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Reflections on Conductors,
Reflections on Conductors,

Composers, and Commissions
Composers, and Commissions

by Andrew Crane

Andrew Crane
Director of Choral Activities
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT

Over the course of the past two decades as a full-time of the creative process as is the act of rehearsing and
director of choral activities (three at the high school conducting in performance. In a certain way I feel like
level and eighteen at the university level), I’ve had the I’m somehow expressing my own creativity by finding
opportunity to collaborate with numerous composers new and/or unfamiliar works.
on commissions, premieres, and, by virtue of my choral
series with Walton Music, to assist composers in getting 3) The experience of a premiere, when it really “hits,”
works published. The ACDA Standing Committee for can be exciting for conductor, choir, and audience
Composition Initiatives invited me to share about my alike. There’s something magical about being part of a
experiences with choral composition, and I suppose the collaborative process that gives life to new art.
best place to start is the “why.” Why, as a conductor, do I
spend a good deal of time engaging with living compos- Those are the “whys.” The “what” and the “how”
ers of choral music? For several reasons: are a little more complicated, and perhaps not with-
out some controversy. I’ll admit that these opinions are
1) I take great joy in bringing exposure to new works solely my own, and they come from a lot of trial and
that I really believe in. I love seeing a wonderful new error. Not all of my experiences with composers and
piece spread organically to other choirs and conduc- commissions have been wildly successful—likely be-
tors. This brings me the same kind of pride that I feel cause of some fault of mine, not the composers’––but
when a choir under my direction sings well in perfor- here are some topics to consider.
mance.

2) Several years ago, a conductor who was somewhat Cold-Call Solicitations
familiar with my work told me that I preferred “reper- Many composers send perusal scores to conductors
toire off the beaten path.” His point was that I seemed without being invited to do so. I call this “cold calling.”
more drawn to new/unknown compositions rather Not every conductor loves this, but I am actually a big
than choosing simply from what was popular that year. fan of it. If you are a conductor, I encourage you to
Upon some reflection, I decided that he was probably give all of these pieces a close look! The composer has
right. I’m not completely sure why this is the case, but taken the time to reach out to you; you should take the
I do believe repertoire selection is just as much a part time to look at their works. I maintain a dedicated email

CHORAL JOURNAL March/April 2023 Volume 63 Number 7 47