Consortium Commission
In the Theatre of Air for Flute Ensemble
About the project
The University of Virginia Flute Ensemble, with their Director Kelly Sulick, is the lead ensemble for this consortium. After we started discussing this commission, we had a lively exchange of ideas. Kelly mentioned her love of poetry, which I share. We both find inspiration in Mary Oliver’s nature poems and settled on the title In the Theatre of Air, after a line from Starlings in Winter. This seemed so apt — music comes to us through the air and has all the elements of theatre: action, the power to evoke response, storytelling. All of our sounding communication, with its wide range of tones of voice, reaches us this way. And the amazing murmurations of starlings create stunning patterns in air. The music I create will be inspired by these with its own air-borne swirls.
You are invited to join the consortium to commission an 8-10’ piece for flute ensemble, including piccolo, C-flute, alto, bass and optional contrabass flutes.
Performer collaboration and timbral experimentation are central to my musical life and I’ve already begun collaborating with Kelly in exploring the timbral worlds of bass and contrabass flutes. As a former flutist myself, and an ardent experimenter, I have delighted in exploring the timbral and expressive range of the piccolo, C-flute and alto flute. And, since flutes figures so prominently in my music, I am especially excited to compose my first piece for flute ensemble!
If you are not familiar with my flute music, check out the following:
Solo & Electroacoustic
Fasting Heart (recorded by Patricia Spencer)
Kairos (recorded by Patricia Spencer)
Chamber
Secret Ground (fl, cl, vn, vc, recorded by Da Capo Chamber Players)
Gazebo Music (flute and cello, recorded Da Capo Chamber Players)
Orchestral
Ruah (flute and chamber orchestra, recorded by Renée Siebert and the Prism Chamber Orchestra)
Dates & Deadlines
Consortium launch: September 15, 2025
Consortium closes: November 30, 2025
Delivery date: In the Theatre of Air will be delivered in .pdf format on January 15, 2026
Exclusive Consortium performance rights: One year following the premiere by the UVA Flute Ensemble scheduled for 4/12/2026.
Consortium Commissioning Tiers
Tier 1: Collegiate Flute Ensembles $250
- Inclusion as a member of the consortium commission and acknowledgment in the score.
- Licensed digital score delivered on January 15, 2026
- Email support for questions about the score
- Exclusive performance rights for one year
- 1 signed copy of the score
Optional: 1-hour zoom rehearsal: $250
Tier 2: Flute Clubs and Professional Flute Ensembles $500
- Inclusion as a member of the consortium commission and acknowledgment in the score.
- Licensed digital score delivered on January 15, 2026
- Email support for questions about the score
- Exclusive performance rights for one year
- 1 signed copy of the score
- 1-hour zoom rehearsal
How to Join
Click the button below to download the consortium contract and information form.
Instructions are included in the document.
We can’t wait to work with you!
FAQS
Is the consortium fee refundable?
The consortium fee is non-refundable unless the project has to be canceled. See item #7 in the downloadable contract.
Please take that into account before signing up.
Can I perform this piece after the year following the world premiere date?
Yes, you can perform it whenever you wish in perpetuity. Also, consortium members have no obligation to perform it within the year following the premiere.
If you still have questions, please contact asst@judithshatin.com!