Need Copyright help!

[Chuck(G)]

We'd like to arrange Jan Van der Roost's "Stonehenge" for next fall's (High School) marching show. Initial research pointed us to "CopyCat Music" who will charge over $2000 for permission to arrange. Yikes! Is this an average fee?
Any copyright law experts out there?
Zanne

Sorry, but the law does not put any sort of cap on the fees the copyright holder may charge for any permission. I suspect that CopyCat Music (assumed to be the owner of the copyright or the agent for the author) also wants to review your arrangement.

You might contact the author directly to see if any leeway might be granted, but I suspect that you've already got your answer.

At any rate, here is Mr. Van Der Root's web page, complete with contact information:

http://www.janvanderroost.be/e/index.htm

[Chuck(G)]

Just looked at the Copycat Music Licensing web site and find that they're an outfit that arranges licensing for works. In other words, a middleman.

Write Mr. Van Der Roost or his publisher, De Haske directly and see what happens. I suspect the folks at Copycat are charging a hefty markup:

http://www.copycatlicensing.com/

[Contramark]

You might want to write Jay Bocook the arranger of The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. They did this show in 1998 and probably have the copyright info, who knows, he might arrange it for you.

Mark