It says on the syllabus, "Please note that on the day of the exam you will need to provide the examiners with copies of all the music you are performing, ideally in the same editions as those you are using. (If photocopies are to be used for this purpose, it is your responsibility to obtain written permission from the publisher/copyright holder.)

Does this mean that if I am planning to provide photocopies of my recital pieces, I'll have to write to the publisher/copyright holder to obtain permission even if I possess the original copy? Also, since there are two examiners, will I have to provide two copies?

Thanks.

Firstly, one copy only - regardless of the number of examiners.

Secondly, whilst other boards consider photocopying a piece for an exam (as long as you have the original) as fair and equitable (insisting that the examiner takes away the copy after the exam and destroys it) .. the ABRSM play a harder line and so you should get written permission.

It's quite easy to drop most publishers an email or give them a quick call. I've never had a problem and they are always happy to send a letter out. They will typically want to know [a] what exam you are doing <b> where you are doing it and [c] when the exam is.

Whether or not a given piece is in copyright is complicated by [a] the date of publication of the particular edition {b} the date of death of the arranger/editor(s) [c] the date of death of the composer [d] the date of death of the lyric author (for vocal pieces)

.. Best to check with the publisher to make sure! Good luck !!

Edit: It should be said that although I've always been a good boy and received written permission, the examiners have not asked to look at said permission either time (Dip or LRSM).. If I ever get to FRSM, I don't think I'd want to risk NOT having the permissions, just in case!

Yes. Obtain permission, and take the letter giving you said permission with you to the exam.


Nope, they can share.

YAP

The problem is, I live in Hong Kong which means that it'll take a while for the publisher to reply via snail mail... my exam is in early November.

What will happen if I don't obtain permission? Would I be disqualified?

Use email, I believe most people have done it that way.


They'd use your original copy of the score and destroy the photocopy; so you'd be in trouble if you couldn't play without the music....

Ask them to email you permission instead -- ensuring that their email has full contact details including a named person who can always be contacted if necessary.

Either that or fax, if you have access to one of these old-fangled gadgets

How do I get their email addresses? =x sorry!

edit: Three of the pieces are published by ABRSM publishing and the other one is by United Music Publishers Ltd (La Plus que Lente, Debussy)

Edit2: nvm! i got it >< sorry!

you *CAN* photocopy pages of ABRSM editions of music providing you email them requesting this

i heard that if you ask ABRSM, they will allow photocopies of their music as long as it isnt an entire piece/movement

I am going to have my exam in Hong Kong next Friday. My teacher will lend the set of books. However, some of them are not the editions stated in the syllabus. Even some of the books of mine are not the editions stated in the syllabus. Will it matter?

it shouldnt matter who publishes them!

So you're saying that they will be following an edition that is different to the one you are using? How do the editions differ? In my instrument, that would be a very risky strategy, especially with Baroque pieces...

The Associated Board says on their syllabus that it doesn't matter. In any case, with your exam coming up soon you should probably stick with what you have been working on. Best of luck and let us know how things go.

I wouldn't recommend using photocopies (except for difficult page-turns) in any situation. A friend of mine was disqualified from his ATCL exam because he used photocopies. It's cheaper to buy the music than to pay for an exam re-entry.

I think i'll just save all the hassle by buying two original copies of every music to be played.

you could practice using one copy, memorise, then hand the copy over on the day. no photocopies, half the cost, but you need a pretty good memory

I think it's perfectly ok to play from the original and give the examiner the photocopy to study from. He/she will destroy the photocopy at the end of the exam.

I regularly had my accompanist playing from the photocopy while giving the examiner the original to study, so that the accompanist doesn't have to deal with difficult page turns. I have never had an examiner objecting to that

The point is that the ABRSM want to see that permission has been granted to make the photocopy. They are different from other examining boards in that respect. You can ignore the clear direction given in the syllabus on this point, but I think personally it's a risk which can easily be avoided...

I wasn't aware of that particular clause, I was under the impression that the copy for the examiner(s) would be excluded from that restriction. For me, if the examiner doesn't like it, I won't give him/her a copy. Question: are we obligated to give the examiner(s) a copy of the piece we are performing?

Wai Kit: it is a requirement under the 2000 diploma syllabus to provide examiners with copies of all the music performed. Surely, you must have done so for all the AB dips that you've taken?

The following is specified under the section 'Examination Music' (pp. 7, 11 & 14) of the current Diploma Syllabus for Music Performance 2005:

"Please note that on the day of the exam you will need to provide the examiners with copies of all the music you are performing, ideally in the same editions as those you are using. (If photocopies are to be used for this purpose, it is your responsibility to obtain written permission from the publisher/copyright holder.)"

Thanks so much for the info. I was unaware of the clause. I always memorized my entire programme for my oboe exams and gave the examiner the oboe part of the pieces if they asked for it.

I'd always presented the entire programme for my organ diploma exams from memory too, but I made sure that the examiners were supplied with original scores of all the music performed without fail.

I am in awe of all you memorisation geniuses... I've sat in examinations and forgotten which piece comes next, let alone take on the challenge of learning the notes by heart!