Tag Archives: AFM

International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians, Player Conferences

ICSOM Delegates Gather in Philadelphia

October 5, 2015 IM

by Laura Ross, ICSOM Secretary and member of Local 257 (Nashville, TN)

ICSOM Chair Bruce Ridge of Local 500 (Raleigh, NC), flanked by outgoing ICSOM Board officers Matt Comerford (left) of Local 10-208 (Chicago, IL) and Brian Rood of Local 34-627 (Kansas City, MO).

This year’s International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians (ICSOM) Conference, held August 26-29 at the Sonesta Philadelphia Hotel, celebrated advocacy and diversity, and provided labor law education and important negotiating and contract administration ideas and information. Local 77 (Philadelphia, PA) pulled out all the stops to partner with The Philadelphia Orchestra musicians. Delegates and guests toured the Kimmel Center and attended a lovely mixer on a patio overlooking the center and the Academy of Music. They were also treated to a double-deck bus tour of some Philadelphia landmarks and historical sites, including the Liberty Bell and the Art Institute, where they were given a chance to run up its 72 steps and pose by the statue of Rocky Balboa.

The ICSOM Governing Board, with the assistance of Philadelphia Orchestra cellist Gloria dePasquale, scheduled a volunteer service the afternoon before the conference officially began. ICSOM delegates, officers, and members partnered with Philadelphia Orchestra musicians to provide music, greeters, and servers at Broad Street Ministry, which is right across the street from the Kimmel Center. Housed in a beautiful old sanctuary, with artwork hanging from the rafters, this organization supplies hundreds of Philadelphia’s homeless with meals, clothing, and other necessities. Musicians from Atlanta, Chicago Lyric, Dallas, Fort Worth, Hawaii, Kansas City, the Kennedy Center, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Nashville, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Utah orchestras performed and served during the dinner hour.

Wednesday morning, the conference began with stirring addresses by ICSOM Chair Bruce Ridge (North Carolina Symphony/Local 500) and ICSOM President Brian Rood (Kansas City Symphony/Local 34-627). Keynote speaker Dr. Jane Chu, the 11th and current chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, shared her history as the child of Chinese immigrant parents. Chu, who was born in Oklahoma, spoke about how music shaped her life and enabled her to honor different perspectives and ideas.

ICSOM volunteer musicians and Philadelphia Orchestra members performed and served at Broad Street Ministry, which serves Philadelphia’s homeless population.

Metropolitan Opera Orchestra trombonist Weston Sprott of Local 802 (New York City) spoke briefly about the importance of music education. He is featured in a new film, Some Kind of Spark. It documents the impact of Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program (MAP), which offers lessons to talented, inner-city kids. Media veteran Randy Whatley of Cypress Media Group returned for his third ICSOM Conference to discuss lessons learned during the past few years of lockouts and potential job actions.

Joe Conyers (The Philadelphia Orchestra assistant principal bass/Local 77) spoke about the formation of Project 440, an organization that trains young musicians to serve their communities through classical music. Allison Beck, director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), spoke about changes at FMCS and negotiation and relation-building assistance. She served as mediator and FMCS advisor during both the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra negotiations and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s lockout in 2014.

ICSOM Counsel Susan Martin led her third informative session of Delegate Duel, as four orchestra groups, along with AFM staff and local officers, competed to show off their understanding of labor law. AFM President Ray Hair’s presentation followed an explanation of the newly ratified Integrated Media Agreement (IMA).

Delegates learned about a documentary film and survey that update a 1987 ICSOM performance anxiety survey. They heard updates on the AFM & Employers’ Pension Fund. Leaders of the Regional Orchestra Players Association (ROPA), Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians (OCSM), Theater Musicians Association (TMA), and Recording Musicians Association (RMA) spoke to delegates. Delegates were given the opportunity to submit questions for a moderated session with AFM Symphonic Services Division staff.

