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.
February 16, 2014
On February 13, President Barack Obama announced his nomination of Dr. Jane Chu as Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. Chu is President and CEO of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri, a position she has held since 2006. Chu received a B.M. in Piano Performance and a B.M.Ed. in Music […]
February 12, 2014
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concertmaster, Frank Almond, returned to the stage this past Monday with the 1715 Lipinski Stradivarius in hand. Both Frank and the Stradivarius violin received a standing ovation before the performance even began. Frank Almond played the recently recovered Lipinski Stradivarius violin for a packed house at the Wilson Center for Arts in […]
February 10, 2014
Musicnotes.com, the world’s top sheet music e-retailer and publisher, have released the top love songs played in 2013. Musicnotes.com ranked the list of top ten songs by the number of downloads. “Music is certainly about passion, and these love songs capture a wide range of romance, emotion and passion,” announced Kathleen Marsh via press release. Kathleen […]
February 7, 2014
The stolen “Lipinski” Stradivarius was recovered late Wednesday night according to Milwaukee police. The 300-year-old Stradivarius violin was stolen last week in an armed robbery after a performance at Wisconsin Lutheran College. The violin, which is valued at over $5 million, was found in a suitcase in the attic of a Milwaukee residence. The Stradivarius […]
February 5, 2014
President of AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, released a statement on NLRB Election Rules. -February 5th- We applaud the National Labor Relations Board for proposing these common-sense rules to reduce delay in the NLRB election process. Similar rules were adopted by the NLRB more than two years ago after an exhaustive public rulemaking process. The rules were […]
February 5, 2014
The Milwaukee County district attorney’s office has confirmed that three people were arrested in connection with the Stradivarius violin that was stolen from the concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra last week. No other information was revealed about the arrests, and it still remains unclear if the violin has been recovered. The violin, known as […]
February 3, 2014
After 17 hit seasons performing on one of the world’s most popular TV programs, Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), the 28 men and women of the show’s live backing band—the Harold Wheeler Orchestra and Singers—have been fired. Producers of the show say the group will be replaced with pre-existing sound recordings and a “small electric […]
February 1, 2014
According to the AFL-CIO, 3.5 million hourly workers earning minimum wage are living on about $15,000 per year. Also, most working families in the US have lost about $4,000 in income every year for the past decade. While 13 states raised their minimum wage at the beginning of this year, there needs to be an […]
February 1, 2014
Eighteen months after Connecticut became the first state to require employers to provide paid sick days, a survey from researchers at the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) showed the law has had minimal effects on businesses, and has led to little or no increase in costs. Among the other findings of the study, employee […]
February 1, 2014
A The New York Times article uncovered numerous labor abuses at the hands of overseas suppliers to the US government. According to its investigation, Uncle Sam purchases around $1.5 million in clothing from factories exploiting workers with little regard for working conditions. The purchased uniforms are resold to federal workers. Among the companies was Missouri-based […]