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.
April 26, 2022
The 102nd Convention of the American Federation of Musicians will be held at the Westgate Hotel & Casino (3000 Paradise Road; Las Vegas, NV 89109), beginning Monday, June 26, and concluding Thursday, June 29, 2023,
April 1, 2022
Within days of the first the Russian attack on Ukraine in February, support for the Ukrainian people fighting for their freedom began to ring out in performing arts venues worldwide. From the Ukrainian national anthem performed by the Metropolitan Opera and Orchestra while the opera house was lit up in blue and yellow, to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra recording and releasing a video performance of “Prayer for Ukraine,” musicians at countless AFM orchestras are using their art form to raise awareness and promote solidarity.
April 1, 2022
Musicians of the San Antonio Symphony continue their strike, pushing for a fair contract for 72 full-time musicians. The musicians, members of Local 23 (San Antonio, TX), went on strike September 27 in response to management’s imposed contract that reduced the number of full-time musicians and cut wages. They have rejected the symphony board’s last offer […]
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, […]
February 25, 2022
Members of Local 72-147 (Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX) held an informational leafleting on February 11, before the 8 p.m. performance of Casa Mañana’s production of Matilda: the Musical. Casa Mañana Theatre is in the hot seat for replacing musicians with prerecorded tracks for the mainstage production of Matilda, a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the theater and Local 72-147. The union has […]
February 25, 2022
Major Texas unions, labor, and progressive groups gathered in San Antonio on February 18 to make noise for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and to deride its number one opponent in the US House, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-D), who has come under fire for his record of voting against the interests of […]
February 1, 2022
Toward the end of December, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) announced a significant expansion of its preprofessional fellowship for Black musicians. Since 2007, the program has selected a new musician every two years for performance opportunities and professional development training. Now, multiple musicians will be accepted and provided with more extensive developmental support. The program […]
January 29, 2022
The National Alliance for Audition Support (NAAS)—a partnership between the Sphinx Organization, New World Symphony, and the League of American Orchestras—has been awarded a grant of $1.95 million by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Created in 2018, NAAS is an unprecedented national and field-wide initiative with the long-term goal of increasing diversity in American orchestras. […]
January 29, 2022
The Baltimore Symphony Musicians Foundation has launched a new program dedicated to teaching and mentoring young Black and Hispanic/Latinx students who are committed to study music. The Teaching and Mentoring Program for Orchestra (TEMPO) will pair students with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) musicians to help students refine their skills and master the repertoire, while also […]
January 29, 2022
On January 4, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced a monetary settlement of $276,406 to resolve a complaint against the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO). The organization violated federal labor law by breaching the terms of its last contract with SSO’s 71 musicians. The Orchestra Musicians’ Committee offered to drop all charges against SSO and […]