ASCAPlus

They like me! They really like me!

I got something in the mail today from ASCAP today. Usually this is a statement showing me my royalty reimbursements. For concert and orchestral writers, along with any broadcast media, royalties are collected for university, conservatory, and professional performances. Since I write mainly music for high school marching band and there doesn’t seem to be a strong calling for marching band music on the radio, I’m used to seeing a statement with a giant zero on it. Imagine my surprise when it wasn’t that and was instead a letter telling me that I had won an ASCAPlus award!

For writers who have a body of work that falls outside of traditional royalty collections, you can apply annually for one of these awards. It’s a nice way of acknowledging somebody’s effort and work in what they consider “non-traditional venues”. Suffice it to say, I’m really pleased. I can think of a number of other composers in the field who I have high respect for who have also received this. To be added to that list is an honor.