How much should musicians / composers / singers / dancers / performers / choreographers by paid?

Simple answer – retail.

Retail.

A quick example. A young composer has two meetings in the same day. One with Chase the Music, and the second with the largest soft-drink manufacturer on the planet. They both ask for an original piece. About 5 minutes long, to be performed for a small group – maybe 100 people. They both would like rights to the music after the event, but it’s not expected to be much. Chase the Music wants to do a piece for family and friends of a little boy fighting for his life. The soft-drink company is for a local meeting and wants to ‘fire up the sales-force’. The composer comes home and has to present the two options to his young wife, where they are struggling to make ends meet.

Chase the Music wants to take the money out of the consideration. We should pay retail. That is, for an equivalent piece – the price paid should be the same – whether for the child or the sales meeting.

Composers, songwriters, choreographers, musicians, singers, photographers, videographers, …. every one involved in a Chase the Music gift needs to eat.

But, we are a starving non-profit.

So… our compromise is that we’ll accept one gift, from those that should be paid, but after that all future work should be paid.

For