Please note the requirements are different for color guards. To see color guard information click here.
Please read carefully.
The following resources will help you with this process:
Only those percussion units attending World Championships are required to have this information on file with the WGI office. Below is a list of guidelines and deadlines each unit MUST comply with in order to compete at WGI World Championships. Units that do not meet these requirements will not be permitted to participate at the WGI World Championships.
- December 1st - Music Licensing Information due: WGI requires a list of the music you will perform. Log-in to the directors only website and complete Music Licensing Information under manage units before December 1st.
- March 1st - Copies of approved "Permission to Arrange" licenses (between your unit and the publisher) to be on file with WGI office for any non-original composition used in your show. If your unit is using an original composition, please submit an Original Composition Form.
Step by Step
- While selecting a show, please refer to the "Additional Requirements" list. This can help your unit avoid problem music. This list includes music which has a history of
licensing problems. These compositions have specific requirements in order to be used at the WGI World
Championships. Units using music on this list that do not meet these requirements will not be permitted
to participate at the WGI World Championships.
- Locate the composition copyright owner of your selected song in order to send them a request for
permission to arrange. (Please allow up to three months to receive a response). Turn in approved
"Permission to Arrange" forms to the WGI
office prior to March 1st.
- Submit your Music Licensing Information online before December 1st. Log-in to the directors only
website and complete Music Licensing Information under the manage units section.
- If your unit is using an original composition, please submit a signed Original Composition Form.
If your unit is using music on the Additional Requirements list:
- January 15th - Proof of Synchronization Permission must be submitted for any performance of a composition listed in any of the ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS LIST. Without supporting documentation, performance will be denied and entry fees forfeited.
- January 15th - A $250.00 fixing fee will be charged for any unit using a song listed in the FIXING FEE section of the Additional Requirements List.
FAQ
Visual Arts / Spoken Word / Literary Copyrights
Written works and visual pieces of art contain the same copyrights. You should also exercise care
to ensure that you have permission to use any copyrighted visual images in your show. The general rule
is, "when in doubt, seek permission."
How do I determine the musical composition copyright holder?
Composition copyrights are typically managed by music publishers. The music publisher may be the
owner of the copyright, or may simply be an agent designated by the author to handle permission
requests. To identify the music publisher(s) for a particular song, you should first consult a CD
that contains the song. Some CDs will identify the music publisher by name. Others will contain a
notation identifying a performing rights society (ASCAP, BMI or SESAC)
that the song is associated
with. Using this information and consulting a few databases on the Internet, you should be able to
come up with the name and contact information for the music publisher. If the CD identifies the
performing rights society (ASCAP, BMI or SESAC),
you can go to the web site for the appropriate
society and search the database to find the music publisher(s).
Searching for the song title in the databases should give you at least the name of the music publisher,
and will usually give you both the name and contact information. Do not send your information to ASCAP OR
BMI. They DO NOT grant permissions. BMI and ASCAP are used as sources to determine
the "Original Copyright Holder." and publisher information.
If you are unable to find any mention of the music publisher or a performing rights society
on the CD, you should still be able to find the publisher in the performing rights society
databases. Simply enter the song title in all three databases and look for the correct match.
If the CD identifies the music publisher, you can go to the web site of the Music Publishers'
Association, www.mpa.org, and search the database for the
publisher's address and other contact information. Not all publishers are listed in the MPA
directory, however. If the publisher is not listed, you should be able to find it through the
performing rights society databases. In the event that you are unable to locate the copyright
owner using these tools, you can attempt to locate the copyright owner by searching the records
of the Copyright Office. The records can be accessed by going to www.copyright.gov and following the
"Search Copyright Records" link. In reading the record, make sure you look for the
copyright claimant, who may or may not be the author. The copyright claimant
is the one with authority to grant permission to use the work.
Finally, you should be aware that there is often more than one music publisher
for a particular song. In cases where more than one publisher is listed, permission
should be requested from each publisher in order to make sure that you have all the
permissions necessary to use the composition.
How do I determine the CD recording company?
The recording company which manufactured the CD you purchased will be listed
on the CD packaging. Often it will include a mailing address with the name of
the company.
Following Up on a Letter
It is possible that you will get a quick reply to your letter regarding Synchronization
licensing. However, if some time passes after you send in the initial letter, you may want
to think about following up on the request, to make sure it was not lost or forgotten. A
good time for a first follow up is about a month after the initial request is sent in. The
first follow up could include a copy of your initial request, with a cover letter indicating
that you have not yet heard back from the owner regarding your request. If you have a fax
number or e-mail address for the owner, you may wish to fax or e-mail the follow up request,
and send a confirmation via regular mail. If you receive no response to your first follow up
after two or three weeks, you can make another attempt to contact the owner. Again, we
recommend that you continue to use some form of written communication (post, fax, e-mail)
through at least this stage in the process. If another couple of weeks pass without any
response, you can try contacting the owner directly by phone, if you have a phone number
for the owner. You may also wish to accelerate the pace at which you follow up, contacting
the owner on a weekly basis if you have not yet received a response.
