This course will explore the brief history and benefits of affiliation with major performance rights agencies including ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.), and SESAC (Society of European Stage Authors and Composers) and membership to professional organizations such as Songwriters Guild of America and Nashville Songwriters Association International. The workshop will also cover the importance of registering copyrighted materials with the U.S. Copyright Office through the Library of Congress and introduce effective ways to distribute and market original music.