Open letter from the German music academies on the planned GEMA reform

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The Rectors' Conference of the German Universities of Music in the HRK (RKM) has sent an open letter to
the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of the German GEMA (Society for Musical Performing
and Mechanical Reproduction Rights). In this letter, the RKM expresses its deep concern
about the currently planned GEMA reform, which it believes has not been adequately discussed. It
would put young composers in particular at a serious disadvantage on their path to professionalism
and could have unforeseeable consequences for the music scene and German music academies.

The chairman of the RKM, Prof. Christian Fischer, comments: "We reject the apparently planned
principle of solidarity in favor of predominantly commercially oriented collection and distribution rules.
distribution rules. As those responsible for the German music academies, at which the
the current composition courses and certain branches of study would be jeopardized by the reform
would be jeopardized by the reform, we appeal to GEMA to postpone the reform for at least one year.
year. According to the planned new rules, even such a productive composer as
composer such as J.S. Bach, who composed almost exclusively for the low-collection area of church music
would no longer be able to become a full member of GEMA and would therefore hardly receive any income
from his compositional work."

You can find the complete open letter here:
https://die-deutschen-musikhochschulen.de/wp-content/uploads/RKM-Offener-Brief-zur-GEMA-Refom_28.3.2025-1.pdf

Press contact:
Office of the Rectors' Conference of German Universities of Music (RKM)
Mail: isabell.seider@mh-trossingen.de
Phone: +49 (0) 173 - 189 8683 (Office, Isabell Seider)
Tel: +49 (0) 173 - 233 4150 (Chairman Prof. Christian Fischer)