Music and drama sets
Kent’s Music and Drama Library provides a wide range of performance sets, including vocal scores, orchestral parts and play sets for loan.
These may be borrowed by music and drama groups who are registered (with the Music and Drama Library) as society members. It is free to join, but fees are charged for hire.
Societies outside Kent may register as Kent library members, paying outside Kent hire and postage charges. Societies outside Kent may also apply through their local library service if it has an Inter-Library Loan scheme for sets.
Order a music or drama set for registered societies
Society members must abide by the Terms and Conditions of hire.
To contact us:
Societies must register with the Music and Drama Library. Unfortunately, you are not able to register at local libraries.
We require societies to nominate a named individual to act as the group’s contact and to take overall responsibility for any sets borrowed.
To register your society please email librariesperformingarts@kent.gov.uk with:
- your society’s name
- your contact details
- proof of your society (for example a programme, letterhead, registered charity number or web address)
- the name of the person we should contact (they must be over 18 and will be responsible for keeping items safe, returning them and paying any charges).
Order a set
You can:
- order sets up to 12 months before you need them
- keep them for up to 6 months
- borrow up to 12 sets at a time.
We can order sets from other counties if:
- you cannot find what you are looking for
- a set is on loan
- you need more copies than we have
- your society is based in Kent.
Please allow at least 30 days notice for us to process your order.
Orchestral sets
Download a list of orchestral sets (PDF, 584.2 KB)
Covers most of the standard classical repertoire. It includes orchestral parts to many of the vocal sets we hold as well as arrangements suitable for schools.
Vocal sets
Download a list of vocal scores (PDF, 1.4 MB)
Includes smaller scale part songs and anthems as well as large scale choral works including light opera and musicals. There are normally between 35 and 40 copies in a set.
Drama sets
Download a list of drama sets (PDF, 767.1 KB)
Play sets will normally consist of 1 copy for each character plus 1 copy for the director, although there are some exceptions.
Collecting the set
You can collect your set from any Kent library. Choose which library you want to collect from when you order. If you want us to post it you will have to pay any postage costs.
When you receive the set
Check the set to make sure you have all the parts.
If the set is not as expected you must contact us within 48 hours or you may be charged for any missing parts.
To contact us you can:
Returning the set
Return sets to any Kent library or by post by the due date. We charge for late, damaged, or incomplete sets.
You have to pay before we will send the sets for collection. We will invoice you with details of how to pay.
General hire costs (from 1 January 2023)
- Reservation fee (per set) £6.50
- Interlibrary loan charges (per set - out of Kent) £7
- Postal charges (out of Kent) £18.50
Drama set costs
There are currently no costs for drama sets.
Music set costs
Large sets
| Vocal sets (3 months loan) | Kent music societies | Out of Kent music societies |
|---|---|---|
| 1-20 copies | £13 | £26 |
| 21-40 copies | £26 | £52 |
| 41-60 copies | £39 | £78 |
| 61-80 copies | £52 | £104 |
| 81-100 copies | £65 | £128 |
| 101-120 copies | £78 | £156 |
| 121+ copies | £13 per 20 copies | £26 per 20 copies |
| Orchestral sets (3 months loan) | Kent music societies | Out of Kent music societies |
|---|---|---|
| Full set | £24 | £48 |
Small sets (less than 5 minutes long)
Small Band B sets are charged at half the price of standard sets.
Other charges
Late return of sets
If you return the set after the due date we will charge you a rental charge covering the overdue period.
Missing parts and damaged sets
We will let you know within 5 days if there are parts missing and will give you 28 days to replace or return the parts. If you don’t send the missing parts within 28 days you will have to pay the replacement costs and a £10 admin fee per set.
| Kent Performance sets | |
|---|---|
| Replacement cost for lost and damaged items | Full replacement cost applied to lost and damaged items |
| Marked copies | £10 (per set) |
| Interlibrary Loan Performance sets | |
|---|---|
| Replacement costs for lost and damaged | Full replacement cost applied to lost and damaged items |
| Plus - any additional fee determined by lending library | Variable |
| Plus - administration fee (per set) | £10 |
A set can be renewed provided that it is not reserved by another customer. You need to pay the new loan charge within 7 days.
To renew a set email librariesperformingarts@kent.gov.uk with:
- library card number (card number can start with D0 or 055)
- barcode number (C15…)
- composer
- title.
Sets must be renewed through the Music and Drama Library service directly. We are not able to renew in local libraries.