SPECIAL PROJECTS :: Online Sources of Philippine Choral Works :: IP & Copyright FAQ

PCDA respects intellectual property and copyright laws.  These are very broad and controversial topics but that should not deter us from exhausting possibilities to ensure that the rights of our choral writers - from whose works we all benefit - are respected.

Be compliant.  Know more about intellectual property and copyright by reading various references that are available online.  For starters, here are some recommended sites:
  • The Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP).  Click Here.
  • Copyright for Choral Directors – A Resource Page.   Greater Boston Choral Consortium.  Click Here.

Should you have any other concerns, please drop us a note.

    Do you have a question on IP & copyright?

Arrangements

Do I need to secure a license to arrange a song?

Yes, if the song is not yet in the public domain.  Any modification of an original work requires a license prior to its modification.  A choral arrangement is considered as a modification of the original work.

Where do I apply for a license?

In the Philippines, obtain your license from FILSCAP. 

Compositions

How can I protect my compositions?

Register a copyright.  Be a member of a music copyright society such as FILSCAP.

Engraving

Can I engrave a choral music manuscript that I acquired?

Yes, you may, provided that the creators and publisher have allowed you to do so.

Can I write my name on the page header and/or footer of the final music sheet of a manuscript that I was allowed to engrave?

No.  That privilege is usually reserved for the creators and publishers of the content.  It indicates ownership of the copyright which is not extended to an engraver.

Music Sheet Trade

Is the trading of choral music sheets allowed?

Yes and no.   You can trade a choral music sheet as long as the content is yours or is in the public domain.

Can I trade choral music sheets that I purchased or copied or acquired by some other means?

No.  The content is not yours.  Take note that copying or acquiring by some other means may be considered as infringement.

What choral music sheets can I trade?

You can only trade choral music sheets of your own or public domain works.  If you did not compose it, you cannot trade it.

Performance

Does my choir need to secure a license whenever we perform?

Yes, you will need a performance license if at least one of the songs that you will perform is not yet in the public domain.

Does my choir need to secure a performance license even if we are not selling tickets?

Yes, if at least one of the songs that you will perform is not yet in the public domain. 

Recording

Do I need to secure a license for a song in the public domain?

Yes and no.  Yes, if it has been arranged differently because the new arrangement may have an existing copyright.   No, if it is in its original form as in the public domain.