In a gesture of unity, musicians from more than 20 orchestras across the UK have signed an open letter urging the Government to reform copyright law and ensure streaming royalties are paid to all performers – including non-featured orchestral players. Spearheaded by the Musicians’ Union (MU), the letter casts a stark light on the financial crisis facing British musicians and calls for immediate action from the Minister of State for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries.

The signatories, which include musicians from leading ensembles such as the Royal Opera House, Hallé, Chineke! and Sinfonia Cymru, argue that the current system – which excludes non-featured performers from receiving royalties on streaming platforms – is outdated and unsustainable. While radio play and public performance rights have provided vital income to musicians since 1996, the rapid shift in listening habits has left many performers uncompensated for their work.

'Streaming platforms have made music more accessible than ever before,' says General Secretary of the Musicians’ Union Naomi Pohl. 'But while they pay around 70% of revenues to rights holders, the majority of this money never reaches the musicians who perform on these recordings. Non-featured orchestral and session players receive nothing at all. This has to change.'

The call comes amid a backdrop of declining arts funding, a shrinking live performance sector, and a mounting cost-of-living crisis. With the average musician now earning just £20,700 annually from their craft, the letter warns that many are being forced to leave the profession entirely.

MU Steward for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Gabriel Dyker added: 'Music streaming has connected audiences and artists more than ever, yet earnings for musicians have not followed suit. If royalties reflected listening habits, incomes should be rising – instead, they’re falling.'

The letter also highlights the longer-term cultural consequences of this economic pressure, warning that the next generation may be shut out of classical music entirely without urgent intervention. 'If we don’t act now,' the letter states, 'the next generation of audiences will not have access to this form of culture.'

Citing recommendations made by the 2021 DCMS Select Committee, the MU is calling for the introduction of equitable remuneration for all performers on streamed recordings – a change that, they note, would not cost the Treasury or taxpayers a penny.

As debates around the future of music consumption and performer rights continue, the voices of the UK’s orchestral musicians ring out with growing clarity: it is time for streaming platforms – and the legislation that governs them – to reflect the true value of performance.

For more information, visit https://themu.org