Copyright and SSG music

[VML]

I've just filled in our parish copyright licence returns, and that's OK for the pieces we use when we produce Mass leaflets from published music with a copyright listing. But we in our parish are using some of the pieces from the composers' group, and I usually try to tell the relevant composer via this board. Should I be doing anything else?

[ssgcgs]

We had a meeting yesterday and discussed this question briefly. The best advice I can give is that you contact the composer more directly than through this forum - that is, you get a contact email or phone no. from me. Ask directly for permission. That will most likely be granted willingly. Members of the Group love to know that their music is being used. There is a slim possiblilty that the music may have been published, in which case the composer has the right to ask you to buy legitimate copies.

Composers using texts should seek permission to use the words via author, publisher or executor. Ideally, this should be done before presenting a piece at Composers' Group.

If any of this information is inaccurate, it may be amended by someone who knows better.

I'll tell you more about yesterday's meeting on the adjoining thread, "tips for composers."

CG Sec