Music Copyright

Copyright for music follows the same guidelines as for other written works, except that a song may be in the public domain but a particular performance of that song may be copyrighted. Handel's Messiah is in the public domain. You can perform it any way you wish from the sheet music which is readily available. However if someone else arranged the music that is written on your sheet music, that arrangement may be copyrighted. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's performance of the Messiah from 1995 is copyrighted.

How do you find out if a piece of music is in the public domain?

1. Check for copyright or publication dates. If it was written in 1923 or before it is in the public domain.

2. Check with http://www.pdinfo.com/

How do you secure a licens to perform a work that is copyrighted?

Check with Limelight. http://www.songclearance.com For information about their services, check their FAQ page at http://www.songclearance.com/page/FAQ

Limelight will help you if your school choir wishes to perform a medley of Cole Porter songs in a public performance, for example.

If your school plays popular music using a DJ or CDs brought in by kids at a dance or similar public performance, it is a copyright violation unless you purchase licenses. You need an ASCAP and a BMI license for this. Each costs about $310 per year for an organization with a population (staff and students) up to 50,000, such as a fairly large school district in California. There is no smaller breakdown, and there are no one-time licenses.

ASCAP - http://www.ascap.com

BMI - http://www.bmi.com