I’m a firm and outspoken believer that commissioning new works should be part of a thriving choral program.
What is the meta-lesson students get from being a part of this process? There are many.
- New art is created because we participate in its creation.
- Music is fluid – the draft we start with might not be the draft we sing at the premiere.
- Composers are people we can communicate with, get input from, follow on Facebook.
- Doing the work to commission and premiere a piece can have a lasting impact on the world. (Just remember, one choir or another commissioned most of the pieces you’re singing.
These are lessons we hope our students carry on to whatever they end up doing – whether in the arts or not, they are participating in an artistic world.