IMSLP is one of the largest and best resources for free music in the public domain. Since this resource is Canadian, and what constitutes “public domain” differs by country of origin, refer to the public domain details on the IMSLP website. Most CMNC workshop participants reside in the United States, so anything published before 1930 now resides in the public domain. There is also music outside of the public domain included if the composer has given permission to include on IMSLP. In addition to printed music, sound recordings are available for some pieces without a subscription, but with a subscription, access to commercial recordings (Naxos) is available.

Search Suggestions:

1. use a search engine for IMSLP composer/piece, ex: imslp brahms sextet op 36
2. use a search engine IMSLP instrumentation, ex: imslp string trios
3. use IMSLP to browse by genre category:
4. use IMSLP to browse by composer to see the list of their pieces available on IMSLP

ScorSer searches several sites for free pdfs, midis, etc. The majority of PDFs are directly linked to IMSLP, but ScorSer has a search interface that some users may prefer. Please note: ScoSer does not include all of what IMSLP has.

• San Francisco Public Library home page
• Browse by call number – alphabetically by instrument

• Oakland Public Library home page
• Chamber Music Collection at OPL

Link+ home page is the first place to search for music if your local library does not have what you are looking for.
Link+ Member Libraries page lists many public and academic libraries in California and Nevada.
Delivery time varies, but quicker if you specify the main branch of your library for pickup.

Thousands of libraries’ collections are represented in WorldCat, including chamber music collections of parts and scores. If you can’t find the music you are looking for from the above resources, this is the next best place to search. To obtain music from a lending library listed in WorldCat, an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) from your local library is required. Many libraries have discontinued ILL services due to Link+, but SFPL and OPL still have ILL services, as do most academic libraries. Please contact your local library for more information on ILL services.

NOTE: if you are in a hurry to get the music, ILL is not your best option. However, if you are near one of the libraries listed in WorldCat, that library may let you use the music inside the library and you can photocopy or scan your part. (Copyright restrictions may apply, but for workshop purposes, a photocopy/scan of your part would fall under educational fair use.)

Theodore Front Music Literature is a music distributor and has a huge catalog of chamber music. This site is geared towards classical music and has navigation by ensemble and also includes lists of women, Black, Ukrainian, Asian, Canadian and Latin American composers. Their catalog represents thousands of music publishers from around the world, including Boosey & Hawkes, G. Schirmer, G. Henle, DSCH, Editions Durand, Lauren Keiser Music, Schott, Baerenreiter, and Alphonse Leduc, to name a few.

Hal Leonard Classical Sheet Music. Hal Leonard is a publisher and a distributor that provides printed parts and scores from major music publishers. List of many of the publishers Hal Leonard distributes.

Sheet Music Plus chamber music. This music distributor includes chamber music parts and scores. The Sheet Music Plus inventory includes products from more than 1,000 publishers, including most major European publishers.

Trevco Music catalog specializes in sheet music for double reeds and chamber music that features double reeds. Offers over 15,000 titles in stock with over 4,000 published by Trevco Music. Their catalog search tool offers the ability to specify number of players for each instrument.

Virtual Sheet Music ensemble catalog has a limited inventory of mostly public domain music available on IMSLP, but a cleaner copy may be available here for purchase.

As the name implies, June Emerson Wind Music, based in the UK, specializes in wind repertoire and inventory is sourced from a selection of over 1,000 publishers and suppliers worldwide.

The Henle website offers music listings by category, and Henle now has a Henle Library app that can be used on many devices. Henle provides Urtext editions in paperbound, clothbound or digital format.

International Music Co. an online catalog broken down by categories and a catalog in PDF format. Some music shows first page excerpts to view.

Keiser Productions, Inc. includes the Southern Music and Kalmus catalogs.

Wise Music Classical catalog, part of the Wise Music Group, includes G. Schirmer publications and offers an online catalog searchable by composer, ensemble, publisher and other options, including those pieces with audio samples.

SilverTrust Editions catalog specializes in chamber music. They “publish unjustly neglected music by composers many of whom were once as famous as those whose names you know. Their works were frequently played and held in high regard and are often as good as the most well-known masterworks… provide soundbites and descriptions by respected experts and players…” There is a rudimentary search option.
Note: some works are poorly reproduced and are in the public domain.

Trevco Music catalog specializes in sheet music for double reeds and chamber music that features double reeds. Offers over 15,000 titles in stock with over 4,000 published by Trevco Music. Their catalog search tool offers the ability to specify number of players for each instrument.

Dover offers scores only and most are held in the public domain.

MuseScore works closely with copyright holders to provide a large selection of fully licensed musical scores. MuseScore has solo instrumental/vocal music as well, but not scores/parts for chamber music. The main focus is on scores.