Music season promotes pop, rock copyrights

The first performance of the 2010 Rock and Pop Original Music Season began in Beijing last Saturday evening.

Organizers said the program, which will run until October, presents "dynamic and passionate" live performances of brand-new rock and pop music works every weekend.

The musical gala aims to support original works and promote copyright protection.

"We will conduct copyright transactions on original musical works played at the performances," said Li Heng, president of the Beijing International Copyright Trade Center, one of the co-sponsors of the event. "It reflects their market value."

"We will also provide advisory services for music copyrights and host exchanges for creative works," she added.

The four-month event is expected to bring new opportunities for creation and use of original music, Li said.

During the first performance last week, sale of artwork and book signings were also held to raise funds for hemophilia patients.

Hundreds of rock bands, pop music groups and other well-known domestic musicians will perform during the season.

"Copyrights of the music's creators must be protected," said Liu Ping, the legal department director of Music Copyright Society of China (MCSC).

"Only in this way will they get the rewards in the market and create the new musical works, and it will enter a virtuous cycle," Liu said.

MCSC is the only collective management organization for music copyright in China. It has issued copyrights for over 14 million music works for about 4,000 of its members.

The income of many composers does not sustain even a basic living in China. In 2007, copyrights managed by MCSC generated only 40 million yuan in royalties, much lower than that in many other countries.

As a platform to promote the copyright transactions of original musical works, the performing season is held at 751 Designer Park (DPark), a 220,000 sq m venue at No 4 Jiuxianqiao Road in Chaoyang district.

Constructed by Beijing Zhengdong Electronic Power Group and China Fashion Association, DPark is one of the cultural centers in Beijing, home to fashion shows, exhibitions, parties and concerts. Events at the former 1950s-era factory site have included China Fashion Week, the outdoor fashion show by Pierre Cardin, and the musical Butterfly.

"It is a good place for us to hold the performing season," Li said.We will hold other cultural and fashion shows from home and abroad in the near future."

China Daily

(China Daily 06/30/2010 page17)