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.
October 1, 2022
With astonishing speed, the musicians of the former San Antonio Symphony, Local 23 (San Antonio, TX) have launched a brand new organization.
Read MoreOctober 1, 2022
Calling Sandra Wong of Local 1000 (Nongeographic), one quickly realizes the cell phone connection is slightly dodgy. “I live up in the foothills outside of Boulder, Colorado,” says Wong. “I’m off grid on a Jeep road, and my place is solar powered.” For some, this might be an inconvenience. For Wong, a violinist, it’s a […]
Read MoreJune 30, 2022
A typical orchestral tuba weighs about 25 pounds, which is less than you might expect. Local 77 (Philadelphia, PA) member Carol Jantsch, principal tuba of the Philadelphia Orchestra, has been used to lugging that weight around since she started playing the instrument at the age of 12. These days, though, she is carrying an added few pounds on top of that. Jantsch is expecting her first child—a girl—in late July.
Read MoreJune 1, 2022
Theresa Hanebury and Nancy Goodearl of Local 65-699 (Houston, TX) When two of Houston’s busiest brass players, who also happen to be a couple, want to share some downtime together, it can sometimes require comparing calendars. It’s a scenario that will be familiar to just about every musician couple anywhere. Nancy Goodearl, a horn player […]
Read MoreJune 1, 2022
Premiering a new piece of music, as with any new work of art, is an awesome responsibility involving creativity and imagination—and sheer hard work. This month, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) Concertmaster Juliana Athayde of Local 66 (Rochester, NY) gave the world premiere of a new violin concerto by acclaimed Grammy-winning composer Roberto Sierra, who recently […]
Read MoreMay 1, 2022
Violist Wendy Richman of Locals 802 (New York City) and 47 (Los Angeles, CA) has made contemporary music her main focus on both coasts.
Read MoreApril 1, 2022
Michiko Singh of Local 190 (Winnipeg, MB), a member WSO’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) committee, says that by reaching out to the community the orchestra is able to develop fresh ideas to bring people into the hall.
Read MoreApril 1, 2022
Considering how to increase diversity in North America’s orchestras often leads to a chicken-versus-egg dilemma: Tackle it from the top down with recruitment in conservatories and colleges? Or is it best addressed from the bottom up, investing in and improving grade school music programs in underserved areas? Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) member John Lofton, […]
Read MoreFebruary 28, 2022
Horn player Julie Landsman of Locals 802 (New York City) and 47 (Los Angeles, CA) boasts a decades-long legacy of pioneering achievement in a male-dominated field.
Read MoreDecember 1, 2021
The words “jazz” and “viola” aren’t two things you often hear in the same sentence. But busy working musicians need to find ways to keep things fresh, which can frequently lead them down some unconventional paths. Violist Leslie DeShazor of Local 5 (Detroit, MI) has enthusiastically embraced a wide variety of these paths, keeping her […]
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