Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)

Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada/Société canadienne des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique (SOCAN) was established in 1990 as a not-for-profit copyright collective, administering performing rights on behalf of its members - Canadian composers, songwriters, lyricists and their publishers - as well as those members of its international sister societies throughout the world.

Keywords

Musical Organizations

SOCAN was formed as the result of a merger of CAPAC (Composers, Authors and Publishers Association of Canada Limited, founded 1925 as CPRS-Canadian Performing Rights Society) and PROCAN (Performing Rights Organization of Canada Limited, founded 1940 as BMI Canada Limited). SOCAN's operation is overseen by a board of directors elected every 3 years by the society's members, the board comprising 9 songwriter/composers and 9 music publishers.

SOCAN had approximately 68 000 members in 2000, comprising 58 000 songwriters/composers (known collectively as "authors") and 10 000 publishers. Members assign the performing rights in their copyright musical works to SOCAN, which in turn collects and distributes royalties earned from the public performance and telecommunication of those works throughout Canada via radio and TV broadcasts, cable TV, concert halls, clubs and cinemas, etc. The Ottawa-based Copyright Board, a quasi-judicial tribunal, sets the tariffs through which SOCAN collects its royalties in the form of licences from thousands of music users throughout Canada. Royalties distributed to music creators and their publishers are net of SOCAN's operating expenses.

SOCAN has reciprocal agreements with similar societies in more than 100 countries, each responsible for administering performing rights in the world's repertoire of copyright musical works and forwarding those royalties to international societies for distribution to their domestic members. Since Canada is a signatory to certain international copyright treaties - such as the Berne Convention and Universal Copyright Convention - SOCAN applies identical royalty distribution rules to both its domestic members and those of its various international affiliated societies, through internationally agreed guidelines set by CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers), the Paris-based umbrella group of authors' societies.

In 2000, SOCAN had a staff of 279 in 4 offices: Toronto (head office), Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Dartmouth, N.S. The society's total income in 1999, from both domestic and international sources, was approximately $120 million.

SOCAN publishes separate English and French magazines - Words & Music and Paroles & musique - which serve as vehicles for disseminating news on the organization and the activities of its members, and also mounts an annual awards show honouring Canadian songwriters, composers and music publishers. The SOCAN Foundation, an independent body with its own board of directors, offers a program of grants and competitions aimed at advancing the careers of music creators and expanding public awareness of the value of music and copyright. As well, SOCAN is active in lobbying for effective reform of copyright law, broadcasting regulations and cultural policy.

Author RICK MacMILLAN

Links to Other Sites

Sheet music from Canada's past
A very extensive collection of digitalized copies of sheet music published before Confederation (1867) and during World War I (1914-1920.) Includes patriotic and parlour songs, piano pieces, sacred music, novelty numbers, and more. Also, check out the sheet music covers that appear in the Gallery section. From Library and Archives Canada.

Association of Canadian Women Composers
The website for the ACWC, a professional organization that promotes music written by Canadian women composers. Search their extensive online database for specific musical scores, biographies of women composers, lists of works, and more.

Carleton Sound
This Carlton Sound website features sound clips of recordings that document the historical development of Canadian music. Includes the recording: "By A Canadian Lady", Piano Music 1841 – 1997, with Elaine Keillor, piano. From Carleton University, Ottawa.

Robert Fleming Fonds
Accomplished Canadian composer Robert Fleming is profiled at this Library and Archives Canada website. Features biographical notes, photographs and an extensive index of archival material.

Michael Conway Baker
The website for award-winning Canadian composer Michael Conway. Features music clips and videos, film credits and awards, his biography, and more.

Alan Belkin
Canadian composer Alan Belkin offers his personal thoughts about music, artistic creativity and life in general. His website also features a list of his works and a series of online books about teaching musical composition.

RPM
With this online collection of digitized charts from RPM, visitors can check out the rankings of their favourite tunes of yesteryear. From Library and Archives Canada.

SOCAN
The website for SOCAN, the Canadian copyright collective that serves composers, authors and publishers. Check out "SOCAN Interactive" for videos and audio clips featuring Canadian performers. Also find news about current programs and events, online articles from "Words & Music" and the "Customer Newsletter," and more.

CBC Radio 2 Music Channels
CBC Radio 2 specialty channels showcase the best in Canadian music. Select from "Classical," "Jazz," "Canadian Songwriters," and "Canadian Composers" channels.