Why is this important to you? 

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As artists of the 21st century, we are conscious of and devoted to creating social change through concert programming, by not only presenting traditional classical masterworks to a new generation of audiences, but also continuing this art form’s growth by commissioning and introducing new compositions to existing audiences yet unfamiliar with contemporary music.

 

It's easy to forget that what we think of as "classic" today was once new! The great cellist Mstislav Rostropovich commissioned many new works by all the leading composers of his time, including Dmitri Shostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev, Benjamin Britten, etc. Without Rostropovich's vision of championing the music of his contemporaries, we wouldn't have many of the now standard works for cello and piano that we love performing and you love listening to.

 

Following in the footsteps of our musical forebearers, we have a deep responsibility, as well as the privilege, to shine the spotlight on the brilliant voices of our generation and expand the musical possibilities of the next.
 

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 What works have been funded in the past? 

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Since establishing our New Music Fund in 2013, we have been able to commission 10 works for cello and piano duo so far, each associated with a major project:

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Return Recital at Weill Hall @ Carnegie Hall (2013)

A pair of new works by Alexina Louie

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Celebrating Canada 150: An Elemental Expedition (2017)

A total of 5 commissions, by Carmen Braden, Derek Charke, Vincent Ho, Jordan Pal, and Rodney Sharman

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Celebrating Beethoven's 250th: Ludwig & Beyond (2020)

Three new pieces by Samy Moussa, Paul Wiancko, and Dinuk Wijeratne

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 How do you select composers to collaborate with? 

 

As curious artists and lovers of contemporary music ourselves, we are constantly listening to the music of our time and on the lookout for collaborators whose voices we are drawn to. When we hear a work by a living composer that really strikes us, we make a note of them and usually dive more deeply into their catalogue to get an informed sense of their musical identity and artistic intentions. We have ever-growing lists of not only potential collaborators, but also project ideas; the magic happens when we can align the perfect partner for a specific concept!

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What is your next project? 

 

Currently, we are cooking something up to celebrate 20 years of playing together, in 2023...

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 How much does a new work typically cost? 

 

This varies from piece to piece, depending on the proposed length of the new work, project timeline, and each composer's established rate. Generally, fees range from the mid to high thousands. 

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 Do you offer different levels of sponsorship? 

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Yes! Based on our past experience with our wonderful community of supporters, we currently offer three levels:

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Lead Sponsor (sole sponsor of a full-length work)

- published name or dedicatee of your choice on the score

- all premium sponsor benefits

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Premium Sponsor (partial/shared sponsor of a work)

- meet-and-greet with the composer
- name acknowledgement on the project website

- signed copy of the score
- VIP tickets to a premiere of your location choice

 

If you are interested in subsidizing a new work by a particular composer or for a special occasion, please feel free to write to us through our website's contact form.

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General Sponsor

We welcome smaller donations on a rolling basis below—all contributions, no matter what size, will directly go towards covering composer fees for future commissions. Thank you for helping to continue the evolution of contemporary classical music!

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