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.
May 1, 2026
by Gabe Kristal, AFM Director of Organizing Services My tenure as director of the AFM Organizing Services Department is nearing two and a half years, although it feels as if I just started yesterday. It is a daunting challenge to create a department from whole cloth. We have worked to build Organizing Services with equal […]
Read MoreMay 1, 2026
For musicians who play the Lower Broadway club circuit in downtown Nashville, conversations about what it takes to make a living almost always come down to the same issues: low base pay, erratic tip jar policies, difficult load-in conditions, problems with third party booking agents, and venues that treat performers as an afterthought. Local 257 […]
Read MoreMay 1, 2026
Sometimes nonunion groups make the collective push for union protection because of a single large-scale event by an intractable management, perhaps pushing musicians into a corner. More often, the decision to unionize is the result of a series of restrictive or unacceptable work conditions that underscore a need to organize for the safeguarding and overall […]
Read MoreMay 1, 2026
Musicians are especially prone to focal dystonia, a debilitating condition that is caused by the loss of muscle control in highly practiced movements. For pianists and guitar players it’s usually the ring finger of the right hand that’s stricken. Experts now speculate that Glenn Gould, famous for his irregular posture at the piano, likely had […]
Read MoreApril 30, 2026
When the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) Board of Trustees announced its decision not to renew Music Director Andris Nelsons’ contract earlier this year, the dismissal came as a surprise to audiences and musicians alike. The musicians of the orchestra, whose artistry and commitment have made the BSO one of the most celebrated ensembles in the […]
Read MoreApril 1, 2026
by Beth Zare, AFM Diversity Committee Chair At a moment when conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are being challenged across institutions, the Diversity Committee of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada is choosing a different path: going deeper, getting more specific, and making a real commitment to […]
Read MoreApril 1, 2026
by Keith Carrick, International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians Chair As I’m writing this, much of my time is spent planning the 2026 International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) Conference, which will be held this summer in Honolulu and hosted by AFM Local 677 (Honolulu, HI) and the musicians of the Hawai‘i […]
Read MoreApril 1, 2026
by Steve Wade, Regional Orchestra Players Association President The Regional Orchestra Players Association (ROPA) will come to the Lone Star State for its annual conference in 2026. The general session begins in Dallas on Tuesday, July 28, and ends on Thursday, July 30. In addition, the AFM Symphonic Services Division (SSD) Negotiation Workshop will take […]
Read MoreApril 1, 2026
by Robert Fraser, Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians President En Français This summer will mark 50 years since the first Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians (OCSM) Conference, and the formation of its first executive board. That daylong event was held at the Hotel Triumph in Toronto, Ontario, on August 15, 1976. I can’t find much […]
Read MoreApril 1, 2026
Brass and woodwind players create versatile, dynamic music. Generating that sound gives their lungs a serious respiratory workout so it’s critical that players maintain a clean instrument. It’s not the glamorous part of the job—think of a trumpeter’s spit valve and the excessive moisture that collects in a clarinet mouthpiece—but consider the cleaning as part […]
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