Getting a commissioned work in the mail is a little like Christmas – except that, unlike a holiday, it’s always a surprise exactly when it’s going to come.
It’s a thrill to be the first to set eyes on a piece you’ve commissioned, and to start to imagine interpreting it with other musicians.
It’s part of what made today special: today was the day I sent out commissions to the Michigan Choral Commission Consortium members. Some 35 members across Michigan opened their emails to see brand-new pieces that they helped usher into the world, and now get to dig into.
A colleague wrote, “This is one of my favorite days of the year, as we each open up new works of art for the first time and prepare to breathe life into them with students!”
It’s a particular feeling – a unique joy – to lead this consortium and then both commission and distribute new works.
Merry “Commission Christmas” to my MC3 colleagues and friends!