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 1, 2020
Musicians are facing a struggle during 2020 and into 2021. Gigs are gone. Bars are closed. Tours have ended. Teaching Zoom lessons is the new norm. Everything about the gigging life has been disrupted, and for some, that may mean a disruption in self-care. How do you maintain your body condition while enduring the pandemic? […]
November 1, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted more aspects of the music industry than just recording and performing; it has also interrupted a scientific study aimed at better understanding and therefore treating mental health issues affecting touring musicians. After six months on hiatus, however, the Tour Health Research Initiative recently restarted collecting data through its online survey, […]
September 30, 2020
As everyone knows all too well, the COVID-19 pandemic has decimated the music industry. Whether it is from the prohibition of live music in bars and restaurants, the furloughing of orchestral players, or the shuttering of recording studios, musicians have been walking a high wire for seven months. Everyone has been wondering where their next […]
September 1, 2020
An aerosol study commissioned by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), and a coalition of more than 125 performing arts organizations has generated a second set of preliminary results that provides further optimism for mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on performing arts activities. Preceded by […]
August 6, 2020
by Adam T. Schwalje MD, DMA and Henry T. Hoffman MD COVID-19 is a severe and dangerous disease. Its heart-wrenching infectivity and virulence hit home for many musicians, as we learned of the several choirs which were affected by superspreading events early in the pandemic. One was in Amsterdam, where 102 of 130 participants wound […]
June 9, 2020
Stress has two elements: an external stimulus, and our response to that stimulus. Here are some tips to help lower that stress during COVID-19.
May 1, 2020
May is Better Hearing Month, so what better time to think about the value of your ears? Check out these results from Todd’s hearing protection field test.
March 31, 2020
The coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of March 23, has spread to 187 countries and tallied over 294,000 confirmed cases, with more than 13,000 deaths.
March 1, 2020
It’s so important to look after your mental health as a musician; it’s what helps you create, interpret, play, and enjoy music.
February 3, 2020
by Eva Stern, Member of Local 134 (Jamestown, NY), Violist with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and Teacher of Pilates and Movement for Musicians If you’re reading this article, then good news—you’re breathing! However, it’s a common thing for many of us to breathe shallowly, and even periodically hold our breath, as we move through our […]