July 4, 2026, America will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This historical milestone makes necessary a work of musical art fitting of the occasion.
I have decided to write a symphony.
Since the onset of this musical venture, interest has been piqued on the X.com platform, where a video series documenting the process of writing this symphony has already accrued over 2 MILLION views.
How can you help?
The best way to help is to make a donation to have it recorded by a professional orchestra.
The vast majority of the cost is paying the musicians themselves. I will take no personal fee, except what is left over from the nominal contingency. These rates comply with musicians' union standards, but this will not be a union project. (See breakdown of costs below.)
Recording will take place over 2 1/2 days, which fosters an environment where we don’t have to constantly “watch the clock” or feel under the gun; we want a nice, relaxed, creative space.
The final product will be a recording and video made available across nearly all platforms: Youtube, X.com, Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
For those able to contribute, I humbly request your support.
For more information, see
x.com/StephenLimbaugh for the video series documenting the composition progress so far!
My sincerest gratitude,
-Stephen Limbaugh
Composer/Pianist
Musician Fees
Flutes
3 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$3,450
Oboes
2 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$2,550
Clarinets
2 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$2,550
Bassoons
2 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$2,550
French Horns
5 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$5,250
Trumpets
2 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$2,550
Trombones
2 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$2,550
Tuba
1 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs)
$900
Timpani
1 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs)
$900
Percussionists
3 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs)
$2,700
Harp
1 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs)
$900
Piano
1 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs)
$900
1st Violins
13 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 concertmaster ($80/hr × 15 hrs)
$8,250
2nd Violins
11 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$6,750
Violas
9 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$5,850
Cellos
7 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$5,250
Basses
5 regular ($60/hr × 15 hrs) + 1 principal ($75/hr × 15 hrs)
$5,250
Subtotal: Musician Fees
$56,250
Cartage Fees
Basses (6)
$35/day × 2.5 days × 6 basses
$525
Tuba (1)
$35/day × 2.5 days × 1 tuba
$87.50
Harp (1)
$35/day × 2.5 days × 1 harp
$87.50
Subtotal: Cartage Fees
$700
Recording/Logistical Costs (all fees are flat rates)
Engineers/Mixers/Contractor
$6,500
Percussion Rentals
$1,500
Piano Tuner
$150
Music Preparation
$2,500
Mastering
$2,000
Conductor
$4,000
Videography
$3,500
Subtotal: Recording/Logistical Costs
$19,650
Contingency
$3,000
Total Project Cost
$79,600
(Recording venue will be a TBD university performance hall, which will not incur any fee.)