(Above) ICSOM Governing Board (L to R): Senza Sordino Editor Peter de Boor (Local 161-710/Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra); Member-at-large (MAL) Matt Comerford (Local 10-208/Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra); Chair Bruce Ridge (Local 500/North Carolina Symphony); National Endowment for the Arts Chair Jane Chu; President Brian Rood (Local 34-627/Kansas City Symphony); Treasurer Michael Moore (Local 148-462/Atlanta Symphony Orchestra);
MAL Meredith Snow (Local 47/Los Angeles Philharmonic); MAL Jennifer Mondie (Local 161-710/National Symphony Orchestra); Secretary Laura Ross (Local 257/Nashville Symphony);
and MAL Paul Gunther, (Local 30-73/Minnesota Orchestra).

On the final day, attorneys Mel Schwarzwald and Joe Porcaro discussed bargaining presentations, information requests, and confidentiality agreements. Town meeting discussions included increased interest in finding solutions to protect musicians’ hearing from the excessive decibel levels that orchestras are dealing with as they perform more amplified pops and special concerts.

Delegates also dealt with bylaw changes and passed resolutions to honor outgoing ICSOM President Brian Rood, who stepped down at the end of the conference after serving 12 years as president, as well as Member-at-large and former ICSOM Electronic Media Chair Matt Comerford (Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra/Local 10-208). They also acknowledged the contributions of former ICSOM webmaster Charles Noble (Oregon Symphony/Local 99), retiring governing board members Mary Plaine (Member-at-large, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra/Local 40-543), and Nancy Griffin (ICSOM Secretary, Seattle Symphony/Local 76-493). Delegates recognized conductors Robert Spano and Donald Runnicles, members of 148-462 (Atlanta, GA), for their support of musicians during last year’s Atlanta Symphony Orchestra lockout. Additional resolutions acknowledged OCSM’s 40th and TMA’s 20th anniversaries, and offered support for Hartford Symphony Orchestra musicians. Finally, resolutions thanked ICSOM Braumeister Robert Grossman (Philadelphia Orchestra/Local 77) for creating five different beers for the conference, and every member delegate signed on to urge Colorado Symphony musicians to remain in the AFM.

The 2016 ICSOM Conference will be held in Washington, DC.

Taxi Drivers Worldwide Rally Against Uber

September 30, 2015 IM

Taxi drivers in cities around the globe continue protest against Uber. Hundreds of New York Taxi Workers’ Alliance drivers protested outside the New York State governor’s office in Manhattan, demanding he drop plays to give transportation companies like Uber a special law to allow them to dispatch fares to private motorists in personal cars. In Edmonton, Canada, shirtless taxi drivers interrupted a council meeting on the subject, while the city of Vancouver has passed a moratorium on Uber. Brussel taxi driver’s, furious over Uber’s launch of a service allowing private car owners to carry passengers, participated in a 1,000-taxi parade from Brussels North station to a press conference at Place Schumann.

International Transportation Workers’ Federation (ITF) Secretary Mac Urata says: “This coordinated union and employer action demonstrates the strength of anger around the world about Uber and other so-called ‘ride-share’ operators, which use private vehicles. We fear they put at risk the welfare of their drivers, the safety of passengers, and the livelihoods of millions of regulated taxi drivers. The ITF, the EFT [IFT Europe], and their affiliates are determined to put a stop to Uber’s illegal actions and bring them to the level playing field with the rest of the taxi industry.

Legislative Update

2016 AFM Diversity Awards: Recognizing Innovation and Union Building

September 9, 2015 Alfonso Pollard

The “Official Call” for Diversity Award nominations will appear in the October edition of the International Musician, as well as on AFM social media sites. In preparation, we will take a look at the role of diversity in our labor union and the process of recognizing members through the Diversity Awards.

Celebrating the diversity of the American Labor Movement is a cornerstone of virtually every AFL-CIO affiliated national and international union. The AFM Diversity Committee has the responsibility to monitor and assist locals while interacting with numerous outside labor organizations to strengthen the purpose and foundation of the labor movement by ensuring access for every American worker.

Several vital AFL-CIO affiliated constituency groups are in place to help us achieve our goals. The AFM has a long history of interaction with each of them. These groups include the AFL-CIO Civil Rights and Women’s Rights Department, the A. Philip Randolph Institute, the AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, and Pride at Work. These national organizations help ensure that every constituent of the labor movement has a voice in organizing, governance, and politics.

