Dear Erda:
Do you know where I might get access to a form letter that I can send to a conductor I worked with to use as a starting point for a reference letter?
Thank you for your help. —Corinna
Hi Corinna,
I assume you’re referring to a reference letter that the conductor would write for you. However, do you really think a form letter is a good idea? The point of a personal recommendation is to make you, the singer, stand out—the last thing you want is one-size-fits-all. It’s not uncommon for busy colleagues whose recommendations are in great demand to ask a singer to write her own letter, which they then review and either modify or endorse as is. So, it’s a good idea to know how to “recommend” yourself!
Let’s start with the salutation. It’s always best to use the correctly spelled name and title of the person you are addressing, rather than the lazy “To Whom It May Concern.” A general salutation should be used only as a last resort, and in my opinion, it greatly diminishes the value of the recommendation.
First paragraph: Cut right to the chase. Get your name and your request out there immediately.
“With great pleasure I am writing to recommend Ms. Marvelous Mezzo as a wonderful addition to (insert name of opera company, YAP, graduate school, or what have you here).”
Next: A bit about how this person knows you, and a great description of your artistry. Here is where you list the five things you most want people to know about your voice, your acting ability, and your persona—in short, your package.
“I recently conducted Ms. Mezzo in the title role of Carmen here at Opera Imaginario, where I serve as artistic director. Her lush, rich tone, exquisite musicianship, and exciting dramatic interpretation made working with her a joy and won her great acclaim with our audiences.”
Be sure to include something about how nice you are to work with:
“Onstage and off, Ms. Mezzo showed herself to be a wonderful colleague. I heard nothing but compliments about her from her colleagues and backstage personnel.”
Add a bit about what a great career you’re likely to have: “Based on the talent and work ethic she demonstrates, I expect to hear Ms. Mezzo on major stages in the next few years.”
And finally, wrap it up with an invitation to call:
“I would not hesitate to hire Ms. Mezzo again and look forward to our next opportunity to work together. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Maestro Magnifico”
When you write your own recommendation, you are offering suggestions for what you would like your contact to say about you. The trick is to be realistic and present yourself in the best possible light without going overboard. We singers should always keep in mind our particular selling points, the things that should be highlighted in a letter of recommendation, a cover letter, or any kind of marketing contact.
Last but not least, as nice as letters of recommendation are, phone calls are even better. Ask your maestro if he wouldn’t mind picking up the phone—or at least, answering it should someone call asking about you.
Good luck!
Cindy
Dear Erda:
I’ve been to both the ASCAP and BMI websites, trying to clarify what is legal and what is not in reference to performances of copyrighted music (classical and Broadway). Must I make application for permission to use copyrighted music in a student recital where admission is not charged? How do I go about this? If I use a college auditorium, does their license cover all performances in the hall? What do I do to protect myself legally if my recital is held in a non-licensed space? —Marisa Winegar
Dear Marisa,
Regardless of whether you charge for your recital, if you are using copyrighted music you must either be covered by the license of the venue, get a license yourself, or obtain permission from the copyright holders to use their music without paying royalties.
According to the ASCAP website and a downloadable brochure entertainingly labeled “Serious Concerts,” when you present and either self-promote or co-promote an event with a university, you still need an ASCAP license or written permission from the copyright holders. If you are working directly for a university—in other words, if the university is presenting you—and it holds a current ASCAP license, you are covered by the presenter’s license. The best way to protect yourself legally is to obtain a license or permission yourself if you are self- or co-promoting. Information on the BMI website concurs.
The ASCAP brochure can be found at http://www.ascap.com/licensing/SERIOUS_CONCERT.pdf. There is also a useful brochure for colleges and universities, detailing their responsibilities: http://www.ascap.com/licensing/educational.pdf.
ASCAP blanket and per-concert license costs are based on gross revenue. In some cases, costs are also based on the number of seats the venue holds.
BMI offers licenses for venues with fewer than 10,000 seats and also bases fees on gross revenues. Their minimum fee is $150 per year, which gives you access to 4.5 million songs. You can download licenses on both the BMI and ASCAP websites; and if you are unsure what kind of license you need, you can always speak to a customer service representative. I’ve done so in the past and found both ASCAP’s and BMI’s personnel to be very helpful and friendly. (They’re always happy when a musician does the right thing and buys a license.)
For more information, visit ASCAP at www.ascap.com and www.bmi.com. Look for links to Licensing and General Concerts.
Happy singing!
Cindy
Dear Erda:
I am just curious … doesn’t anyone else ask about copyright issues? Everyone puts some sound clips on their websites, and not all of these arias are in public domain. What exactly are the rules for using sound clips?
—Marianne
Hi Marianne,
There is a lot of confusion about copyright. Singers get no education on this issue, and many would be surprised to know that when they give a program or post sound clips—even of music by long-dead composers—they may be in violation of copyright and subject to fines! The truth is, it is very difficult to track all the concerts and recitals that go on, and it’s unlikely that you would get into legal trouble over copyright violations—as long as you pay up when you get caught. But it’s also true that the music we sing belongs to someone—the composer, his descendants, or sometimes the publisher—and by not paying licensing fees we are in fact stealing.
Since the purpose of a singer’s website is commercial—it’s there to get you work or publicity—it’s unlikely that using sound clips of pieces that are not in the public domain falls under “fair use” as defined by U.S. copyright law. Some of the factors that go into determining fair use include the amount of the work that is reproduced, and whether it is for nonprofit, educational, or noncommercial purposes. For an excellent and thorough explanation of fair use, visit http://www.umuc.edu/library/copy.html.
When you post sound clips on your website, you are distributing music. The right to record and distribute music is referred to as a “mechanical right.” The Harry Fox Agency is the Grand Pooh-bah of mechanical rights. According to the agency’s website at www.harryfox.com, if you are manufacturing and distributing copies of a song you did not compose, and you have no agreement with the song’s publisher, U.S. copyright law requires you to obtain a mechanical license, regardless of whether you’re selling the copies. If the song is one you yourself composed, however, or if it is in the public domain, licensing is not required. Demo CDs would fall in this category. Harry Fox offers limited distribution licensing for less than 500 units. (Yikes! Can you imagine trying to unload 500 DEMO CDS)?
ASCAP offers a new, experimental Internet license which covers “samples,” songs that are less than 60 seconds in duration, and other non-interactive usages such as performances embedded in a site. It also has an interactive license for downloads and pay-per-play type usage.
You can searchwww.pdinfo.com to find out whether songs are in the public domain, and you can use the databases on the ASCAP and BMI websites to obtain publisher information about songs.
Whew! Perhaps instead of “happy singing,” I should wish everyone “nice, safe, legal singing.”
Cheers,
Cindy
