Hi all,
I'm getting things together for my dipABRSM, and just wondering what you all did about the copy of music for the examiners....rules say if I want to photocopy I need to get in touch with the publishers....is that what you all did (and did they actually reply?) or did you buy a second copy? I have 11 pieces so that is an expensive route!

Just not sure that the publishers will answer (unless it's a NO) - surely they will be swamped with requests of this nature?

Any experience in this??

Hi, My teacher very kindly lent me her copies. You don't say whether you have a teacher or not so this may be unhelpful - I'm assuming your exam isn't for a while yet so if you don't have a teacher you have time to get/chase up publishers permission?

I use my teacher's books for some and others I've bought, mostly downloaded from everynote and schubertline for speed. My exam is in June (singing), so not a huge amount of time. Being abroad, post takes time too. If anyone has email addresses for some of the publishers, they would be a huge help!!
I need to tackle this at the weekend....

I always found the mainstream publishers to be extremely responsive to such requests. Ringing them up can't do any harm either.

Here's what Trinity's website says about examiner's copies.
Bullet point 2 says that you can bring a photocopy for the examiner which will be destroyed afterwards.
"We subscribe to the Music Publishers Association?s Code of Fair Practice (available at www.mpaonline.org.uk/Publications/The_Code_of_Fair_Practice_in_Full.html), which states:
?Nothing done for the purpose of an examination (including continuous assessment) infringes copyright, except that candidates performing a musical work in an examination may not use reprographic copies?.
What this means in practice is that:
? you must bring an original copy of the music to the examination room (even if you play/sing from memory)
? you can give a photocopy of this original copy to the examiner
? all photocopies supplied to the examiner will be retained after the examination and destroyed
? if there is no original in the room and you play from photocopies you are liable to disqualification."
Surely the same rules must apply at AB exams.

Not all publishers subscribe to the Code of Fair Practice - the linked website will show you which publishers do. Other publishers, you have to contact individually.

The rules are set out in the ABRSM Diploma Syllabus. If they don't mention the Code, then you run the risk of getting pulled up by a fussy examiner. Is it worth risking if all you need to do is send a handful of emails or make a number of telephone calls?

In all my numerous diplomae, I have never been asked to prove I have permission to photocopy, but would I risk not getting permission? Personally, no.

Can you borrow extra copies from your teacher or a library? Do you have originals yourself, or have you been learning from photocopies? If I recall correctly you are a singer, so doesn't that mean that you don't need a set of parts for yourself?

EDIT: Sorry, forgot that the accompanist might want parts

I used my teacher's version as second copies for some, already had 2 of a couple of others (because of being in compilations), one was a Schubertline download so not exactly expensive to buy 2 (I printed off copies of the email payment receipt and attached it to the copy so the examiners could see they were bona fide) and had to bite the bullet and buy second copies of about 3 pieces.
I gave these to my teacher afterwards as a thankyou (she also accompanied me).

It was quite expensive but paled in comparison to the price of the Dip, the price of however many lessons to get to that stage, the price of 10 CDs with renditions of my pieces/other works by same composer that I wanted to hear...

Doing a Dip is just a very very expensive business...

Nope! AB states that I have to have permission from the publishers to photocopy, even though it is for the examiners and will be destroyed afterwards.





LOL yes,my accompanist definately needs the parts- some of them are fiendish!!!

I bought everynote versions of a couple of them, whilst we were deciding on the pieces, which according to everynote I can copy as many times as I want - but they are really bad to read so I'm going to have to buy book copies of them. I have a few from schubertline, so these I will repurchase, and 3 that are in books from my teacher so will ask the publishers for them, and 2 that I have in books too.

Yes, it's definately expensive! Thanks for the info, helpful.