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Performance
The wording of this advice has been agreed with PPL PRS
Performance of Music in Public
Buying a sheet or book of music only confers the right to play the songs/tunes
for personal use; ie you could play them privately at your own team’s practise night
If you want to play copyright music which is within PRS for Music’s repertoire* in public**, you need to be covered for Performance Rights – in the UK that means you need TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS
*Note 1: HRGB does not belong to PRS and does not receive any payments from them therefore HRGB Members have permission to play HRGB copyright music (including Mayola music) in public without a licence
**Note 2: Playing in public is defined as “Music performed outside what could be regarded as the domestic circle or home life”
For the most part handbell teams will not require TheMusicLicence where:
- They play HRGB published music (including HRGBM and Mayola) or other non-copyright music only
- They play (in concerts or HRGB rallies etc) in premises that already have TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS (most village halls for example will have their own TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS)
- They play in a church as part of an act of worship*** (because PPL PRS on behalf of PRS for Music chooses not to charge for this activity). Please note if music is played outside of ”an act of worship” the church should hold a CCLI licence which will cover the use of PRS repertoire. CCLI act as an agent on behalf of PPL PRS
- They play in residential homes, either in:
- informal performances of music or
- formal performances of music where no related charge is made to the residents - They play at a private family event such as a wedding or funeral (PPL PRS on behalf of PRS for Music does not make a charge for functions of a purely domestic or family nature, such as wedding receptions, christening parties or domestic birthday parties, when attendance of guests is by personal invitation only (except for staff, performers, etc.) and
- the function is held in a privately-booked room, not at that time open to the general public;
- there is no form of charge made for admission;
- there is no financial gain to the function's organiser or host (e.g. the person hiring the venue)
*** Note 3: The term “act of worship” includes all main religious services, special festivals, weddings and funerals. This does not include civic Christmas carol concerts or any other public performance for which normal licencing controls apply
When ringing any copyright music, first consider where you are playing it:
- A regular team practise - no licence required if at home. If in a hall, please check the hall has TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS
- To an audience in a recognised concert venue (eg hall, church etc) – no licence required if the venue already holds TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS but it is your responsibility to check
- In church, at a wedding etc. where there is no fee paid to you – no licence required if the church has a CCLI licence on behalf of PPL PRS
- In the street, a shopping arcade/mall/centre where no licence exists – licence required (see below). In the case of a shopping centre/mall, then it would be the venue which is responsible for obtaining TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS
If the venue does not have TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS your team must either:
- be covered by membership of Making Music (who have special arrangements for PPL PRS payments) or
- apply for their own licence****
****Note 4: This would normally be a PRS Public Performance Tariff ‘ML’ (Mobile businesses and limited uses) Level 1 licence which has been increased to £41.50
The appendix to that licence reads: Handbell ringing teams (rate is per team, per year) performing at premises or events which are not otherwise licensed, or which should be licensed, by the proprietor or organiser. See full pdf Here
How do I know whether the music I am playing is still in Copyright?
Copyright in literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works currently expires 70 years from the end of the calendar year of the composer/arranger/author's death. Where the work has more than one author, the copyright expires 70 years after the death of the last survivor of them. You can check out the ‘dates’ of some composers on this website
Unfortunately(!) no central database of music and who owns the copyright exists. In the meantime it's a case of trying the internet or one of the many indexes around such as musicservices, songfile or a phone call to PRS for Music on 020 8378 7500 who may be able to help
Remember that PPL PRS for Music employ a number of field agents. Upon request, they are empowered to enter shops (unless the premises is open to the public, then they can enter in the same way as a member of the public), halls and other places to see if the correct licences have been obtained
- For permission to perform music live contact PPL PRS
- For permission to record music eg on a CD contact PRS for Music
November 2019