Determine the financial goal to raise money for the composer to write a symphony in C. It is possible that a composer will work for a trade agreement or some special benefit. Skip this section if there are no plans to raise money but there is a service or promotional activity that can benefit the composer as a result of the commission.
Start a campaign to raise funds for a commission to create a symphony in C. Go online to a website such as gofundme.com to find out how to request money for a specific project (see Resource).
Acquire approximately half the funds that are needed for the project, and begin to look for a composer within your price range who will write the symphony. It may be possible to negotiate the price depending on what level of experience, recognition and prior commitments the composer has.
Find a suitable composer to work with. Make sure he is willing to provide you with references. If the composer won't provide references, look elsewhere. Organizations such as Meet the Composer and UreMusic have options available for contacting professional composers.
Contact the composer and provide the details of the project. You should tell her how much money is available for the commission and the purpose for writing the symphony in C. If there is no money being offered, explain how the composer would benefit from a partnership.
Decide on a deadline in consultation with the composer. If there is already an event planned, explain the event and tell the composer when the work will need to be ready. It can take a composer up to a year or more to complete a commission. Make sure you set a firm time frame, and explain the consequences for not completing the piece on time.
Hire the composer and create a contract that states the parameters of the agreement. Visit Meet the Composer to get assistance with creating a contract, or contact a lawyer that specializes in these agreements.
Provide the composer with half the payment upfront. Some composers will accept a lower down payment, some might request more. Work out how much will be paid upfront ahead of time. The composer will use the money to set aside a certain amount of time to compose.
Schedule meetings with the composer every two to three months to get an update on the composition. Some composers prefer to work in complete isolation. In these cases, it may be necessary to give the composer the privacy required.