Moving Forward

Marilyn Bergman, President and Chairman of the Board

As the new year begins in earnest, I urge all ASCAP members to turn your attention to the Society's bi-annual election of its Board of Directors. The principles of democracy, transparency and accountability, which have guided the Society since its inception, are never more apparent than with the Board election. The process of choosing who governs ASCAP is, in effect, a tribute to what is great and distinctive about our Society; we are the only performing rights organization in the United States whose Board of Directors is made up of composers, songwriters and publishers elected from its membership by its membership every two years.

Those members who have earned any performance credits in the last survey year are qualified to vote and should have received a ballot from which to elect 12 writer members and 12 publisher members to serve on ASCAP's Board. In this issue of Playback, we are pleased to provide profiles of the Board candidates. These songwriter, composers and publishers reflect the great diversity of ASCAP's repertoire and represent all genres of music. They know the needs of the members first-hand and represent no other special interest group. Each of them understands that the ASCAP Board is the policy-making, governing body of the Society and that its members assume their chairs with both seriousness and dedication.

Moving forward, there are two other upcoming events about which members who are serious and dedicated to their careers should be aware. The first, ASCAP's general annual membership meeting to be held in New York City on March 5, provides members an opportunity to learn more about the Society. The second is ASCAP's "I Create Music" EXPO, which will once again bring the music creator community together for an extraordinary meeting of minds and talents in April. I hope to see you there.

I wish you all a happy, creative and successful year.