Commissions from Quarantine: Spring 2020

Important Project Update:

Hello everyone! A year ago, March 2020 I launched the Commissions from Quarantine project. To commemorate this anniversary, I will finally be posting all of the sheet music for available pieces on my website for free, starting March 31st! As the last of the premieres wrap up, I will continue to update the catalogue with newly available works and recent recordings.

I only ask for those downloading the sheet music to let me know of any public/posted performances in advance so I can help promote them on social media and/or update my performance records with my royalties company.

I am so thankful to everyone who commissioned a mini-work from this project, and can’t wait for them to be readily available to all! Happy music-making, everyone!

-Kim

About the Project:

In March of 2020, musicians around the world found themselves in a difficult and uncertain situation, both artistically and financially, due to the outbreak of COVID-19. No longer able to gather together for performances or rehearsals, many of us in the artistic community have been at a loss for what to do with our skills and time. While some days it was difficult to even get out of bed in the morning, I knew that I wanted to do something to help my friends and colleagues find a distraction, maintain human connection, and revitalize their passion for the craft. My solution was Commissions from Quarantine.

In mid-March, I accepted commissions for solos and duos of up to three minutes for a nominal fee, ranging from $5 - $20. Musicians provided a word or two to describe the desired mood of the piece, as well as a short description of a technique or sound they enjoyed playing on their instrument, which would be incorporated into the work. Upon receiving their pieces, musicians were to practice them and post a video to their social media pages (as resources and home conditions allowed).

In the three days this commission window was open, I received requests from no less than 40 different musicians across the United States, as well as in Canada, Germany, and Mexico. 32 distinct instrumentations were requested, ranging from flute and violin solos to works for violin and zarb, steel pan drums, and toy piano. The project gained attention from the news media as videos from the performers were released, being covered by both Dallas Morning News and WQOW News 18.

As of September 1st, 2020, the majority of the works were completed—some turning into larger commissions to be released later on. I plan to make the sheet music for all of the commissioned mini-works available for free, so that no musician is barred from the music produced in this project due to financial constraints.

Given the success of this inaugural project, I have aims to do another call for mini-commissions in the 2021 calendar year. If you are interested in participating in future calls, or would like to offer financial support for another musician to participate, please use our contact form to get in touch.

We can all do our part by staying home - but that doesn't mean we have to stay still.

Project Updates:

September 2020: The final pieces have either been completed or changed into larger projects! Check back on March 31st, 2021 for links to download all available mini-projects for free!

August 2020: With only 5 commissions left in the project, I am making plans for the next round of mini-commissions! I have learned so much from this first round of projects, and can’t wait to carry these lessons forward into future iterations. I was delayed in meeting my initial goal of finishing all the projects by August 1st, and have learned a lot about how to pace out so many concurrent projects.

May 2020: As of now, about half of the mini-commissions are complete! It has been so exciting to work with such a wide array of musicians throughout this process. From established professionals, current students, passionate amateurs—and even a few duo works for family members!—this project has connected me to so many more musicians and experiences than I ever thought possible. I am so grateful to everyone for their support of the project, and for their patience as I work through new-to-me instruments.

March 2020: Below is the complete list of project entries, sorted by instrumentation! You can find an up-to-date video playlist of selected CfQ performances here or under the highlights section of my Instagram page.

Works in italics indicates the piece is completed. An asterisk indicates the work was changed into a larger project, to be completed at a later date.

If you would like to participate in future CfQ projects, want to support a commission for musicians in financial need, or would like more information, please reach out using the contact form! Thank you for your interest in this project.