Every March, my inbox fills with the same message: "We need a custom show for this fall. Is that still possible?"
The honest answer is usually "technically yes, but you're going to hate the process." And so will your staff. And probably your arranger.
I've been on both sides of this—as a director scrambling to get music on stands and as a composer trying to deliver quality work under impossible constraints. After two decades of writing custom shows and twenty-one years running White Mage Music, I can tell you exactly when you should start the commission conversation. Spoiler: it's earlier than you think, but probably not as early as some composers claim.
The Actual Timeline That Works
Here's the marching band show commission timeline I've seen work consistently, whether we're talking about a 2A program in rural Texas or a 6A powerhouse in the Houston suburbs:
October-November (the year before): Initial conversation. Concept discussion. Budget reality check. This is when you should be reaching out to composers and design teams, not signing contracts necessarily, but starting the dialogue. If you're planning to commission a custom show for Fall 2026, October 2025 is your window to open that conversation.
December-January: Contracts signed. Design concept locked. Music selection finalized or original composition parameters agreed upon. Your composer needs to know the scope before winter break ends.
February-March: First movement delivered. Drill writers begin work. You start hearing what you're actually getting.
April-May: Full show delivered. Revisions happen. Parts get cleaned. You have time to sit with the music before summer.
June: Breathing room. Staff learns the show. You make the inevitable small changes without panic.
Notice what's missing from this timeline? Anything that starts with "we just finished concert season and now we need to think about fall."
Why Directors Start Late (And Why It Costs Them)
I get it. I'm an assistant band director at Jersey Village. I know how November through February feels. You're buried in region auditions, concert prep, solo and ensemble, maybe a winter guard or indoor drumline. The last thing you want to think about is next marching season.
But here's what happens when you wait until March or April to start your custom show design process:
Your first choice composer is already booked. The experienced drill writers have full calendars. You end up choosing from whoever's still available, not who's best for your program.
The work gets rushed. Not because your composer doesn't care, but because the physics of creative work don't bend to your calendar. Writing a show in six weeks that should take four months produces exactly what you'd expect.
You lose revision time. This is the killer. A good custom show needs at least one round of real revision—not "fix this accidental" but "this transition isn't working for our guard staging." That kind of revision requires time you don't have when you commission in spring.
When to Commission Show Music (The Decision Point)
The real question isn't just when to start—it's when to make the actual commitment. I tell directors that if you don't have a signed agreement by February 1st, you should seriously consider stock music for that season.
That's not a sales pitch. That's practical advice. A well-chosen published show, taught effectively, will beat a rushed custom commission every time. I've seen programs win state with stock arrangements and place poorly with expensive custom work that never had time to mature.
The decision to commission custom should come from a position of planning, not panic. You want a custom show because you have a specific vision, specific instrumentation needs, or a concept that doesn't exist in the catalog. You don't want it just because "custom" sounds more prestigious.
What This Looks Like in Practice
At Jersey Village, we start our show design conversations in the fall. By Thanksgiving, we usually have a concept direction. By winter break, we know who we're working with. That's not because we're exceptionally organized—it's because we've learned the hard way what happens when you don't.
The programs that consistently perform well in UIL and BOA aren't the ones with the biggest budgets or the most elaborate props. They're the ones that gave themselves enough runway to actually prepare the show they commissioned.
If you're reading this in the fall and thinking about next season, you're in the perfect window. If you're reading this in March, you might still have options—but your best ones are closing fast.
I'm always happy to talk through your timeline and be honest about what's realistic. Sometimes that conversation ends with a commission contract. Sometimes it ends with me pointing you toward a published show that fits your needs better. Either way, you'll know where you actually stand.
We also have this handy Show Design toolkit available to you to help you along the way. Use it with your own design team or download it and bring it back to us. Either way, have a great season!