Paris 21 May 2020

The experience of music and music-making is a vital part of the everyday life of all people. It is a basic right for all people to express themselves and communicate through music.

In its holistic approach to music as an ecosystem, the International Music Council considers music as an art form, as a product and as a tool. We acknowledge the intrinsic value of music, enriching and inspiring those who engage in it. As an art form, music has contributed and continues to contribute immensely to the world’s legacy, building a rich heritage that preserves and celebrates the diversity of our cultural identities. Music can also serve as a tool that promotes individual development and brings change to many levels of society: it is a formidable unifier of people, a natural vehicle for social engagement and inclusion and a powerful agent for democratic values. Finally, music is involved in a variety of products that contribute to domestic and international trade, economic growth and job creation.

In all of its manifestations, music is a tremendously precious resource for humanity.

To promote access to music for all and the value of music in the lives of all people is the declared mission of the International Music Council. Our values are embedded in the:

How can we make sure that these rights continue to be respected during and in the aftermath of crisis? Which challenges can be identified for each Right? What needs to be done to overcome them?

To ensure that every child and adult and every musical artist can continue enjoying their rights today, tomorrow and the decades ahead.

We have invited our Music Rights Champions Arn Chorn-Pond (Cambodia), Ramy Essam (Egypt), Dame Evelyn Glennie (United Kingdom) and Tabu Osusa (Kenya) to offer their views on these questions and discuss with the UNESCO Assistant Director General for Culture, Mr. Ernesto Ottone R., possible avenues to efficiently advocate for cultural policies and funding mechanisms that put our shared values in the heart of the COVID-19 response. IMC President Alfons Karabuda will moderate the debate.

ResiliArt is a global movement initiated by UNESCO that aims to strengthen the resilience of artists and cultural professionals in the face of the enormous challenges posed by the current health crisis.

The IMC debate is our reply to UNESCO’s invitation to start a dialogue about the matter in our field and our community and we hope you will join us on IMC Facebook page on May 27th at 11:30 CEST.

MusicCovidRelief.com is a resource brought to you by partners in the U.S. Music Community to help music professionals access information and applications to receive benefits made available by the CARES Act (Phase III of the Coronavirus Stimulus bill signed into law March 27, 2020) and the “Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act” signed into law on April 24, 2020.

By Chairs, Mark Spede (CBDNA) and James Weaver (NFHS) on May 18, 2020 music directors & adjudicators article.

The National Music Council and a number of performing arts organizations have joined forces to commission a study on the effects of COVID-19 on the return to the rehearsal hall. It is important to understand what risks exist in performing arts classrooms and performance venues.  Specifically, the study will examine aerosol rates produced by wind instrumentalists, vocalists, and even actors, and how quickly those aerosol rates accumulate in a space. Although not yet proven, strong anecdotal evidence suggests that the COVID-19 virus can travel in the microscopic droplets expelled from a person with the virus, even when asymptomatic. The only way to determine what risk level exists or to create best practices for reducing infection risk is to understand how aerosol disbursement works in a performing arts setting.

Once the aerosol rates are better understood, the study will focus on remediation of aerosols in confined spaces like rehearsal rooms (both educational and professional), classrooms, and performance settings in order to develop better understanding, policy, and practice for a safe returning to performance and education.

Dr. Shelly Miller at the University of Colorado will lead the scientific study and says, “Aerosol generating activities have the potential to transmit COVID as the research shows, but we have very little data on what kinds of generation happen when playing instruments.  We will be studying this phenomenon (hopefully with funding) in our aerosol laboratory at the University of Colorado Boulder and with this data, will be able to provide better evidence-based guidance.” (https://www.colorado.edu/even/people/shelly-miller)

Several national and international performing arts education organizations are combining resources to study the effects of COVID-19 aerosol transmission in performing arts performance settings. The study is a massive undertaking that will require a focused effort from all of us. This effort will be a duplicated study and will test how aerosols can spread from brass and woodwind instruments, the four vocal ranges, theatrical speech, and aerobic breathing. We are calling on any performing arts educational organization to join our research council.  Your organizational support is the most important, we also ask for your financial assistance, as these scientific research studies are labor and financially intensive. Together we can create scientifically proven methods for our return to performing arts education in a safe way with research showing us best practices and advocacy.

The coalition is being led by a committee made up of the following:

Co-Chairs
-Mark Spede, President of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) and Director of Bands, Clemson University
-James Weaver, Director of Performing Arts and Sports, National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)

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With the ever-changing situation and plentiful school closings occurring many Performing Arts classrooms are struggling with how to legally operate with e-learning. Below is a listing of national resources that you can use and share with your schools.

NFHS Resources

Copyright Guidance: https://www.nfhs.org/articles/copyright-covid-19-guidance/
Distributed Music Recordings (NEW INFO): https://www.nfhs.org/articles/distributed-music-recordings/
Instrument Cleaning Guidelines (NEW INFO): https://www.nfhs.org/articles/covid-19-instrument-cleaning-guidelines/
Understanding Copyright and Compliance Course (FREE): https://www.nfhslearn.com/courses/understanding-copyright-and-compliance
COVID-19 Podcast: https://nfhsperformingarts.buzzsprout.com/274814/3264598-the-stage-the-official-nfhs-performing-arts-podcast-10-dr-james-weaver-nfhs-alan-greiner-ihsma-covid-19-guidance-copyright-distributing-music-resources
Press Release (Music Publishers Allow for Educational Use of Copyrighted Music): https://www.nfhs.org/articles/music-publishers-agree-to-allow-educational-use-of-copyrighted-music/

ARA, A2IM, MAC, NMPA, NSAI, RECORDING ACADEMY, RIAA, and SONA JOIN FORCES ON WEBSITE OFFERING GUIDANCE, RESOURCES FOR MUSIC COMMUNITY

April 1, 2020 – Leading artist rights organizations including the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA), American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), the Music Artists Coalition (MAC), National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the Recording Academy, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Songwriters of North America (SONA), and more have joined forces to develop a website with guidance and resource materials for those in need in the arts/entertainment community.

With the historic passage of the CARES Act stimulus bill last Friday, the music advocacy organizations recognized the need for the creation of a central resource to help the music community at large understand and quickly access this critical aid. Working in concert, we are proud to announce the creation of MusicCovidRelief.com. The website will help people make real-world sense of the bill and showcase solutions and opportunities for those in need, along with downloadable forms and other resources.

In a joint statement, the organizations said: “The music community is extremely grateful for the benefits available to them through the CARES Act. The aid will be most valuable if people can access it in time to meet their needs. This coalition pooled its resources to compile information to assist members of our community, understand who is eligible, and how they access relief. We will continue to update the site as more information becomes available.”

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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world, investing in great artists to help them reach their potential and connect to their fans. Nearly 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States is created, manufactured or distributed by RIAA members.

Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®) takes a new tack this year, focusing on lessons for second- and fifth-graders that help them learn elements of music through some classic children’s songs in English and Spanish. The lessons and songs, however, can be shared at many levels. All are available without charge to teachers for their use during MIOSM and beyond.

The National Music Council honored iconic funk visionary George Clinton, beloved “Peanuts” composer and jazz piano giant Vince Guaraldi, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum at the organization’s 36th annual American Eagle Awards on Thursday, July 18th at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville. The honors are presented each year in recognition of long-term contributions to American musical culture, the ideal of music education for all children, and the need to protect creators’ rights both locally and internationally. Presenters and performers for the 2019 event included renowned pianist George Winston, country singer/songwriter sensation John Rich, and Grammy award winning songwriter Liz Rose