The National Flute Association is a significant national and international player in the commissioning of new works. Since commissioning its first works in the 1980s, the NFA has shepherded more than 90 new works into the musical world. Commissioned composers include winners of the Pulitzer Prize, the Prix de Rome, the Naumberg, Guggenheim, and many other national and international awards. They have been honored by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Order of Canada, and other prestigious organizations. The NFA has offered opportunities for “emerging” composers as well as those for leading composers of the world.

The NFA has inspired the creation of many new pieces by providing an appropriate venue for premieres, primarily its annual convention and its competitions. Many new pieces have come into being by the inspiration and entrepreneurship of flutists desiring to honor former teachers, mentors, and friends, and for special occasions.