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.
December 5, 2018
Kirill Serebrennikov, a leading stage and film director in Russia, is currently directing a production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte from 1,400 miles away.
Read MoreDecember 5, 2018
A customer insight report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) recently found that 38% of consumers are still obtaining music illegally.
Read MoreDecember 5, 2018
The piece, one of the few works arranged and performed at Auschwitz to remain in tact, is titled “The Most Beautiful Time of Life” (Die Schönste Zeit des Lebens).
Read MoreDecember 1, 2018
At its annual meeting in October, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) announced an increase in ticket revenue for the 2017-2018 season. At $23.3 million, sales were $1.1 million higher than the previous season. CSO boasted an 86% subscription renewal rate for its main series—a high rate within the industry.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2018
In late September, musicians of the Washington National Opera and Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestras ratified three-year agreements retroactive to September 1, 2018.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2018
Today, each of the Local 257 (Nashville, TN) members remains steadfast in his dedication to Punch Brothers, which released its fifth studio album, All Ashore, in July. Their first self-produced album is a nine-movement suite of interconnected themes and stories.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2018
This recording of Handel’s “Messiah” features the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, members of Local 40-543 (Baltimore, MD), the Concert Artists of Baltimore Symphonic Chorale, Soprano Jennifer O’Loughlin, Alto Diana Moore, Tenor Nicholas Phan, and Bass Sidney Outlaw.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2018
Commissioned by the Trustees of the Saint-Gaudens Memorial and written in celebration of the Cornish Colony and Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the composition … into the blue captures elements of the landscape, artwork, and friendships memorialized at the National Historic site.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2018
Musicians of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra (VSO) voted overwhelmingly to ratify an agreement negotiated by a dedicated orchestra committee, represented by Local 9-535 (Boston, MA) and VSO management.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2018
John Legend of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) released his first-ever holiday album, featuring eight holiday classics, such as “Silver Bells” and “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” as well as six new holiday tunes.
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