I.  Why commission new music?
    A) Commissioning generates new music for your instrument
    B) Commissioning provides music tailor-made for you
    C) Commissioning provides music for a specific occasion such as an anniversary or
         concert theme

Commissioning Pros

1) generates new works for performance 2) creates more interest in your instrument 3) advances the technique of your instrument 4) generates new works for a specific or unusual instrumentation for which few pieces     of music may exist 5) you sometimes get to work directly with the composer 6) it can be good publicity for you or your ensemble

Commissioning Cons

1) addition of extra instruments can limit the performance life of the work for you 2) difficulty in finding a good composer 3) difficulty in finding funding  4) you don't know what you will end up with; you might not like the piece

II.  The Composer
        A) How to find a composer
             1) advertise for a composer
             2) check with a university or college music department for recommendations
             3) check with other musicians for recommendations
             4) sponsor a composition competition
             5) watch the local newspapers for premieres of new music by local composers
        B) Working with the composer
             1) request a résumé and demo tapes of the composer's music if you are not familiar with it
             2) discuss with the composer what type of music and instrumentation you are looking                 for, any time limit requirements you have, and when you need the piece to be completed
             3) ask the composer what his/her fee is, how much time he/she will need to compose                 the piece, whether or not he/she will need a demo tape from you of any unusual                                instruments you use that the he/she may not be familiar with (such as Eb or tenor                 flutes, etc.); don't be afraid to discuss playing ranges and other specifics with the                 composer if he/she does not have a lot of experience composing for your instrument

III.  Funding, which can run anywhere from $200.00 to several thousand dollars depending on
        the experience of the composer and the size of the piece, can be obtained by the following:
         A) The commission can be privately funded with your own money
         B) The commission can be funded by a concert sponsor such as a local business
         C) The commission can be funded by an educational institution
         D) The commission can be funded in part by a grant
              1) grants require that you have a non-profit corporation status, which can cost
                approximately $500.00 and involve filing with the IRS for a non-profit tax
                identification number, applying for "Doing Business As" papers with the county
                clerk's office where you live, and setting up bank accounts for the corporation;
                affiliating with a local university can be one way to do that without the cost to you
             2) the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs is a good place to apply for grants
                from the State of Michigan for commissioning (check with the Arts Council in your
                state for information on grants they offer)
                 a) grants involve matching funds that you must provide; these can take the form of
                    both cash and in-kind funding (non-cash)
                 b) applications usually are somewhat involved and may include budgeting of funds,
                    gathering letters of recommendation from respected leaders of the community,
                    evidence of past performances (programs and publicity), biographies of all parties
                    involved, a lengthy and detailed description of your project, who is involved, why
                    they are qualified for the project, who your target audience is, and what kind of
                    impact the project would have on the community
                 c) after receiving the grant and performing the concert, there is lengthy follow-up
                    paperwork to complete; you may not receive funds until after all of this is
                    completed
IV. The Contract, a written agreement to protect the interests of all parties, should include:
        A) A list of all parties involved (composer, performer(s), granting agency if funded with
            a grant, etc.)
        B) The composer's fee for the composition including any travel expenses incurred by the
            composer to attend rehearsals and the performance
        C) The date the piece needs to be completed by
        D) The specifics of the piece
             1) list the event the piece is being written for (thematic concert, anniversary,
                competition)
                 a) if the piece is being written for a competition, you may want to include in the
                    contract an "exclusive use" clause for the time prior to the competition
             2) how long the piece expected to be (for programming or competition purposes)
             3) instrumentation
                 a) exactly what instruments are being written for
                 b) instrument switches; spell out who plays which instruments so switches are in the
                    correct parts
        E) Hard copy
             1) specify how many sets of parts and scores the composer will provide you
             2) specify if you require an audio tape of the piece for study purposes
        F) Licensing agreements
             1) performing rights: stipulate that you have first performing rights and perpetual
                performing rights
             2) recording rights: you may want to include a stipulation that you have first recording
                rights; you may also want to stipulate royalties paid to the composer for that purpose
        G) Publication of the piece: stipulate that you want an acknowledgment of the musician(s)
             on the piece if it is published (a good publicity tool for you or your ensemble)
        H) Copyright: stipulate that the composer owns the copyright to the work
         I)  For granting agencies: list all parties involved in the grant as per the granting agency's
            requirements (usually specified in the grant application); stipulate that all parties
            involved may not receive remuneration for the project until all grant requirements
            have been fulfilled   

I hope you find these tips useful for commissioning new music.
Good luck and happy fluting!