Best Publishers For Voice Music? (Particularly Operas)

Hey YC!

I am currently in the process of looking up publishers for voice and opera music and I have no idea where to start as I have never really sought after publishers before. I know there are certain publishers that can get music out there better than others depending on the genre (like, some specialize in band and others specialize in jazz, etc.) and I would like to know which are the best ones that can get voice music out there. Also, I need to know so that way I know how I can format the scores I plan to send in.

To be more specific about which pieces I am hoping to get published, this summer a couple of professors asked me if I would be willing to fix and re-notate the score to an opera that they had composed earlier and then send it in to a publisher so it can be on the market. The opera is based on Native American history and so publishing companies that appreciate history would be some of the top choices that I am looking at as well. As far as my own music, I want to send in my "Ramblings of a Social Network" piece (which is here on YC) and possibly a one-act opera I composed called 'Mother, Please' (not on YC but I can fix that =p).

Thank you in advance for letting me know of any publishers! If you need anymore details on what I'm looking for than I'm more than happy to respond! :)

Best,

Carlos Gamboa

Well, to be honest, it's hard to get an opera published BEFORE it gets perform. I wouldn't worry about the publishing yet.

Get it performed and then market it.

My $0.02

Well, to be honest, it's hard to get an opera published BEFORE it gets perform. I wouldn't worry about the publishing yet.

Get it performed and then market it.

My $0.02

All of the above works have been performed.

Ok, do you have the video coverage?

Ok, do you have the video coverage?

I do not have video for the work I am re-notating for the professors; that's up to them if they want to give that to me. I have video coverage of the song cycle from my senior recital and my professor has video coverage of the opera I got performed in his archives. x.x; I have audio files for all the works I mentioned.

OK. The song cycle will be ok with just audio.The opera will need video. Don't know why; people just want see the video footage.

(side note)

There are a some opera competitions on American Composers' Forum. They aren't for publishing but for performances.

(original question)

You can send any of the publishers your stuff whether it's Schirmer, Presser, Schott; however, check to see if they taking unsolicited material. Usually, you have a better chance when it's unsolicited.

I don't know what to tell you about the opera... Do your professors expect you to find a publisher for them? Really they should be finding the publisher (or dealing with an agent of some sort) and giving you advice on how to find publishers for your own work! The thing is that tenured and well-established professors tend to have skewed views of the publishing world and don't take into account self-publishing...

For your works, register everything with ASCAP (or BMI) if you haven't already. Make sure you're both a publisher and writer member of the performance rights organization that you choose, and register all of your works under the publisher account. Congrats, you're self-published and can make money on performances of your works! (Technically you're self-published if you distribute your compositions in some form, whether they are printed or in a .pdf format, but that alone isn't going to help you.) After a work that you've registered is performed, send a copy of the concert program to the concert music department of your PRO (performance rights organization). John Mackey outlines a lot of this on his blog and explains why self-publishing may be preferable these days to finding a publisher: http://ostimusic.com...sic-publishing. He goes some steps futher and rents out parts and scores in order to make money on top of performances.

Now, one issue that you face with "dramatic" works (plays, operas, and ballets) is that they aren't licensed by ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC, as far as I know, at least when performed "dramatically." Performances of individual pieces or sections from dramatic works may be credited to your PRO account, but I have no clue how you deal with the monetary aspects of a full production. This is a bit separate from publishing, though related, especially if you go the self-publishing route.

You may have luck finding a traditional publisher for choral works or works for band, but outside of that... good luck until you're a well-established composer. There are some small publishing companies, some run by collectives of composers, that might be happy to take on your work, or you could get publishing opportunities through composition competitions, which is probably your best bet if you feel you must get published. But I recommend self-publishing instead of worrying about other publishers.

You can also try this: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&ved=0CGYQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.music.indiana.edu%2Fmusic_resources%2Fpubl.html&ei=HMzhT4rfNOra0QGC-tHtAw&usg=AFQjCNH63fxVJEBI2KjbAdAI_UiegJD51Q