A topic of interest is the use of music in schools. I run a choir in the school I currently work at and am interested how the copyright works for using songs.

Performing and Communicating Music in Schools:

• Allowed under special exception in the Australian Copyright Act (section 28)
• Sing/play instruments
• Play audio recordings
• Play film with audio recordings
• Not for profit performances

If the performance is for a concert, dance, fair etc. the school sector has an agreement with the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), to allow schools to perform music when section 28 does not apply.

Copying Sheet Music in Schools:

Teachers are only allowed to copy 10% of a musical work under the Australian Copyright Act.. As this is limiting the teaching of a full piece of music, the schools sector has an agreement with the Australian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). This allows schools to make multiple copies of whole print musical works for educational purposes. This agreement is known as the AMCOS Licence.