South African Music Rights Association (SAMRO) Music Archive

Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, South African Music Rights Association (SAMRO) Music Archive is an archive with a collection of over 100 000 music scores, recording tapes, compact discs of South African music and photographs of South African composers. The archive also houses paintings and music instruments indigenous to Africa. The archive aims to preserve the country’s music heritage and continues to update records according to international archival standards.

SAMRO is in the process of digitizing and creating an online catalogue which will soon be available for browsing online. The archive also sells sheet music. SAMRO has a publication that promotes South African composers and their works by publishing music books such as ‘South Africa Sings Vol.3’ and ‘SAMRO Scores for Young Players’, which both contain music from the archive. SAMRO, in collaboration with other companies promotes the live performance of music in general and compensates its members in this regard. With the help of partnerships with its stakeholders and university music departments, the archive develops the youth through workshops and mentorship programmes. Members of the public and researchers are encouraged to stop by and explore the archive.