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How to get paid for Classical Music Performances

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Report Music Performances

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Frequently Asked Questions
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Payment Information

Domestic Live Concerts

The live classical concert season runs from September 1 through August 31 annually. Royalty distribution occurs during the summer of the following year. For instance, the 2021-2022 live classical distribution for performances between September 1, 2021 and August 31, 2022 will be paid in August 2023.

Domestic Radio & Television Broadcasts

Payments are made quarterly for radio and television broadcasts. The quarterly statements are issued about 6 months after the conclusion of a quarter and no statement is sent if there are no earnings during that period. For further information about these payments, please check here.

International Performances (all types)

Payments for international performances (outside the U.S.) are made by BMI on a quarterly basis. These statements reflect the sums received by BMI from foreign societies in the six month period prior to payment. In general, payments may take 2 to 4 years from the date of performance or date of performance claim. Each statement is accompanied by a list of societies reporting, the periods for which they are reporting, and what types of performances are included.

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Meet the classical team

To affiliate with BMI as a classical composer, please send a copy of your resume and a list of works with information on performances and venues to classical@bmi.com.

Have questions? Feel free to contact us.

View Bio Deirdre Chadwick
View Bio Scott Bartucca
View Bio Chris McCormick
Bio pic of Eimi Tanaka View Bio Eimi Tanaka
Bio pic of Marissa Corston View Bio Marissa Corston
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BMI Classical FAQs


Q: What does “classical” mean at BMI?

Q: I arranged a Public Domain classical work. Will I get paid for its performance?

Q: What should I do for premiere performances?

Q: Can I report a classical performance using BMI Live?

Q: How do I report a classical performance that occurred outside the United States?

Q: Should I report a classical radio broadcast?

Q: Why am I getting an error message when I try to register a classical work?

Q: The work titles in my BMI catalog have no punctuation. Why is that?

Q: I don’t have reliable internet access. Can I still use the PDF or paper forms?

Q: Each work of mine appears in my catalog twice, once with my last name and once without. Why is that?

Q: A movement from my sonata has been performed by itself. Should I register that movement separately?

Q: My publisher doesn’t have a BMI affiliation. How should I register the work?

Q: A clarinetist has performed my violin sonata without permission. Do I need to change the registration?

Q: I have added a movement to an existing work. How do I register the new material?

Q: I used text found on the Internet in my composition, but can’t find who wrote it. Can I register?

Q: Can I register my ballet score?

Q: Can I register my opera?

Q: I scored a film mostly with orchestral music. How should I register my work?

Q: I self-publish all my works. How can I add my publishing company to my work registrations?

Q: I have a new instrumentation for a work I already registered. Must I register it as a separate work?

Q: How should I register instrumental tracks (using orchestral instruments) that I wrote for an album?

Q: I arranged a public domain classical work. How should it be registered?

"Makrokosmos" composed by George Crumb

Score used with permission from Peters Edition Ltd.