The Central Bands Commissioning Project was a multidimensional endeavor. One dimension included organizational details, such as selecting a composer, negotiating a contract, and securing funds. A second dimension was made up of teaching and learning activities related to the commission, such as meeting local composers, writing letters to composers whose music the students were studying, having students write music, and helping them become familiar with the music written by "their" composer. This article, describes the philosophy behind this project and the various steps involved, not only in the details of commissioning a composer, but also in providing a rich and meaningful experience for students; it also discusses the events and activities that led up to the premiere events and the follow-up assessments.