It is likely that a rehearsal for a concert will be a “public performance” for the purposes of copyright law, as the people at the rehearsal are generally not there as members of a family group, but in a public capacity, as members of the particular ensemble which is rehearsing. This means that the relevant clearances will be needed.

The performance of music at rehearsals may already be covered by a licence with APRA if the venue where the rehearsal is taking place has an annual APRA licence, or if the group is a community group (such as a band or a choir) and it has taken out a “Community Bands, Groups, Choirs” licence with APRA for that year. You should check that the venues where rehearsals take place are covered by APRA licences, or that the Community Bands, Groups, Choirs licence is up to date.

If you have the copyright owner’s permission to perform spoken word material in a concert, or to perform a grand rights work such as a musical, ballet, oratorio or operetta, it is likely that you also have an implied permission to rehearse that material.