AFM Diversity Committee members outside the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, last year. At that meeting were: AFM President Ray Hair, Director of Organizing & Education Paul Frank, Legislative-Political & Diversity Director Alfonso Pollard, Diversity Committee Chair and Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) then Vice President John Acosta, Local 5 (Detroit, MI) Secretary-Treasurer Susan Barna Ayoub, Otis Ducker of Local 161-710 (Washington, DC), Ernie Durawa of Local 433 (Austin, TX), Miho Matsuno of Local 802 (New York City), Paul Harwood of Local 406 (Quebec Musicians’ Guild), Local 174-496 (New Orleans, LA) President Deacon John Moore, IEB Member and Local 105 President (Spokane, WA) Tina Morrison, Local 40-543 (Baltimore, MD) Secretary-Treasurer Mary Plaine, Madelyn Roberts of Local 586 (Phoenix, AZ), Lovie Smith Wright of
Local 65-699 (Houston, TX), and Local 6 (San Francisco, CA) Secretary-Treasurer Beth Zare

The AFM Diversity Awards were created to recognize outstanding examples of diversity in the Federation. As an arts and entertainment union, our organization is immersed in talent from a strong demographic base that represents every musical genre. The work of our members is rooted in musical excellence and recognition that every musician brings a level of professionalism that is unparalleled throughout the international music community. The AFM Diversity Committee plays a key role in supporting that diversity. It recognizes the innovation of our members every three years at the AFM Convention. This is where we highlight the best of the talents we possess through our tri-annual awards process.

It is important to note that selection is designed as an open process. The final determinations are made by outside labor-affiliated judges. These neutral adjudicators review the finalists’ applications and select the winning candidates. It is imperative that, as the selection process progresses throughout the “call” period, the Diversity Committee and union officials do the broadest outreach possible. Members that devote time and energy developing union-building projects that lead to growth through organizing help solidify the platform that serves as the foundation upon which the longevity of our institution depends. Every member of the union should be notified of the program and selection process so that all members, regardless of ethnicity or cultural background, have a chance to enter their unique programs and offerings for consideration.

The 2016 awards process is currently being tooled to ensure that the “call” for submissions will be transmitted well beyond our usual communications platforms. Social media will play a vital role, along with information submitted to membership through the usual local communications regimens. The AFM Diversity Committee’s job is to reach out to every musician in our union so that each has equal access to the submission and selection process. Winners are invited to the AFM Convention June 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the awards ceremony will take place.

Over the years, past award winners were honored for a range of accomplishments. At the 2013 convention, the Youth Award for an individual under 20 years of age went to James Francies, Jr. This award was renamed the Charles McDaniel Youth Awards in memory of Charles McDaniel, a longtime Diversity Committee member and youth advocate. Robin Fay Massie-Pighee received the Youth Award for an individual between the ages of 21 and 35 years. The Charles Walton Diversity Advocate Award went to AFM Local 140 Secretary-Treasurer Edward Zebrowski in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and the President’s Award went to AFM Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA).

The AFM Convention is a time to look forward. Key issues facing member musicians are discussed and resolved. Officials are elected to ensure AFM’s continued longevity and success. But the convention is also a time to honor locals and members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty as musicians and local AFM members.

Applications for 2016 award nominations will be available this fall. The official call will be announced in the October International Musician. We encourage every local and every member to step forward and nominate those who are doing extraordinary work on behalf of the union and the communities they live in and serve.

Executive Board Members, Officer Columns, Organizing

How to Encourage Union Membership

September 8, 2015 IM

by Tina Morrison, AFM International Executive Board Member and President of Local 105 (Spokane, WA)

There are some myths and false claims for why people are afraid to join the union. Here’s how to deal with those people and how to encourage union membership.

The conversation begins:

“Oh, so you’re a musician, too! Do you belong to the union? What union? Don’t you know about the American Federation of Musicians? I’m a member of Local XXX because I want to make music to the best of my ability, and to do so, I need appropriate compensation. While music making is an individual endeavor, everything work-related is part of a much bigger picture. My ability to work is impacted by outside influences beyond my control and that is where union membership is important. I’m individually responsible for my music making, but only with the leverage of a larger group of people with similar interests can I have influence on decisions that affect my ability to work making music. Join the union and become informed. All of the roads to being a working musician in the US or Canada lead back to the influence of the American Federation of Musicians.”

