Category Archives: Blog

Reed Music will be appearing at 'Sounds Great!' the Victorian statewide music education conference. 'Sounds Great!' is an extensive professional learning event that consists of inspiring keynote address, exemplary student performances, practical and theoretical breakout sessions, a gala concert, trade exhibition and social activities. This event runs from July 16th-19th 2009.

Reed Music composers Sam Seabrook and Barry Cockcroft will be in attendance at the trade display and all visitors to our stand can pick up a complimentary book from Sam's Australian Band Method, Band Class 1.

'Sounds Great!' explores a range of curriculum approaches, rehearsal and conducting techniques, repertoire, jazz and improvisation, music advocacy and technology. Sounds Great! is a meeting place for all music educators from government, catholic and independent schools, a bringing together of instrumental and classroom music teachers from prep to VCE – for all methods and all philosophies of music education.

Venue:
Australian Catholic University
115 Victoria Street, Fitzroy, Victoria
Melway reference – Map 2C:A/B12
July 16th-19th 2009

Violin Suite
Violin and Piano
Brendan Collins, ed. Susan Collins
Published by Reed Music
Approx. Grade: 8+
Reviewer:  Jane Gillie

Reprinted with the kind permission of European String Teachers Association (British Branch)

This is real fun stuff, brash and brilliant and very jazzy.  It could be a refreshing adjunct to Vieuxtemps, Janacek, Beethoven and Brahms or perhaps apart of the repertoire of a light music player. There are three movements: Fiddler’s Be Bop, Bowing 747 and Groover’s Manoeuvre.  It is well written for violin, although most of Collins’ other work is for assorted brass and wind.  (The editor, Susan Collins is Head of Strings at Newcastle Conservatorium.)   Collins restricts his exploration of violin idiom to sweeping around the E and A strings with cross rhythm double stop accents punctuating what melody there is.    Occasional lyricism is confined to the top string.  The piano part is full of funky harmony.   It’s great to recognise the versatility of the violin again and for the zillionth time.

with special guests
Barry Cockcroft (saxophones)
Ken Murray (guitar)

9 new Australian works for wind symphony including 5 premiere performances. Guitar and saxophone works with original compositions by Barry Cockcroft & Ken Murray.

7:30pm Saturday June 20th 2009
Melba Hall (opposite Story St)
The University of Melbourne
Royal Parade Parkville
tickets at door $15/$20
tickets online $11

Reed Music presents a special concert with Grainger Wind Symphony playing 9 new works published by Reed Music including 5 premiere performances. The concert will also see the performance of the guitar and saxophone compositions by Barry Cockcroft, Ken Murray & Stuart Greenbaum. Australian composers featuring their new works include: Orlovich, Carter, Stanhope, Greenbaum, Abbott, Batterham, Collins, Barrett, Cockcroft & Murray.

The Grainger Wind Symphony is a Melbourne-based group of musicians who share a passion for creating quality wind-band music. The establishment of the Granger Wind Symphony was chosen to not only represent and perform wind ensemble music of the highest calibre, but also celebrate the name of Percy Grainger, one of Australia's foremost performing musicians and composers, bringing Grainger's name and music to greater recognition by the Australian public, and to the listener, the enjoyment of wind ensemble music generally.

The group has premiered original compositions in Australia by noted composers for this genre such as Alfred Reed, Frank Ticheli, Robert Downing and Vincent Persichetti.

The Grainger Wind Symphony promotes wind music by running workshops for young players and sharing the concert platform with them, as well as performing in smaller groups, such as a brass quintet, a flute trio, a woodwind group and a dance band! The Grainger Wind Symphony performs around eight concerts a year in a variety of venues around Melbourne and Victoria, including the Robert Blackwood Hall, Melba Hall at the University of Melbourne, the Melbourne Town Hall and the Yarra Valley Performing Arts Centre.

Reed Music publications may not be copied.

Reed Music and the AMCOS agreement

The AMCOS licence, established in 1991 allows Australian school teachers to make photocopies of print music publications under certain circumstances. Reed Music publications are not included in this agreement. Although Reed Music appreciates that you are using our publications and want to share them with your students...

You may not:

• Make photocopies of Reed Music publications for your students.
• Buy a full band composition and copy extra parts for the students.
• Make rehearsal copies for the students.
• Photocopy the music for the student to try at home.
• Buy a 'class set' and copy the music for the students.
• Use the 'AMCOS licensed copy' stamp on Reed Music publications.
• Buy a Reed Music audio recording (CD or digital) and copy it for your students.
• etc...

A special note for Australian instrumental teachers.

Many instrumental teachers believe that it is okay to photocopy music for their students if the schools or teacher owns a copy of the music.

This is not the case. Instrumental music teachers are completely exempt and have never been part of the AMCOS Schools' Photocopying Licence, it is for classroom music only. Instrumental teachers must be aware that any photocopies made in the process of teaching instrumental music are illegal and may be subject to considerable fines under Australian law.

Instrumental teachers may not:

• Photocopy music they own for their students.
• Photocopy a page from a collection of works.
• Photocopy the music for the pianist to perform from.
• Buy the music and copy it year after year for the students.

Why is Reed Music not included in the AMCOS licence?

Each year, millions of dollars collected through the AMCOS and participating schools in Australia. The AMCOS Schools' Photocopying Licence costs 56.62 cents per student per year. Regular surveys are conducted to see which music is being photocopied in schools and then an average is established and paid back to copyright holders, usually the publisher, who then passes it on to the composers. However, there are many more parties involved in the music industry. For example, in the above scenario, music stores have missed out up to 30 sales for each copy of the music they have sold, but never receive any financial compensation. Although the AMCOS agreement is widely implemented throughout Australia, it is poorly understood. As such, the agreement is abused and composers are missing out.

Reed Music believes that Australian music students should own original music.

• Buying music rewards the composers and arrangers and offers them some financial compensation for their creative work. (Keep copying their music and they write less music).
• Students with original music gain a respect for the music that is not seen from a random collection of photocopies.
• Music books are often written to be systematic and progressive. Giving a students a page from many different books fragments their learning. If you have an idea for a better book, write one and get it published.
• Photocopying, although easy, is entirely illegal.

Do you copy music?

As music teachers who make their living form teaching music, you may appreciate your regularly salaried income. Copying music and not buying the required originals is a sign of profound disrespect for the music profession and shows a complete lack of regard for other creative individuals. If you do not buy composers music, they do not get paid. It is that simple. Would you keep teaching music if you did not get paid?

More information

AMCOS website

Reed Music composer Brenton Broadstock will be featured in Friday's opening ceremony at the Beijing olympics.

Australian composers William Barton, Julian Yu and Brenton Broadstock have co-written the music for the Oceania section of ceremony and their music will be played during the entrance of the athletes. The indigenous band, led by William, will perform his music first, then Julian's then Brenton's, but this will be in between music from the other continents.