As I work in a specialist secondary school for music, I thought I should check that we are complying with current copyright legislation.
Students in my high school are taught music every day, and perform once a week. This information about the Australian Copyright Act provides information about how the rules apply and states that teachers and students can perform and communicate music in class under a special exception in the Act – as long as the performance is not for profit and the audience is connected to the instruction or performance. Under s 28 teachers and students can sing songs and play instruments and play sound recordings or a film containing music. Non-teaching activities, eg school concerts are not covered under this act. Because of this, schools are covered by the APRA (Australasian Performing Rights Association) which allows schools to perform where the act doesn’t. This licence allows schools to perform music at school or off-school for any event connected with school activities. (National Copyright Unit, n.d.).
As we copy a lot of sheet music in the school, I will also be checking with that we are complying with the legislation.
The Australian Copyright Act states that teachers can copy limited amounts of print musical works (sheet music) for educational purposes under the Statutory Text and Artistic Licence (s113P Licence) but this means 10% of a musical work – not a whole work. Because of this, schools have an agreement with AMCOS (Australian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) to allow schools to make multiple copies.
There are limits depending on the type of print musical work, the number of originals and whether the school is primary or secondary. A table is provided for information of these copying limits which is really useful. The information includes what is NOT covered and also how original and copies should be marked when copied. (National Copyright Unit, n.d.).
National Copyright Unit. (n.d.). Performing and Communicating Music in Schools. Retrieved from http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/information-sheets/schools/performing-and-communicating-music-in-schools
National Copyright Unit. (n.d.). Copying sheet music in Schools. Retrieved from http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/information-sheets/schools/copying-sheet-music-in-schools