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Selling Student Performances

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thenextbigtrend

New member
What is the name of your state? Washington

I attend a university and the school is planning on recording an album of the orchastra and selling it. are the students elligable for royalties. does the university need to get permission from the students to do this?
 


quincy

Senior Member
What is the name of your state? Washington

I attend a university and the school is planning on recording an album of the orchastra and selling it. are the students elligable for royalties. does the university need to get permission from the students to do this?
You will need to read what you signed when you enrolled in the university and when you joined the orchestra.

Universities, per agreements signed at enrollment, often own all rights to works created by the students.

I know of at least one university that credits by name students who contributed to the work and students can list on their resumes the works they helped create.

Money that is raised from the sale of student-created works often go to school funds.

Again, read all papers you signed or, perhaps easier, you could simply ask your school. :)
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
Even if this weren't a university, the orchestra itself most likely owns the performance rights, not the individual member musicians.
 

xylene

Senior Member
How much royalties do you think are on the line? Did you even recoup? ;)
You'll owe the school money for the front interest on the mastering charges.
I'm being slightly factious, but it as an oblique way of saying - how even much does this album's gross sales come to?

Unless this is an original piece you wrote/composed/whatever, I don't see how they need any permission from you at all. If you object you can not participate in the recording session. This is happening in the future. If you are asking if you get to object to the rcording but still perform, no can't do that.
 

xylene

Senior Member
And for peer experience: A very close friend of mine did not participate in his school's song-case because he didn't want to sign away his right to the song he wrote.

If they are looking to exploit you original creation, it is ok to object and to not participate if you are not on board.
 

quincy

Senior Member
The university I am most familiar with makes a lot of money from the sales of band, orchestra, glee club, dramatic performance soundtracks and recordings ... but those who make the music are not compensated except for being listed on the credits.

And these credits are actually quite valuable when students graduate and start looking for employment.

As an aside: I know some music school students who were recruited by famous musical artists to perform on the musical artists' now-well-known musical works in exchange for being listed on the credits. Compensation comes in many forms.
 
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