OK, I'm intrigued. How does this work?
These volumes of 20-25 anthems cost $55.00. This cost covers the cost of the publication, and a one-time license agreement fee which covers your license to photocopy any or all of the anthems and or texts contained in the book. As many as you need! The total cost to you is just $55.00! Just slightly more than most preview packets. Just think - if you only use two or three of the anthems, you're way ahead of the game. 

It sounds complicated. Do I have to figure out charts and fill out forms
every time I copy something?
Nope. Fifty-five bucks. One time. That's it! Amen.

What if I give the book to someone else to copy it for their own church?
We wish you wouldn't. We actually believe that most church musicians are honest, law abiding citizens. Of course, we can't stop you from copying it, but at this price, why not just tell them about it?

We're hosting the Diocesan Convention here next April and I need 400 copies of one of the anthems for the service. We also need to print the words in the bulletin and we'll be recording the service for those who can't be there. Oh, and there'll be a small string orchestra - say about 40 pieces. And we'll be televising the service nationally on the Religious Broadcasting Network (RBN) right after the Robert Tilton Show. Any problems with this?
Nope. Well ... maybe with Robert Tilton.

O.K. I understand all this, but when I was a small child, my mother used to take our family down to the post office and take all our pictures by holding our faces on the Xerox machine and putting in quarters. Now I have a deathly fear of photocopying. What can I do?
We recommend therapy. But, one choir director we know simply takes the book down to his local Kinko's (a permission certificate is included in every book) and has them run the copies, fold and bind them, and all for about 50¢ per anthem. Your hands will never be soiled.

What happened to the other volumes? I'm looking for Volumes 1-5 of the Sewanee Composer's Project?
Our agreement with the composers is for 18 to 24 months. After that, the copyrights are returned to the composers. Fortunately, we have reissued most of these anthems on CD-ROM. (See St. James Music Press CD-ROM Project 1995-1999) The others are available from other publishers.

Does this mean I'm only allowed to copy these anthems for two years?
You may copy these anthems for as long as your church shall stand. In some cases - longer.

May I still feel guilty while I'm copying this music? It's one of my greatest pleasures?
Yes.

Isn't it illegal to photocopy music?
No. It is illegal to photocopy music that is under copyright without the copyright holder's permission. WE GIVE YOU THAT PERMISSION! Each book also contains a certificate of permission just in case you need to show it to the clerk at the copy store.

Our church has a CCLI license. We're allowed to copy all the music we want anyway.
Oops. Hope you don't get caught. CCLI Licenses - The Christian Copyright Licensing International agreement - provides permission to copy songs for congregational use. It enables you to make overhead transparencies, songsheets and songbooks, input lyrics on a computer, record worship services, and make arrangements of the music (where no published version exists). It does not convey the right to photocopy octavos, cantatas, or instrumental arrangements. This permission can only be granted you by the publisher. We give you that permission!

Have you gotten any unsolicited testimonial letters lately?
Why, yes. 

...Your anthems have been a God-send for my small but hard-working choir!

...I want to THANK YOU FOLKS for your publication. Recently, I had a chance to assemble a MASS CHOIR (192 voices) and use an anthem from Volume 5. The MONEY SAVINGS alone was reason enough to write, but the song was such a success, I just had to write to tell you about it. Incidentally, the mass-choir was assembled from 13 area churches, and I made sure everyone at every rehearsal heard about Sewanee, and how it works...I didn't want anyone missing the point, OR, getting upset thinking I was illegally copying music...

...I can't tell you what a great service you provide! We have over 300 anthems in our library, but from now on most of our new music will come from St. James Music Press.

...My congratulations and appreciation to you and your colleagues at St. James Music Press for providing a unique and valuable service to the church music field. With the increasing costs of music publication and the tightened music budgets found within the average parish, your philosophy towards making anthems accessible is truly a Godsend. Added to that, your commitment to expanding the repertoire with quality anthems for the limited forces found in most churches is commendable.

...I received my first volume of the Sewanee Composer's Project about a month ago and immediately found the "missing" anthem I needed for Christmas. There are several others that will be used in the months ahead. What a great concept - convenient, practical, economical. Church musicians usually spend a chunk of their music budgets shipping numerous pounds of paper through the mail. I have a great selection of fine music when I need it - NOW! Thanks.

...Wonderful! I have assembled my whole Christmas Choir Special Event from Volume 5.

To view our available volumes, click here to view our products page.