COPYRIGHT RULES

Music Publishers Association (MPA)

We are pleased to announce that we are now a signatory to the MPA Code of Fair Practice (revised for 2012) agreed between Composers, Publishers and users of printed music. As such, a specific permission has been granted regarding photocopying as follows:

Important: This permission only applies to the Adjudicator copy and all other copies used for the performance (e.g. by the performer and/or accompanist), including any copy made by electronic means, must be legally purchased originals.

Adjudicator Copy: a person performing a work at the Festival in front of an adjudicator may make one copy for the adjudicator provided that the performer has an original copy and that the copy made is retained and destroyed by the adjudicator immediately after the performance. The copy must be marked with the following “Adjudicator copy – destroy after use”

This only applies to the music publishers who have agreed to adhere to the standards set out in the MPA’s Code of Fair Practice – see full list: http//.mpaonline.org.uk/associated_companies)

Author’s Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS)

Our group licence agreement with ALCS allows for permission for:

Poetry, Prose and Solo Monologue Performances as follows:

• Speech and Drama Festivals to include spoken performances of poetry and prose to a limit of 10 minutes duration.
• Solo Dramatic items may also qualify for copyright indemnity provided that the item is announced with title and author at the time of the performance and the performer must not change the words or gender of the character.

Important: For duologues and all other group dramatic works (including Musical Theatre), in the absence of any other licensing arrangement, the onus on gaining copyright permission, and paying any royalty fees due, rests with the performer.

Performing Rights Society (PRS)

Our group licence agreement with PRS allows permission for Instrument and Vocal classes to:

• Perform music compositions
• Play recorded music as an accompaniment/backing track if required.

and for Songs from the Shows or Song and Dance classes to perform excerpts from musical plays provided that:

• the excerpt does not exceed 25 minutes duration,
• it is not a complete act of the musical play,
• it does not constitute a” potted version” of the musical play,
• it is performed without any change to either music or lyrics and using only the published or authorised musical arrangements,
• there is no use made of any form of scenery, costume, choreography, staging, character representation or special lighting which gives a visual impression or other portrayal of the writer’s original conception of the work from which the excerpt is taken.

PPL – Music licensing for recorded music played in public

We have obtained the necessary licences from PPL to play recorded music at our Festival as an accompaniment / backing track if required.