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Composition commissions survey results

The results of the survey of composition commission rates carried out by the British Academy of
Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) are shown below. You may find them a useful
reference point in setting your composition commission rates.

Average
commission Range of
Average charge per composition
Type of commission minute of charges per No. of
commission value composition minute responses

Choral
(accompanied) 3,753 245 1 - 667 54

Choral
(unaccompanied) 2,473 374 4 - 1,000 45

Choral (with
orchestra) 12,119 443 33 - 1,500 21

Orchestra
(symphony) 8,458 542 18 - 2,021 48

Orchestra (with
soloists) 9,215 468 67 - 1,400 30

Orchestra
(chamber) 6,352 370 48 - 1,333 44

Ensembles (large
chamber) 4,974 263 13 - 1,000 45

Ensembles (small) 2,886 205 17 - 533 49

Ensembles
(symphonic wind) 3,440 283 8 - 1,292 15

Duo 1,968 187 30 - 500 40

Solo 2,200 157 14 - 444 43

Brass band 2,810 223 10 - 656 14

Jazz orchestra 3,875 279 67 - 500 4

Jazz big band 3,667 135 33 - 182 6

Stage works 13,549 246 23 - 1,000 38

Electronica A 11,245 260 65 - 833 9

Electronica B 5,062 255 67 - 500 9

Electronica C 30,500 742 109 - 1,375 2

The survey was carried out between December 2010 and March 2011. There were 517 responses
(mainly from composers but also from commissioners and publishers) about commission rates
charged and paid over the period January 2005 – December 2009 across a range of different musical
genres.

Points to bear in mind in setting commission rates

There is a very wide range of rates charged, even within each individual musical category, and you
need to consider carefully where your rate for a particular commission lies within the general range
for that category. In particular:

unsurprisingly, given the relative amounts of work involved, composition rates vary with the scale of
the composition; the average charge per minute for a symphony orchestra, for example, is more
than three times that for a solo work

well-established composers will be able to charge towards the top end of the range for the genre
while recently graduated composition students who are just starting out will be able to command
only fees at the lower end of the range; in this context, most composers appear to have charged
below the average charge per minute in all the categories except for jazz and Electronica B and C

what you can charge will also depend on who is commissioning the work; a wealthy supporter of
music is able to pay more than the local amateur choir; the survey results showed that, in most
categories, overseas commissioners paid rather more than UK commissioners.

You need to ensure that, on the one hand, you do not under-charge for your services and, on the
other, that you do not price yourself out of the market.

You may want to take account of price inflation since the 2005-09 period of this historical survey. For
national inflation data, visit the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website.

You should also consider additional charges for “extras” such as:

attending consultation or recording sessions

providing a demo recording and

orchestrating or arranging a composition.

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