Commissions-Renovation

As the summer season is upon us, I have decided to revamp my commissions page. The decision to make the following changes has much to do with valuing oneself as a composer.

Before I continue, I would like to give credit where credit is due. Most of the inspiration to make these changes came from composer Kincaid Rabb who came up with a fascinating approach to how to value oneself’s work (The List #2: Evaluating my Labor) Rather than reciting every word Kincaid wrote in the blog post, I will be concise as to why I’m making the change.

When I first received commissions, I used to refer my prices to the New Music USA commissioning fees calculator. While convenient, most commissioners I worked with were not able to afford the price. With very little commissions, I took the plunge and said “Let’s get to work.” Later on, I created a table chart in the commissions page that showed everyone my rates per minute. I intentionally made them low for accessibility and the fact that I have a daytime job that supplements the majority of my life.

After reading Kincaid’s blogpost, I realized that I was not happy with my rates. Not because they were low. It was more about how they did not reflect my worth as an artist.

Moving forward, I will accept commissions, but the rates are currently in the works. In addition, the commissions page is closed for the time being. Once I get a better idea of my value, I will write an updated blog post on what the rates are and why I made those decisions.