Free Write Now
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A couple of days ago I received an email written in Italian, with the subject “Good News!”. The email was from a rather important Roman new music society, and it was telling me—using the imperative tense, rather than asking me—that I will be writing a piece for next year’s season.
“Il pezzo che dovrai scrivere non dovrà superare i 7-8′ e dovrà essere inviato agli esecutori […]”
No commission fee or travel expenses paid. Nothing. Just the “honor” of having the opportunity to write a piece. The musicians happen to be very well-known Americans.
Do I accept this so-called commission, or do I turn it down in protest? Should I contact the performers and ask them if they, too, are “volunteering” their services?
At what point in your career can you afford to turn down a non-paying request for music? As someone who is trying to make a living through music, I find it rather humiliating to accept this work: It makes me feel like an amateur. But on the other hand, it would most likely receive a really wonderful performance, and it may begin an important relationship with good musicians.
If I turn it down, and another composer accepts it, this new music society may never adopt a new composer-paying policy.