Ursula Krummel Talks about the Joys of Commissioning Music

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to have close contact with the composer of a new piece—and to have the privilege of commissioning it? I first found out in 1998 when I had the opportunity to meet several composers for our upcoming season. I had a great visit with David Goodman at a special event for donors that fall, and I walked away from there thinking what fun it would be to commission the piece he was embarking on writing for us. I liked his ideas and thought I just might like what he writes. So I volunteered to donate funds for the commission. I was not disappointed!

In the years that followed there were other opportunities, and I have since commissioned works by Gernot Wolfgang, Mark Carlson, Gary Bachlund, Maria Newman, Byron Adams, John Biggs, Ian Krouse, Adrienne Albert, Jeremy Cavaterra, Jeff Kryka, Dwayne Milburn, and most recently, by Eugene Friesen. Their pieces were more than I could have imagined! They have all been played multiple times since their premieres— not only here, but also internationally—and all of them have been published, too.

It’s a real pleasure to follow their progress, and I enjoy hearing from the composers when “my” pieces are being performed or recorded. I can’t help but think that we opened a door to the future for each of our composers, and I am honored to have been a part of that.

Try it—you might like it!