The Commission Project was founded in 1994 by Ned Corman, who continues as director. TCP grew out of the Penfield Music Commission Project, which Corman had founded in 1984 as a project of Penfield School District, in suburban Rochester, New York. Corman taught instrumental music at Penfield High School from 1968 to 1994, and through Penfield Music Commission Project commissioned 117 titles, most of them for student ensembles in Penfield. Of these, 43 have been published and 17 commercially recorded and released.

When Corman retired from Penfield School District, Penfield Music Commission Project's Advisory Board urged the formation of a new organization to support similar arts-education activities in other school districts. That board became TCP's Board of Directors. TCP initially affiliated with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. In December 1997, TCP incorporated as an independent nonprofit organization with offices in Rochester and New York City.

TCP has to date been supported almost entirely by individual contributors, over 500 of whom lend their support each year. With its establishment as a nonprofit organization, TCP is now seeking support from foundations and corporations for its approach to arts education, proven over fourteen years of continuous operations.

In the nine years since its founding, The Commission Project has worked in over 69 schools, reaching over 13,000 students. Seventy-four composers have received commissions, resulting in 240 new titles. Seventy of those titles have been published, and 30 have been commercially recorded and released.

TCP's growth has always been carefully planned in incremental steps, building long-term relationships in individual schools. Its first residency project was at Fairport High School, in a suburb neighboring Penfield, in 1994-95. In 1995-96, the Fairport residency continued and a second one began at the Harley School in Rochester. In 1996, with assistance from TCP, a network of community support was assembled in Fairport to establish Fairport Commissions. The new organization joined TCP in commissioning Tommy Newsom's "Two Movements" for concert band with Dave Mancini, percussionist with Doc Severinson, as soloist. And TCP continues to support Fairport's fledgling program by co-commissioning works for Fairport ensembles.

In 1996-97, TCP continued its relationship with the Harley School, with the acclaimed concert composer Augusta Read Thomas; established a new residency at Pittsford-Sutherland High School, near Rochester, with composer David Rivello; and reached out to initiate residencies in Cleveland, with composer Paul Ferguson, and Evanston, Illinois, with composer Antonio Garcia.

In 1997-98, TCP continued in Rochester, Cleveland, Evanston, and added Allendale Columbia School in Rochester and St. Paul Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota. It also laid groundwork for working in the New York City schools by commissioning music for the All-City Jazz Ensemble, directed by 25-year veteran teacher Justin DiCioccio. When that work premieres on May 18 at Alice Tully Hall, DiCioccio will be also appear as percussion soloist with the All-City Concert Band in Newsom's "Two Movements"--co-commissioned by TCP and Fairport Commissions in 1996.

TCP has also commissioned a great deal of music for professional ensembles. For example:

Jeff Beal
was commissioned to write a new score for Buster Keaton's 1927 silent film The General. It was premiered at Florida State University in Tallahassee by the University Philharmonia conducted by Alexander Jimenéz on February 12, 2003.

Max Roach
was commissioned to write Ghost Dance for brass quintet and trap drums, which inspired him to form the So What Brass Quintet. The group debuted at a famous New York club, the Blue Note, and now tours nationally with Ghost Dance as its signature title. Roach's piece has already been twice recorded,
on both Blue Note and BlueMoon labels.

Chris Dedrick
was commissioned to write his Sweet Songs of Christmas for the Canadian Brass, which has already recorded it twice and performed it on a television holiday special.

Ron Carter,
renowned bassist and composer, was commissioned to write Vientos del Desierto for chamber orchestra. It was performed and recorded by CELLO for the ProArte label.

*Six more composers were commissioned to write for a consortium of six leading saxophone quartets in cities across the country. With each quartet planning to perform each other's commissioned titles, this project alone makes a substantial contribution to the American repertory.

In the last several years TCP has widened its impact in the Rochester area through novel community events. Evolving into an annual series, these projects draw a great deal of attention to classical music and jazz, outstanding local performers, and education.

In September 1996, Trombone Circus brought out over 80 local trombonists, from small children to the elderly to work with Michael Davis, trombonist with The Rolling Stones. Davis composed Gateway for this mass ensemble. He led their rehearsal and performance of the new piece and works he had previously composed in residence in area schools. He then played with his own ensemble, top professionals sharing the stage with students and enthusiasts of all ages. Trombone Circus returned to Rochester in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 providing great fun and educational opportunities for trombone students of all ages.

In September 1997, Random Acts of Music (also called Music Gorilla Monday) drew an even larger and more widespread response, with small ensembles appearing all over the city, in public spaces and workplaces. John Beck, director of percussion at the Eastman School of Music, played on a monumental steel sculpture at Eastman Place. Outside Kodak's offices, in a courtyard at Bausch and Lomb, in dozens of spots, people discovered live music
going on in their midst.