Legal

Legal Landscape:
The Difference between an Independent Contractor and an Employee (Open Access)

When you work for someone else, whether teaching at a community arts school, or apprenticing with a home studio teacher, or collaborating with multiple teachers at an academy or music store, you are being hired as either an employee or independent contractor.

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Legal Landscape:
The Value of Conducing a Member Survey—The Legal Way

As independent music teachers and directors of independent music schools, we constantly seek information on the most up-to-date business trends in our profession. Articles, blogs, presentations and webinars all help, but another way to find the latest and greatest information is to conduct a survey of our peers. When planning a member survey, be aware of the following do’s and don’ts to help you gather relevant data, observe best practices and abide by legal requirements. …

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Legal Landscape:
When Does a Performance Need an ASCAP License? A Brief Guide for Independent Music Teachers (Open Access)

As an independent music teacher, you’ve likely encountered situations where the rules around music licensing felt unclear. I once attended a conference session with a room full of music professionals, and despite their expertise, there was no consensus on when an ASCAP http://ascap.com/ (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) license is required. Even worse, misinformation spreads quickly, underscoring just how important it is to clarify this topic.

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The New Face of Music (and Copyright)

COVID, virtual teaching, Zoom, downloadable PDFs…all have changed music instruction forever, and rapidly. Don’t let it change your respect for the laws governing copyrights, purchasing music, and sharing that music with others …

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Copyright Information (Open Access)

MTNA provides information on the reproduction, recording, distribution and performance of music and the guidelines that govern these actions.

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What Every Independent Music Teacher Should Know About Business Licenses and Zoning Regulations (Open Access)

When launching a music studio, it is important to understand the requirements for local business licenses and zoning regulations. Following zoning laws and acquiring a business license when necessary protects a private studio or commercial school from unwanted fines or closure for noncompliance, so it is wise for us all to be educated on this important topic …

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Zoning Kit

Independent Music Teachers frequently have questions and concerns regarding home studios. MTNA provides a Zoning Kit to address these various concerns.

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