Legal and legit music for shows

[Alwal]

I've just started working at a school who have previous downloaded music from YouTube for their performances ?

 

Obviously this isn't going to happen under my watch so wondered what others have in place, and if anyone actually knows the rules.

 

I assume that the school must 'own' the music... possibly through amazon music/iTunes? And all performance licences are paid from by the LEA.

[ddproduction]

Check the PRS website https://www.prsformusic.com/

[Jivemaster]

The school's precise status will determine whether some things are covered by the education authority, Academies are certainly NOT covered for PRS MCPS by any other body.

[taylord]

I work at a high school. We pay PRS and I tell all staff involved with performances that music has to be paid for. I use iTunes and have a few PC's on the same Apple ID so music downloads to all devices.

 

Hope that helps?

[Alwal]

I think ill have to do some digging with the admin team.

with regards to sourcing music...what are people doing?

 

that's very similar to what I was thinking of doing. I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing... there's a few things online that state buying through iTunes/amazon is for personal use only... but can seem to find a definitive answer.

 

The main thing we use music for is dance exam pieces... and some of the dancers insist on cutting 2 or 3 pieces together... so this obviously means were going to have to buy all 3

 

I work at a high school. We pay PRS and I tell all staff involved with performances that music has to be paid for. I use iTunes and have a few PC's on the same Apple ID so music downloads to all devices.

 

Hope that helps?

 

 

 

[ninjadingle]

I used to work in a secondary school and this was a constant battle, as the Dance teacher always insisted the dancers should be able to use whatever music they wanted.

 

Check with your bursar as to what licensing scheme you come under (you will have something in place I would have thought!). Easiest way is to get an iTunes account for the school (dance department buys the vouchers for the music, no credit cards etc needed) and only use that. If they insist that the piece needs YouTube music then agree and schedule a private performance between the examiner and the dancer, not for public viewing. That way you're not intruding on the educational needs (the dancer still gets assessed) and staying legal.

 

Point to note - Spotify is for personal use only as well, so they can't use that. Been handed phones last minute with the track loaded and they get told "no, but I can download it and charge your department"... Usually they buckle but never learn!

[ninjadingle]

Double post - sorry!

[taylord]

https://www.prsformusic.com/licences/playing-music-at-work/educational-establishments

I think ill have to do some digging with the admin team.

with regards to sourcing music...what are people doing?

 

that's very similar to what I was thinking of doing. I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing... there's a few things online that state buying through iTunes/amazon is for personal use only... but can seem to find a definitive answer.

 

The main thing we use music for is dance exam pieces... and some of the dancers insist on cutting 2 or 3 pieces together... so this obviously means were going to have to buy all 3

 

I work at a high school. We pay PRS and I tell all staff involved with performances that music has to be paid for. I use iTunes and have a few PC's on the same Apple ID so music downloads to all devices.

 

Hope that helps?

 

 

 

[David Ripley]

If you are in aschool you need to talk to the Copyright and Schools here who will go through all of your copyright needs; Music, video, photocopying etc

 

It's a one stop shop for education and if you are doing something beyond what might be considered 'normal' they can talk you through the various options to make you legal

 

Most schools don't have aclue about this tuff, nor do alot of FE, even those allegedly providing specialised course.

 

In my short time in FE I had a teacher who wanted to do a normally 4 person play with 70 kids, the conversation ran something like this

 

Teacher: I'm doing xxxxx

 

Me: OK, you have the rights?

 

Teacher: No, the tickets are free

 

Me: Okay, that doesn't make any difference but moving on

 

Teacher: As I've got more kids that roles I'll need to make a lot of changes and cuts

 

Me: In that you don't have the rights, I'm guessing you haven't checked whether you're allowed to make cuts?

 

Teacher: What?

 

Me: Ok, your now on two 'illegal' things, do you want to go for a third?

 

Teacher: Well obviously once I've made my changes, I'll need to copy about 70 new versions of the script, whose budget does that come out of?

 

Me: ...

[Alwal]

Our School Business manger seems to think we are covered by the DFE

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/copyright-licences-information-for-schools Sates:

 

We provide licences from the following copyright management organisations (CMOs) for all primary and secondary state-funded schools in England:

 

 

• Copyright Licensing Agency, for print and digital copyright content in books, journals and magazines
• Schools Printed Music Licence, for printed music
• Newspaper Licensing Agency, for newspapers and magazines
• Educational Recording Agency, for recording and use of radio and television programmes
• Filmbank and Motion Picture Licensing Company, for showing of films
• Performing Right Society for Music and Phonographic Performance Ltd, for musical performances and playing recorded music
• The Mechanical Copyright Protection Society, for making CDs and DVDs containing copyright music
• Christian Copyright Licensing International, for hymns and other Christian music

These licences cover:

 

• local-authority-maintained schools (including maintained nurseries)
• academies
• free schools
• special schools (these are schools for children with special educational needs or disabilities)
• non-maintained special schools
• pupil referral units (these provide education for children who can’t attend a mainstream school)

Schools can’t opt out of these licences.

 

Note that the licences don’t cover sixth-form colleges, academies for 16- to 19-year-olds or independent schools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The school's precise status will determine whether some things are covered by the education authority, Academies are certainly NOT covered for PRS MCPS by any other body.

 

 

 

[taylord]

Just checked with our finance folk and yep, we're the same. Covered by DFE as an academy.

 

Just have to pay for anything extra i.e. Show rights.

[bruce]

Our School Business manger seems to think we are covered by the DFE

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/copyright-licences-information-for-schools Sates:

 

We provide licences from the following copyright management organisations (CMOs) for all primary and secondary state-funded schools in England:

 

 

If you follow that link for a few more clicks, you’ll find that it does indeed cover "Performing Right Society for Music and Phonographic Performance Ltd, for musical performances and playing recorded music” - but only “within the curriculum”. It goes on to state:

 

Should you wish to use music (CDs, records, MP3 files etc) in schools outside of the curriculum (for example discos/end of term parties, school fetes, telephone music on hold, dance/aerobics classes, background music in offices or dining areas) you are very likely require a licence from PPL and PRS for Music. Both licences are available from CEFM.

 

So it depends whether the “performances” that you talk about are formally part of the curriculum.

[ninjadingle]

I think it's fairly easy to argue that performing in front of an audience forms part of the curriculum, we always filmed the public performances for submission to exam boards.

[Alwal]

Were exactly the same... even having the audience there is part of the curriculum because we have FOH elements in the BTEC we run...

 

I think it's fairly easy to argue that performing in front of an audience forms part of the curriculum, we always filmed the public performances for submission to exam boards.

 

 

 

[paulears]

You will probably find this is NOT part of the curriculum because the exam boards very rarely stipulate that shows are part of the requirements - if you do performing arts there is no rule that says you have to put on a complete prepackaged show, if you do, it is not part of the curriculum its a sensible choice. Schools cheat all the time through ignorance in my experience. Interestingly, one school insisted they had to do everything above board and wanted me to get them a licence. Usually of course, the venue do the PRS - but this school wanted a proper licence with their name on it. PRS scratched their head and in the end did a special one-off permit for the event.

 

Only last week we were handed phones, memory sticks and ripped CDs for a schools event. Some clearly had done it properly, but many were not. One school provided a laptop and spotify, which didn't work because they couldn't connect to our wifi. In schools I've noticed loads of teachers use youtube for everything = plays, music and even sound effects. Quite a bit is ripped off music anyway.