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Jeeyoon Kim: Pianist Reinvents the Onstage Performance

December 1, 2021

Jeeyoon Kim’s performances are unique among concert pianists. She walks onto the stage and up to a microphone. In a short, poetic introduction she invites the audience to go on a journey with her. There are no programs to leaf through during the concert; these are handed out at the end. Instead, Kim delivers the […]

Battling the Holiday Blues

December 1, 2021

The holiday season should be a joyful time, but instead, many find themselves struggling. This is especially true in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which so many musicians have faced the loss of loved ones, a lack of work, and long periods of isolation. Here are a few ways to weather the holiday […]

Lily Ling Takes Her Shot

November 1, 2021

Lily Ling, member of Local 149 (Toronto, ON), first female music director of a Hamilton touring company. Ling’s association with Hamilton began in 2017 when she joined “Philip”—another of the touring productions—as associate music director. In her current role, she sees herself as a quality control manager, explaining that it’s her job to maintain the vision of the show’s creators, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alex Lacamoire.

When It Comes to Air Travel, Preparation Is Key to Keeping Your Instrument Safe

November 1, 2021

Commercial air travel with a musical instrument can be a challenging and nerve-wracking experience. Handing over luggage is one thing, but a valuable instrument is quite another. With advance preparation, that is, reviewing airline regulations and following these guidelines, the process can go much more smoothly—and reduce your stress in this new age of air […]

You Can’t Hear What You Can’t Hear

November 1, 2021

For more than 20 years, I was a double bassist with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and for at least 10 of those years I sat directly in front of the brass section. They were on risers and their bells pointed at the back of my head. Pretty early in my career I started to lose some hearing in the higher frequencies on the right side. The left ear was spared by the shielding effect of my skull as the sound hit my right ear sooner and with more intensity. While my brass colleagues are wonderful musical players, there is simply no avoiding the full impact of their sound. I was fitted with a custom earplug for the right ear and although the sound was uneven—the left ear is open, while the right ear is “filtered”—over time, I adjusted.

Electronic Replacement: A Challenge for All Musicians

November 1, 2021

by Heather Boehm, Theatre Musicians Association President and Member of Local 10-208 (Chicago, IL) As box-office hit musicals return, we’re thankful for the artistically fulfilling repertoire and stable paycheck they provide for musicians. However, we are being challenged as our theater contracts must address modern music software and programming technology¬ (devices such as KeyComp, Ableton, […]

Second Annual MPTF Scholarships Awarded

October 26, 2021

The Recording Industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) has announced the recipients of the 2021 Music Family Scholarships. The 101 winners will share over $100,000 in awards for their editorial reflections on the unity and inclusivity live music brings to their communities across North America. The MPTF established this scholarship during a time of great […]

Strike Averted as IATSE and Studios Reach Tentative Contract Deal

October 18, 2021

Just hours before it was scheduled, a strike was averted last month by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), with the union reaching a tentative three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). “Everything achieved was because you, the members, stood up and gave us the power to change […]

Virtual OCSM Conference Yields Insight as We Build Back Better

October 1, 2021

by Elizabeth Andrews, OCSM Secretary, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra Member, and Member of Locals 149 (Toronto, ON) and 293 (Hamilton, ON) From August 4 to 6, 2021, the Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians (OCSM) held its annual conference, once again meeting online due to the ongoing risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The delegates had met online in mid-June to report on […]

Orchestra Members Gather Virtually for 2021 ROPA Conference

October 1, 2021

Earlier this spring it became apparent that the Regional Orchestra Players Association (ROPA) conference would be held virtually for a second year. We considered the impact of the COVID crisis on our orchestras and the resulting financial hits our musicians and locals had taken, as well as the hesitancy of many of our members to […]