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.

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International Musician, Music Business, Organizing

AFM Fair Share for Musicians Road to Negotiations  

Contract negotiations for AFM’s Basic Theatrical Motion Picture and Basic Television Motion Picture Agreements with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) will begin January 22 in Los Angeles, California.  Planning for the upcoming negotiations began in 2021 with the steering committee and rank-and-file musicians collaborating with the AFM director of organizing to […]


FIM Presidium Visits AFM Office in New York

by Benoît Machuel, International Federation of Musicians General Secretary With the Presidium of the International Federation of Musicians (FIM)*, I had the privilege of being received by the AFM IEB on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at the AFM headquarters in New York. Initially scheduled for March 2020, this meeting was postponed to December 2021 due […]


Touring/Theatre/Booking Division

On the Road Again: 2021-2022 Season Saw 22 Pamphlet B Shows Touring by George Fiddler, AFM Director of Touring/Theatre/Booking Division and Assistant to the President This month’s Theater issue features a cover story about Julie Ferrara of Local 802 (New York City), reed player on the current Frozen tour and steward for its 11-member orchestra. […]


Labor Day Marches and Performances

The Musician Performance Trust Fund sponsored over 220 events in the US and Canada in recognition of Labor Day 2022. “A Celebration of Live Music, a Labor of Love” showcased the impact admission-free live music can have in communities.


Julie Landsman: Guiding Light for Women Brass Players


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.




2021 YEAR IN REVIEW — In Unity, There Is Strength

January The Riot on Capitol Hill On January 6, a violent mob of President Donald Trump supporters sought to overturn his defeat in the 2020 presidential election by disrupting the joint session of Congress assembled to formalize President-elect Joe Biden’s victory. On January 7, AFM President Ray Hair issued this statement: “The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and […]


November IM Cover

Lily Ling Takes Her Shot


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.




Symphonic Resurrection

by Meredith Snow, ICSOM Chair and Member of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) After 15 months of pandemic paralysis, our orchestras are going back to work. The quick nationwide rollout of vaccines by the Biden administration is creating the possibility of a near-normal summer season and the probability of a full return this fall. It […]


Michelle Seto: Chamber Orchestra Musician Comes Full Circle


When Michelle Seto of Local 406 (Montreal, PQ) joined Les Violons du Roy in 1992, the unique chamber orchestra had a very short season and minimal benefits for its musician members. Seto says that through hard work and solidarity, the group has achieved international acclaim and has elevated its status to being one of the […]




Getting Back to Gigging, the Right Way

As restaurants and bars start opening and live events and weddings are being scheduled, opportunities for musicians are also coming back strong. Many musicians are eager to kick-start their stalled calendar of regular gigs and get out and play again. When getting back to business, take the time to do it right.








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