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.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE AFM



Home » Resources » Health » Making Music Improves Behavior in Children


Making Music Improves Behavior in Children

  -  

A study led by Canadian psychologist E. Glenn Schellenberg of the University of Toronto-Mississauga confirmed that making music improves behavior in children. The study included 84 third and fourth graders from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds who were enrolled in public school. Half of the participants took a weekly 40-minute group ukulele class that included singing, playing, improvisation, ear training, and sight reading. During the class children were encouraged to interact.

At the beginning and end of the school year the students took a series of tests to measure vocabulary, pro-social skills, ability to read emotions, and sympathy with others. Students who initially scored low on sympathy and helpfulness developed those qualities at above-average rates after taking group music lessons for a full school year. The changes in the students who took a group ukulele class occurred whether or not they attended the class voluntarily. The researchers say that the results, which were reported in the online journal PLOS One, showed that music  “fosters social cohesion, cooperation, and a pro-social orientation.”







NEWS