About Sheet Music International

The Vision Behind Sheet Music International

Our Mission

Sheet Music International was founded with a singular, revolutionary objective: to eliminate the logistical barriers facing musicians, educators, and ensembles by providing direct, frictionless access to the global classical canon. We believe that the preservation of Western art music requires more than a passive archive. It demands a functional, performance-ready ecosystem where professional orchestra performers, private music teachers, academic scholars, and dedicated students can instantly locate and utilize clean, authoritative materials.

Decades of Pedagogical and Orchestral Leadership

The foundational philosophy of Sheet Music International is rooted in deep, practical experience within music education and professional symphonic performance. In 1993, our leadership established a pioneering music publication model that fundamentally shifted how educational materials were distributed—becoming one of the first organizations to grant classroom educators the explicit legal right to photocopy materials for their students.

This commitment to accessibility has been guided by a career spanning decades of elite musicianship and institutional management. Our leadership has had the distinct honor of performing for the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court and the Vice President of the United States. Today, that same rigorous artistic standard shapes every score in our collection, fueled by a proud, long-standing affiliation with the Scottsdale Philharmonic and their shared global mission to bring classical masterpieces to audiences worldwide.

Scottsdale Philharmonic performing Beethoven Symphony 9

Housed Libraries and Advanced Performance Infrastructure

A Curated Ecosystem Built for Working Musicians

To serve a high-intent global community, Sheet Music International maintains a massive, multi-tiered public repository organized into distinct specialized libraries. Unlike static, unedited historical databases, our archive is actively curated for immediate performance utility, featuring cleanly cropped digital parts optimized for rapid sight-reading and live rehearsal.

• The Renowned Composers Library: A premium gateway containing the foundational, mainstream core repertoire of the world's greatest classical masters, including Bach, Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven. Scores are organized meticulously by format (such as full orchestral scores or concertos) and specific instrumentation.

• The Complete Composers Library: An exhaustive, sprawling archive indexing thousands of historical and rare public domain composers alongside mainstream canon figures.

• The School Music Directory: A specialized educational sanctuary built directly for classroom music directors. This library contains standard methods, scale sheets, and pedagogical etudes alongside simplified symphonic arrangements explicitly categorized for Level 1, 2, 3, and 4 concert bands, string ensembles, and full orchestras.

• The Church Music and Hymn Library: A comprehensive sacred catalog organized by both topic and the traditional church calendar. Each hymn is isolated into a dedicated folder containing standard four-part vocal parts, modern instrumental lead sheets, and easily projectable text files optimized for service planning.

• Curated Repertoire Lists: Hand-generated, expert literature guides cataloging standard instructional and performance repertoire for specific instrumental tracking, such as solo violin or trombone ensembles.

The Personal Library Workflow

Recognizing that modern performers utilize digital scores on stage and in the studio, Sheet Music International incorporates an advanced Personal Library interface. This system functions as a secure, private digital workspace where registered users can instantly bookmark catalog selections or upload outside files.

Crucially, the platform features a temporary performance tab designed for seamless organizational collaboration. Ensemble directors and chamber musicians can copy digital parts into a shared temporary folder, distribute the program to entire string or wind sections with a single click, and securely revoke access automatically once a performance cycle concludes.

Global Stewardship and Copyright Integrity

Responsible Archival Standards

Operating a public repository of this magnitude requires a rigorous, transparent commitment to international intellectual property standards. Sheet Music International acts as a legal collection agency and responsible repository with primary digital servers strategically located in both Canada and the United States.

We strictly adhere to the international legal guidelines established by the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. Because copyright laws are inherently territorial, we offer multiple historical editions of individual masterworks to ensure compliance within differing global jurisdictions.

We closely monitor and respect the "Life of the Composer + 70 Years" standard that governs the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. Furthermore, we maintain precision compliance regarding Canadian copyright parameters, where the modern transition to the Life+70 standard was explicitly non-retroactive. This legally preserves the public domain status of timeless masterpieces by classical composers who passed away prior to 1972, ensuring their permanent, free availability to our global audience. Sheet Music International maintains a strict policy of immediate removal under standard DMCA guidelines upon valid copyright notification, empowering musicians around the world to utilize our scores with absolute legal clarity.

Our Leadership & Editorial Team

Carl Reiter Founder and Curator

Music Director, Scottsdale Philharmonic Carl Reiter is a professional conductor, educator, and innovative entrepreneur who has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of Arizona. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Arizona State University and completed doctoral work at Northern Arizona University. As the Music Director of the Scottsdale Philharmonic, he has led the orchestra through 15 seasons of providing free classical music to the community.

His distinguished performance career includes tenure as a violinist and violist with the Phoenix Symphony and Tucson Symphony, and he has had the honor of performing for the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He also founded the Phoenix String Quartet and Scottsdale String Quartet.

