Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
June 1, 2021
IM -In mid-April, exactly 400 days after its last live indoor performance, the New York Philharmonic welcomed an audience for a concert at the Shed in New York City. The orchestra’s home venue at Lincoln Center is currently closed for renovations.
Led by guest conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, the Philharmonic, whose musicians are members of Local 802 (New York City), performed “Entr’acte” by Caroline Shaw, “Rakastava” by Sibelius, and “Metamorphosen” by Strauss.
Putting safety first, the audience was required to be masked, socially distanced, and either tested or vaccinated for Covid-19. The HVAC system, working overtime to ventilate the space, was an audible drone throughout the performance.
Last summer and fall, the New York Philharmonic gave pop-up performances outdoors, riding around the city in a rented pickup truck. The concert truck is expected to be back on the road this spring.