The agreement reduces up front payment to musicians, but provides for profit sharing on CD and Internet sales.
An unusual agreement has been struck between the American Federation of Musicians (EIN 22-1476432 Form 990) and forty-eight symphony orchestras in the US & Canada that changes the basic model for compensation for live performances.
The agreement significantly reduces the up-front payment to musicians for live recordings of performances, but provides for tier payments when more than 15,000 units are sold, and back-end profit sharing on CDs and any downloads that are derived from them. Only CD-derived downloads are allowed under the agreement, there is no provision for download only recording.
The reduction in up front fees means that more live classical recordings should become available.
The agreement is said to be the first in which musicians negotiated with orchestras over recordings. Previously, the musicians union had negotiated with record companies.
A handful of arts-friendly newspapers like the New York Times had stories on a the agreement. But the actual details of the agreement are available from the New Music Box web zine, along with the list of orchestras endorsing the agreement.
Comments