At Donemus, we are proud to announce the launch of the CoCommissions Network—an innovative platform designed to connect composers, publishers, orchestras, opera houses, agents, and private sponsors to facilitate international co-commissioning. The platform addresses the growing need in classical music world for collaborative funding and sustainable realization of works by living composers.
Writing new compositions is a very labour-intensive process. We know that many commissioners seek additional partners to help fund these projects – which proves challenging in itself. The CoCommissions Network makes this process easy. Any initial client can post a CoCom request on this platform, giving all the details about the project. Other users of the platform can view and respond to this listing. Classical music is international by nature – our composers have their works performed from Tasmania to Alaska. It makes sense to seek co-commissioners worldwide, and the CoCommissions Network provides this opportunity.
The platform is open to music publishers, orchestras and other patrons looking to expand their projects through international partnerships. Users can match based on the composer’s name, orchestras already involved or specific tags related to the project. The CoCommissions Network operates with a modest annual fee. To encourage early participation, entry is free until 1 October.
Early responses to this initiative have been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the demand for such a collaborative platform in the classical music world.
“The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra wholeheartedly supports Donemus’ initiative to establish an international platform for co-commissioning. This has long been good practice among the leading companies for commissioned works by the most well-known, widely internationally active composers. This initiative is significant because it can strengthen opportunities for Dutch and Dutch-based composers. Dutch companies are increasingly becoming aware that the number of performances per orchestral work remains limited in the prevailing ‘every man for himself’ climate. It is also an initiative that benefits the financial position of composers.”
Mark van Dongen, Former Assistant Artistic Affairs Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
“It takes an enormous amount of effort to bring a new musical work into the world. A new work needs to be played as much as possible so that it can unfold, so that different interpretations can emerge and so that an audience can relate to it. If a work is commissioned by several partners, this can succeed: The composer receives an appropriate fee, the financial burden on the individual partners is reduced – and the work receives greater attention. This can only be achieved by working together – and the CoCommissions Network makes it possible to find partners beyond the beaten track.”
Maximilian von Aulock, Managing Director Junge Deutsche Philharmonie
By joining the CoCommissions Network, one becomes a partner in a global network in classical music. Together, we can shape the future of classical music, project by project.
Check the new CoCom.network website
Read the article on page 67 (Dutch) in the Publishing Special of Entertainment Business
Composers in the crosshairs of our attention