In addition, Mr. Reiter has dedicated decades to music education, serving on the faculty of Grand Canyon University and teaching within the public school system. This unique blend of performance expertise and pedagogical experience drives his mission as the founder of Sheet Music International, where he curates one of the world's premier digital libraries for musicians.

Nancy Reiter, M.M.A.

Violinist, Scottsdale Philharmonic | Educator & Pedagogue Nancy Reiter is a distinguished violinist and dedicated educator with an extensive career in performance and pedagogy. She holds degrees from Western Michigan University,  Arizona State University, and a Master of Musical Arts from Western Kentucky University.  

Currently a member of the Scottsdale Philharmonic and the Phoenix String Quartet, her performance history includes the Lexington Philharmonic and Arizona Opera. A retired educator from Mesa Public Schools, she directed the Chaparral and North Canyon High School orchestras in performances at the Lincoln Center in New York City.

Joy Partridge, CPA

Co-Founder, Scottsdale Philharmonic | Principal & Owner, Partridge and Associates Joy Partridge offers a unique combination of financial expertise and artistic leadership. As the owner of Partridge and Associates, she provides the professional acumen necessary to sustain major non-profit arts organizations.

She is a co-founder of the Scottsdale Philharmoic  and has been a pivotal figure in the creation of numerous ensembles, including Musica Nova and the original Scottsdale Symphony. An accomplished violist, she currently performs in the viola section of the Scottsdale Philharmonic and formerly served as the Principal Violist of the original Scottsdale Symphony.

Dr. Walter Cosand

Professor Emeritus, Arizona State University | International Steinway Artist Dr. Walter Cosand is a world-renowned concert pianist and Professor Emeritus at the Arizona State University Herberger Institute. During his tenure at ASU, he served as the head of the piano department—recognized at the time as the 6th largest music school in the United States.

He holds a prestigious Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. As an International Steinway Artist,  Walter Cosand has performed in premier venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall. His personal website, WalterCosand.com, is a globally recognized resource for public domain sheet music.

A Rich History, A Diverse Collection

What began in 1993 as a collaborative effort among music teachers sharing student compositions online has evolved into the comprehensive collection you see today, meeting the needs of a wide range of users.

Our extensive collection includes:

• Master Composer Library: Featuring the standard classical repertoire.

• All Composers Library: A vast archive that also includes lesser-known works.

• School Music Library: Specifically designed for school band and orchestra students.

• Church Music Library: Includes hymns, with works cross-linked to music used by churches in other libraries.

• Personal Library: Your customizable space to bookmark music from any of our libraries, or to upload and store music from other sources. Music in your personal library can be shared with others on a limited, temporary basis.

     Sheet Music International is a public repository that serves as a collection agency with servers in Canada and the United States. We assume no liability or responsibility for downloading or uploading files not in public domain in your country. Please respect copyright laws in your country.

Promoting Classical Music: A Shared Mission

Sheet Music International is a key partner of the Scottsdale Philharmonic, driven by a mutual commitment to make classical music more available and accessible to global audiences.

Sheet Music International operates one of the world's largest collections of public domain classical sheet music. To ensure this vital cultural resource is widely shared, we offer completely free and unrestricted access to this archive in all languages.

This effort is fully aligned with the Scottsdale Philharmonic's vision to enhance the cultural environment. The Philharmonic achieves this through initiatives like affordable ticket prices, free concerts for students and veterans, free live streaming, and youth programs that provide high-quality music education to all students, regardless of background or ability.

The Vision Behind Sheet Music International

The impact of our library extends back to a revolutionary concept in music education. In 1993, our founder established one of the first music publication companies to grant educators the explicit right to photocopy materials for their students. This addressed a critical need for affordable access in the classroom and served as the direct precursor to this digital repository.

As a seasoned educator who has taught at the K-12 level and at Grand Canyon University, the goal has always been to democratize musical resources. This foresight into the potential of the internet led to the creation of SheetMusicInternational.com, which grew to become a premier global resource for musicians and students.

This commitment to the musical community is also reflected in the founding of the Scottsdale Philharmonic in 2012. Established to provide professional symphony concerts free of charge to the community, the orchestra represents a dedication to making high-level performance accessible to all.

The artistic foundation of this site is built on decades of professional performance. From receiving a first contract as a violist at age 14 to performing with the Phoenix and Tucson Symphonies, the standards of this library are set by active musicians. Our leadership has had the distinct honor of performing for the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court and the Vice President of the United States, cultivating a caliber of musicianship that informs every score in our collection.

Today, Sheet Music International continues this legacy, breaking down barriers to music learning and performance for a global audience.