Member Profiles, On the Cover

Leigh Pilzer

Sustaining the Swing Through Every Season Back in 2020, saxophonist and arranger Leigh Pilzer—like pretty much every other musician in the country—was figuring out how to navigate the far-reaching implications of a pandemic on the music industry. A DC native and longtime member of Local 161-710 (Washington, DC), Pilzer and a few colleagues had started […]

Ms. Bobbye Hall

A Star Behind the Scenes You have likely heard the artistry of Bobbye Hall without even realizing it. While her name might be a discovery for some, her distinctive percussion has graced the tracks of the world’s most beloved recording artists. A member of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA), Hall established her reputation in Detroit’s […]

Jennifer Wharton and John Fedchock

Double Trouble, Double Brass: How Two Trombonists Keep the Music (and the Marriage) Going It can be tough being partnered with another musician. Respective schedules can make it hard to see each other and spend quality time. And when both partners play the same instrument, that adds another level. The International Musician sat down with […]

Will Leathers: Trumpeter Hits High Notes On and Off Stage

There’s an old saying that age is no substitute for experience. For trumpet player Will Leathers of Local 257 (Nashville, TN), a more appropriate saying might be that it’s not the years in your life but the life in your years that counts. A Mississauga, Ontario, native, Leathers is currently principal trumpet in both the Nashville […]

For Dani Lee Hutch, Music Director of Suffs Tour, a Love of Stories Fuels a Crucial History Lesson

Danielle Lee Hutchison of Local 802 (New York City) says she has always loved a good story. Indeed, it’s one of the reasons she decided to pursue a career in musical theater. As keyboardist and music director for the national tour of the Broadway musical Suffs, Hutchison—who goes by the professional name of Dani Lee […]

Transcending Borders

Ilya Toshinskiy’s Unlikely Path to Becoming a Top Nashville Session Musician In conversation with bluegrass artist Ilya Toshinskiy, one of the first things you notice after his dry and easy wit is his unusually accented English. Growing up as he did in a small city near Moscow, of course you’d expect to hear Russian inflections […]

Rocke’s Mission to Elevate the Contrabassoon and DEI in Classical Music

With diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives under attack on multiple fronts in our current political climate, it stands to reason one of the ways to counter these threats is greater visibility. So believes Kai Rocke, a member of Local 99 (Portland, OR) and a bassoonist and contrabassoonist with Oregon Symphony. “At a very basic […]

Vista Philharmonic Orchestra Musicians Organize for Union Protection

The International Musician regularly features success stories about musical groups that have organized under the Federation. These victories illustrate how working musicians can receive fair treatment and a living wage through AFM membership. Such achievements not only strengthen our union, they also enhance the resilience of the music industry. Successful organizing campaigns are always gratifying […]

Bravo: Local 5 Honors 80-Year Member

June 29, 2025

Local 5 (Detroit, MI) held a luncheon on May 19 to celebrate its 30- and 50-year members. This year, percussionist Philip (Phil Gram) Grameno marked 80 years of continuous membership. Local 5 President George Troia Jr. says, “Occasionally, we have someone attaining a higher status, but rarely 80 years.” The plaque read, “Detroit Federation of […]

Somebody Someone

Harmony in the Hustle: Austin Musician’s Vision for Collective Empowerment One priority set at the last AFM Convention was working to better support efforts to organize independent (freelance) musicians at the local level. One place where the indie musician scene is flourishing is Austin, Texas, under the jurisdiction of Local 433. But what is it […]