The union doesn’t do anything for me.

“Okay, so you joined the union and nothing changed. Did you join the union, or did you simply send in your application and dues and get into the database? The union isn’t a cable subscription service. It’s more like a gumball machine where you drop in the coin but actually have to reach into the spout, pick out the gumball, and then chew it to get the full flavor of what you paid for.

“The union is interactive with a key word being ‘active.’ Have you attended a new member orientation? Have you met with your local officers? Have you been to a union meeting? If you have, did you speak up? If you raised an issue was it in the context of ‘the union needs to fix _____?’ And then your perception is that nothing happened? Did you follow up with your local to find out whether your issue has been examined? Have you offered to assist with finding a solution? Many of the work issues we face as musicians don’t have simple solutions but by interacting with other member musicians we can find answers that will either help us resolve the issue or provide us with information that takes us in an entirely different direction making the original issue less unimportant.”

All I want to do is show up to my job, make music, and get paid.

“You, and everybody else. No musician I have ever met became a musician so they could join the union and become involved in union activities. We get out into the workforce and start realizing there are issues beyond our individual control. Then it comes down to choices: we can either get out of the business or we can find resources that help us address our issues and find workable solutions. Generations of musicians have turned to union membership as the best resource for finding those solutions. Those of us who have found the union, and benefited by union membership, have an interest in helping other musicians join us as well. Greater union membership equates to more resources and more control over our work.”

For more talking points when having a conversation about the union check out the AFM Bylaws, Article 2—Mission.

Officer Columns, Vice President from Canada

Unity Conference Offers Valuable Union Insights to Attendees

September 3, 2015 Alan Willaert

The annual Canadian Conference, which took place in Windsor, Ontario, August 7-9, was special this year as it was a Unity Conference, held in conjunction with the Organization of Canadian Symphony Musicians (OCSM). The two conferences normally have significantly different agendas. While the attendees to each come from different backgrounds and have completely different roles, they are all connected by one common denominator— membership in the AFM.

Meeting new people and building relationships is so very important in music, yet much of that personal contact has given way to social media contact. While the Internet is tremendously valuable, it cannot take the place of one-on-one conversations. This was an opportunity to get back to basics, learn each other’s role in the industry, take advantage of the networking possibilities, and learn from diverse thinking in problem-solving exercises.

There were presentations from Local 145 (Vancouver, BC) and Local 406 (Montreal, PQ) to help the delegates better understand the current lack of film scoring in Vancouver and the unique circumstances involved in bargaining in the province of Quebec. Both spawned considerable after-hours dialogue, resulting in at least one resolution to form a committee to address the changing film scoring scene and review the existing scoring agreements. While a primary concern of the Vancouver local, Quebec also has a huge vested interest in the possibility of attracting scoring from Europe and other French-speaking areas. In addition, there are other francophone communities in Canada that are a market for this content.

While many topics were discussed, one of the most urgent was work at festival and trade show events where, while live music is often centric, musicians are largely unpaid, yet recorded and broadcast on cable or Internet. Another was the status of freelance players who are not covered by collective agreements. While they represent the largest sector of the membership, they are also the most vulnerable to exploitation, unpaid gigs, and unauthorized recording, and therefore deserving of far more AFM attention and specific services. That said, our freelance musicians and self-contained bands are the most difficult to organize, since the concept of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) or collective actions are foreign to them. For the most part, they find their own shows, market to their specific fan base, produce and distribute their own recordings, and seldom give a thought to utilizing AFM contracts for any of it.

An area of particular concern to the OCSM delegates was the erosion of CBC remotes. In previous years, each orchestra looked forward to at least a half-dozen broadcasts, which would both significantly increase the revenue on the gig, and generate interest in classical music among listeners. With the government’s slashing of funding and subsequent budget cuts, the CBC is left airing existing commercial recordings. The OCSM Media Committee, along with representatives from the CFM, is looking at creative options.

