The Library is proud to announce that the first musical score of the Music Library Association Open Edition Series, the Public Domain Song Anthology, will be published by the Library’s open source venture, Aperio. The project—a collaboration between the UVA Library, the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Michigan Library—has secured substantial pledges from institutions around the country. Now the project is going public for the last chunk of funding. There are some pretty great premiums for individuals who contribute to the crowdfunding campaign, and your support will help ensure that the online anthology is available for free to anyone!
The Public Domain Song Anthology brings 373 classic American songs to music teachers, students, and performers—curated and arranged by David Berger, founding conductor and arranger for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Chuck Israels, famed bassist for the Bill Evans Trio and founder of the first jazz repertory orchestra. Berger and Israels are donating new harmonizations and other content with a CC0 license so that teachers, students, and musicians can freely reuse, modify, and share all music in the anthology.
Funds raised by the campaign will cover:
- The arrangers’ fees
- Publishing costs for copy editing
- Hosting files online with Aperio
- Print costs to produce a physical copy for individual and library backers
- Costs associated with other backer rewards
With your contribution, the Library can help eliminate the prohibitive cost of purchasing music that stands as an all too common barrier to learning. The release of 373 songs in the anthology unrestricted by claims of copyright from our arrangers means the songs belong to anyone for learning, playing, and enjoying.
The publication team for the Public Domain Song Anthology includes music library and copyright experts: Brandon Butler (UVA), Paul Cary (Baldwin-Wallace), Kathleen DeLaurenti (Peabody Institute), Dave Ghamandi (UVA), Melissa Levine (University of Michigan), and Matthew Vest (UCLA), with special support from Robert Schwartz of D.C. law firm Constantine Cannon, and Shebam Productions LLC.