Open Projects
Be part of the creative process. Our open projects invite everyone to participate in commissioning, performing, and supporting new classical music works nationwide.
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MiniWork Commission Projects
Accessible Commissioning
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Open to anyone, MiniWorks makes commissioning approachable with a flat $250 fee and no membership requirement, creating an easy entry into new music.
Original Short Works
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Each MiniWork results in an original 60–90 second composition, offering a focused format suited to gifts, educational use, creative exploration, or programming.
Composer Compensation
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Of the $250 commission fee, $150 goes directly to the composer, while $100 supports New Works Project and its broader commissioning infrastructure.
Gifts
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MiniWorks can serve as meaningful gifts, giving supporters and music lovers a personal way to bring a completely original piece of music into existence.
Educational Use
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Educators can use MiniWorks to introduce students to contemporary composition, commissioning, and the creative process through a concise, manageable original work.
Program Building
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Performers can use MiniWorks to explore new repertoire, strengthen programs, or begin working with a composer before pursuing a larger collaborative commission.
No Membership Required
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Because membership is not required, MiniWorks offer a straightforward first step for anyone curious about commissioning original classical music through New Works Project.
Focused Collaboration
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The compact format keeps the process focused while still creating a genuine composer-client collaboration and a finished work that did not exist before.
Core Series Commissions
Primary Commissioning Program
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Core Series commissions are New Works Project’s primary commissioning program, with projects averaging approximately $2,000 per work and supported through the Supporter Network.
Community Funded
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Supporter Network members help fund Core Series works, connecting community contributions directly to the creation of substantial new contemporary classical music.
Composer Voting
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Community members participate in composer selection through voting opportunities, creating a more visible and participatory commissioning process around each project.
Pay-What-You-Can
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Each Core Series project includes a pay-what-you-can participation page, allowing additional supporters to join a commission at a level that works for them.
Instrument Communities
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New Works Project aims to support one commission per instrument community each quarter, expanding opportunities for new repertoire across different performer communities.
Shared Creation
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Core Series projects are designed to connect composers, performers, and supporters around a shared commissioning process rather than keeping creation limited to institutions.
Co-Commissioner Credit
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Members receive named co-commissioner credit on works their contributions support, creating a tangible connection between community participation and completed new music.
Structured Development
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These commissions create a structured path from community support to composer selection, project development, and ultimately a new work ready to enter performance.
Collaborative Commission Projects
Creative Matchmaking
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New Works Project connects composers and performers whose goals align, helping both sides begin a commission with a clearer creative and professional foundation.
Clear Agreements
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Facilitation can include clear project agreements that define expectations, responsibilities, timelines, and other practical details before the creative work moves forward.
Milestone Payments
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Staged milestone payments help organize compensation throughout the project, giving composers and performers a clearer structure for how the commission progresses financially.
Project Coordination
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Project coordination helps keep communication, expectations, and next steps organized so collaborators can focus more of their energy on creating and preparing the work.
Premiere Coordination
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New Works Project can support premiere coordination, helping the completed commission move from the writing process toward its first planned performance or presentation.
Professional Facilitation
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Professional facilitation fees typically range from 15–25% depending on the project, with reduced rates available to members on standard commissioning projects.
Right-Fit Collaborators
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Creative matchmaking is designed for composers and performers who want help finding the right collaborator instead of navigating the commissioning process entirely alone.
Full-Process Support
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The service supports the full commissioning relationship, from an initial creative match through agreements, payments, coordination, and preparation for the premiere.
Recent Work
New Works Project’s matchmaking connected me with a composer who truly understood my artistic vision.
Marcus Lee
NWP made commissioning feel welcoming, transparent, and genuinely collaborative from beginning to end.
Jane Bullock
The process gave me clarity, confidence, and a stronger connection with my creative collaborator.
Heather Smith
Be Part of What Comes Next
You don't have to be a composer or professional musician to participate in new music. Join the community, commission a work, support a project, or explore what we're building with New Works Project.