Self-Published Composers Explain What They Do and Why

Self-Published Composers Explain What They Do and Why

Randall Davidson, Composer and Publisher of Boys Art Music “Self-publishing contemporary music is not at the glamorous end of the tide-pool…” Jennifer Higdon, Composer “…it seemed absurd to me to have to give up the copyright to my own creative work…” Donald Martino, Composer and Publisher of Dantalian, Inc. “…To obsessive types like myself it… Read more »

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NewMusicBox Staff

Randall DavidsonRandall Davidson, Composer and Publisher of Boys Art Music
“Self-publishing contemporary music is not at the glamorous end of the tide-pool…”
Jennifer HigdonJennifer Higdon, Composer
“…it seemed absurd to me to have to give up the copyright to my own creative work…”
Donald MartinoDonald Martino, Composer and Publisher of Dantalian, Inc.
“…To obsessive types like myself it brings enormous satisfaction in that I have complete control over every aspect of my work product…”
Terry RileyTerry Riley, Composer
“…I decided to get up a Web page and offer my scores directly to the public…”
Amy RubinAmy Rubin, Composer
“…Would a score consisting of a random collection of cells, in the manner of playing cards, work, so that each ensemble could arrange the cards in its own unique way?…”
Andrew RudinAndrew Rudin, Composer and Publisher of Skåne Hill Music
“…Today, armed with good music notation software, quality paper, a xerox machine…and Internet access, any composer can surmount the pitfalls of commercial publishers…”
Theodore WiprudTheodore Wiprud, Composer and Sole Proprietor of Allemar Music
“…Publishing isn’t photocopying and mailing; it’s marketing and promotion and a strategy for building a business and a livelihood…”



Panel at the “Composing A Career” Summit
photo courtesy of the Women’s Philharmonic

Special Section This Month:
On Saturday, November 6, 1999, NewMusicBox editor Frank J. Oteri moderated a panel entitled “Publishing, Self-Publishing, and the Internet” as part of a Weekend Long Composing A Career symposium organized by the Women’s Philharmonic held at The New School for Social Research in New York City. The panelists were: Frances Richard, Vice President of Concert Music at ASCAP; Ralph Jackson, Assistant Vice President, Classical Music Administration at BMI; and Linda Golding, President of Boosey & Hawkes. Self-published composer Jennifer Higdon was called up from the audience to join the panel midway through the session. Find out what they had to say from a complete transcript of the session.