't experienced the joy of working with a professional composer who not only accomodates suggestions and requests but also shows enthusiasm and the piece generally becomes a favorite whose performance is requested over and over.

Dr. Kilstofte takes an average of 15 hours to write, proofread, and have engraved one minute of music. Kaska Publishing publishes all works written by Anne Kilstofte, and thus printing, engraving, and part extraction is included in the commissioning fee. We are able to work within limited budgets, and we can negotiate a commissioning fee for you with the composer.

Commissioning agreements work best where half of the funding is paid upon agreement and the other half is paid upon the receipt of the score (and any necessary parts). Some ensemble's prefer to pay the entire commission upon entering into agreement. Either arrangement will work.

There are many things to think about when commissioning a new piece of music. To make the process go smoothly and a joy to all involved, some important points are outlined below.

Rates: The organization known as Meet the Composer sets the industry's guidelines for commissioning new works. Commissions are based on the length of the piece as well as the negotiated price. One must also consider the length of the piece being written: Under 10 min. 10-25 min. Over 25 min.

Meet the Composer's last published rates are as follows:

Instrumentation
Solo or Duo $2,000-6,500
Trio or Quartet $4,000-10,000
Chorus $4,000-15,000
Chamber or Jazz Orchestra $7,000-21,000
Full Orchestra or Concerto: add (20-30%) $9,500-26,000
Opera/Music Theater One-Act $20,000 Full Length $56,000

Time frame

It is important to know when the first rehearsal is scheduled as well as the premiere of the piece being commissioned. Dr. Kilstofte works approximately 2 months to 1 year ahead of that schedule depending on the size of the piece being requested.

Texts

Dr. Kilstofte already has a wide variety of texts that she has chosen that are in the public domain. If you require a different text that is under copyright, copyright clearances must be obtained before the commission has been undertaken. Additional research may be necessary for the piece and helps the composer internalize the text more completely given the specific instrumentation of your ensemble. All copyrights of the music remain with the composer.

Please contact us at Kaska Publishing if you would like to pursue a commission. We would be happy to work with you on any venture.