One of the highlights of the conference was the address by AFM President Ray Hair. An information-packed PowerPoint show began with the formation of the AFM, its roots, opponents, and raison d’être. While touching on the evolution of the Federation, it outlined the current agreements in place with employers—both US and Canada—and progress that has been achieved in the area of performance rights, regulations, and negotiations with other countries, ensuring proper compensation for commercial uses of North American music. Hair continued, describing attempts at union-busting (unfortunately, much from within), as well as the solidarity necessary to overcome, adapt, and prevail. He further used the AFM’s controversy with the Musicians’ Rights Organization of Canada (MROC), in its initial stages, as an example of the benefits to members that could be accomplished with dialogue and patience.

Any Conference loaded with that much information, controversy, and constructive communication must be deemed a success, and the contributing factor, in no small part, was the careful planning and flawless execution by the officers and members of Local 566 (Windsor, ON). Special thanks to Secretary Lynne Wilson-Bradoc and President Chris Borshuk for their hard work, attention to detail, and of course, the presentation of some of the finest musicians in the Essex-Kent area.

It was also pleasing to note many musicians attending as visitors from the local, as well as local officers. Special thanks to Local 802 (New York City) President Tino Gagliardi and Local 5 (Detroit, MI) President George Troia for attending and acting as resources for delegates. Members are always welcome and encouraged to attend these events to gain greater insight and see solidarity in action.

Pour la version francaise, cliquez ici.

Officer Columns, Secretary-Treasurer

AFM Publications Among ILCA Award Winners

September 1, 2015 Sam Folio

Each year the International Labor Communications Association (ILCA) recognizes the best and most inspiring work in labor communications and journalism. Among the winners were several AFM local submissions.

AFM Local 47 (Los Angeles) took a first place award for General Excellence—Print and Internet / Electronic Newsletter / Local unions for The Local 47 Beat 2014. Plus, Local 47’s website (afm47.org) was recognized in the Internet Awards / Best Design Internet / Local unions category.

The local also received a second place Writing Award—Print and Internet / Saul Miller Awards /Political Action / Local Unions for the story “Hollywood Seeks Sharper Teeth for Film and TV Tax Credit Program.” The article covered new legislation to beef up California’s existing tax incentive program to help stem runaway production and bring more scoring work to the state.

The article quoted musicians such as rank-and-file violinist Rafael Rishik who gave the Labor Caucus at the California Democratic State Convention in downtown Los Angeles a firsthand account of the problem. “For generations, some of the greatest musicians in the world have been drawn to California because of the motion picture and television industry,” he said. “Over the past few years, runaway film productions have been a big hit to our economy. This is especially hard for musicians because companies that take film tax credits increasingly score their films overseas, and we lose out on that work.”

Coverage of this important issue also included quotes from union officials. “Musicians represented by locals across the country are working together to change our industry” said AFM Organizing Director Paul Frank. “AFM members are uniting in order to win higher standards and grow the strength of our union.”

You can read the complete piece at: www.afm47.org/press/hollywood-seeks-sharper-teeth-for-film-and-tv-tax-credit-program/.

New York City AFM Local 802’s Allegro Magazine was awarded a second place in the General Excellence—Print and Internet / Print / Local Union Publications / 1,001-10,000.

And finally, our union’s publication, International Musician, received second place recognition under the category Writing Awards—Print and Internet / Best Profile / National / International Unions, for the story “New Orleans’ Musical Chameleon and Passionate Union Advocate” about Local 174-496 (New Orleans, LA) President Deacon John Moore.

The profile recognized a longstanding, selfless union advocate. “I choose to be president because I want to serve the music community. I think I can be a role model for younger musicians. I want to make a better workplace for all our musicians,” said Moore.

To read the complete story visit the website: internationalmusician.org/deacon-john-moore/.

On the Cover

Kristian Bush: Rediscovers His Voice Through Southern Gravity

August 31, 2015 IM

Kristian Bush has been a successful professional union musician since the 1990s, but it’s only recently that the Local 257 (Nashville, TN) member launched his first solo album, Southern Gravity. After spending his most recent 10 years as the silent but creative voice behind the duo Sugarland, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist says some people are surprised to hear him sing.

“When I started Sugarland it was pretty clear that my voice was not going to fit on country radio. At the time, the singers signed had rich baritone voices, but now my voice feels like a good fit for current commercial country music. So this first record, my third first record, weirdly enough, is right on time,” says Bush.

