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.
This installment in the Modern Drummer Legends series about drummer Alex Van Halen of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA), includes Van Halen’s three Modern Drummer cover stories, transcriptions of classic Van Halen tracks, beats, and fills, a deep dive into his unique snare sound, and a 2020 interview. Modern Drummer Legends: Alex Van Halen, Modern […]
This collection, compiled by Sonora Slocum, principal flutist of the Milwaukee Symphony and member of Local 8 (Milwaukee, WI) and Local 802 (New York City), features some of the most popular flute repertoire by French composers, including Busser, Faure, Gaubert, Hue, Ravel, Saint-Saens, and Taffanel. French Music for Flute, compiled by Sonora Slocum, Alphonse Leduc […]
This collection presents 31 pieces by 15 composers for intermediate to advanced level players. Pieces include works by Bach, Beethoven, Dvorak, Brahms, Handel, Mozart, Leclair, Seitz, Tchaikovsky, Telemann, and Schubert. Includes piano accompaniment part. Giant Book of Violin Classics (for Violin and Piano), G. Schirmer, Inc., www.halleonard.com.
Hall of Ghosts was composed in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown period; it was inspired by piccoloist Gudrun Hinze’s video for Harberg’s Prayer Project filmed in the hauntingly empty Gewandhaus Chamber Music Hall. Evocative of imagined spirits in the empty hall, the music pits dramatic silences, amid searching and plaintive phrases of the piccolo, against […]
Composed for renowned hornist Andrew Pelletier, a member of Local 5 (Detroit, MI) and Local 15-286 (Toledo, OH), Adler’s Cantilena is a two-movement contemporary affair perfect for the recital program. The first movement begins “slowly and very expressively,” as Adler fashions his horn song based on a traditional Jewish chant. Alternatively, the second movement is […]
Learn how to efficiently use your online presence to promote your band, your music, or yourself with the totally revised third edition. The updated book reveals the latest insider tips on how to use both the most popular social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok in conjunction with your website and mailing list […]
Tableaux de peintres russes (The Pictures of Russian Painters) is one of the most popular compositions for piano of prominent 20th century Ukrainian composer Igor Shamo. The pieces burst with rich imagery, poetry, lyricism and humor, drama and energy. They highlight the characteristic features of Shamo’s musical style: beautiful melodic lines, enriched by suave harmonies, […]
This is the story of one of the most important female recording artists of the last 50 years. Joni Mitchell, a longtime member of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA), began singing in small nightclubs in her hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan before busking in the streets and nightclubs of Toronto, Ontario. In 1965, she moved to […]
The Essence of Bebop is the new series by New York saxophonist Jim Snidero, a member of Local 802 (New York City). The Essence of Bebop reveals the heart and soul of this groundbreaking jazz style and is the first real “manual” for mastering bebop. The 10 studies are inspired by master musicians, offering a […]
With the baroque writings of Bach for solo instrument in mind, Beffa has created two freestanding movements to evoke that style. Copious use of doublestops enhance the cello line, as Beffa explains, just like strengthening the contour lines of a drawing using charcoal technique creates the illusion of volume. For advanced cellists. Litanies (For Solo […]