The Society of Composers & Lyricists is an organization founded in 1983 to represent
composer
A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music.
Etymology and def ...
s and
lyricist
A lyricist is a writer who writes lyrics (the spoken words), as opposed to a composer, who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the melody, harmony, arrangement and accompaniment.
Royalties
A lyricist's income derives ...
s working in visual media, such as television and film.
It sought
union status in 1984 after the dissolution of the Composers and Lyricists Guild of America, but the
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States that enforces United States labor law, U.S. labor law in relation to collect ...
denied the bid on the basis that songwriters were independent contractors. Another attempt to become a union in the 1990s was also unsuccessful. Members of the organization also include
orchestrator
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble, such as a concert band) or of adapting music composed for another medium for an orchestra. Also called "instrumentation", orch ...
s,
arranger
In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestrat ...
s,
music supervisor
A music supervisor is a person who combines music and visual media. According to the Guild of Music Supervisors, a music supervisor is “a qualified professional who oversees all music related aspects of film, television, advertising, video game ...
s,
music agents, music attorneys, music editors,
copyist
A copyist is a person who makes duplications of the same thing. The modern use of the term is mainly confined to music copyists, who are employed by the music industry to produce neat copies from a composer or arranger's manuscript. However, the ...
s, and
audio engineer
An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduc ...
s.
Awards
Since 2020, the Society of Composers & Lyricists has presented annual awards for music in film, television, and other media.
Ceremonies
Categories
Since 2024, the organization presents awards in eight competitive categories:
Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film
Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film
Outstanding Original Score for a Television Production
Outstanding Original Title Sequence for a Television Production
Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media Production
Prior to 2022, a single award was given for Original Song in a Visual Media Production, irrespective of genre.
Outstanding Original Song for a Comedy or Musical Visual Media Production
Prior to 2022, a single award was given for Original Song in a Visual Media Production, irrespective of genre.
Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media
David Raksin Award for Emerging Talent
Spirit of Collaboration Award
In addition, the group presents the non-competitive Spirit of Collaboration Award to a composer and filmmaker team.
Notes
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Society of Composers and Lyricists
Arts and media trade groups