Long before Sugarland, Bush had already achieved commercial singing success in the folk rock duo Billy Pilgrim with
Andrew Hyra more than 20 years ago. That’s when he first joined Local 148-462 (Atlanta, GA). “I’m a very proud union member,” he says. “It always feels like there’s another person in the conversation every time I get paid, which I am grateful for because this business is complicated and has changed dramatically since I signed up
in 1994.”

Bush later transferred to Local 257 with Sugarland. “The Nashville union is very thorough on their approach to protecting musicians,” he says, “really making sure everybody gets the most they can get paid out of every session.”

Bush founded Sugarland in 2002 with his friend Kristen Hall. Jennifer Nettles, also a member of Local 257, was the fifth singer to audition for lead vocalist and co-songwriter with the group. “She blew it out of the water,” says Bush.

“The second song we wrote together was ‘Baby Girl,’” he says, recalling their quick success after Nettles joined. As Sugarland’s debut single, the song eventually went to number two on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, and stayed on the chart for a record-setting 46 weeks. Sugarland became a duo when Hall dropped out after the first album.

Between 2004 and 2012 Sugarland released eight successful albums and racked up dozens of music industry honors, including the 2005 American Music Awards Favorite Breakthrough New Artist, the 2006 ACM award for Top New Duo or Vocal Group, two Academy of Country Music (ACM) awards for Top Vocal Duo and one for Single of the Year, five Country Music Association (CMA) Vocal Duo of the Year awards, four Country Music Television (CMT) Duo Video of the Year awards, and two Grammy awards.

Check out the gear Bush prefers using.

Tragedy Follows Success

Sugarland’s success was suddenly and tragically tempered by pain on August 13, 2011. The stage collapsed above them as they waited underneath to begin a show at the Indiana State Fair. Seven people were killed and 100 others were injured, among them stagehands, security personnel, and fans. Though he and Nettles were uninjured, Bush says the event changed him forever in ways that he hasn’t even totally understood.

“Music should be a safe place, no matter what. I certainly look up now every time I walk on stage,” he says. Some of the stage crew led a charge for better stage safety following the tragedy, which has resulted in new regulations for safer outdoor stage rigging techniques.

In 2012, Nettles decided she wanted to take a break from Sugarland to start a family and make a solo album. When the pair put Sugarland on hold, Bush says an independent career wasn’t something he’d even considered. However, fueled by a particularly emotional time in his life, he suddenly found himself flooded by songs.

Not only was he dealing with the aftermath of the stage collapse, but also the breakup of his 12-year marriage. He didn’t speak publicly about either until earlier this year. Instead, he poured his emotions into songs. “There was a lot of sadness and mourning, but every once in a while an incredibly bright song would pop out. They are like hot air balloons; you just kind of want to hold onto them and see if they lift you up,” he says.

But, with his sudden productivity, came self-doubt. “I usually write about a song a month—12 to 15 a year; suddenly, kind of as soon as we parked the bus off the last tour, I was writing one almost every other day,” he says. “I was a little worried that the songs weren’t any good because they were coming too fast. It was unsettling and it started to make me question what I should do for a living. What if, at this level of success, people aren’t telling me the truth?”

To counter his doubts Bush sought collaborators. “I thought the only way I could figure out an honest answer was to write with the best people I could find. I went all over the world,” he explains. “I went to see Will Jennings in LA, and I said, ‘Teach me how to write for film’; I went to Stockholm and Jøgen Olsen and said, ‘Teach me how to write a pop song’; and I went to Nashville, to Paul Overstreet and Bob DiPiero [of Local 257], and said, ‘Teach me how to write the best country music’; and I went to London to Sacha Scarbeck and James Blunt.” These influences and co-writers can be heard on Southern Gravity.

Right Time for Radio

Bush says that, even when he knew he had the songs, he was still reluctant to take focus away from Sugarland. “Then, I figured out that my voice, Jennifer’s voice, and the band can be on the radio at the same time; it was not going to affect my band for me to have a solo record,” he continues. “I now have two careers. Sugarland is still together; we have a couple records left with our label and it’s going to be super exciting when we get to do it.”

The final hurdle was figuring out, from all the songs he’d written and recorded, just what he wanted to sound like. “Thinking about what I sound like can be unsettling at first,” he says. “I wrote 300 songs for this record and recorded them all. The process of that almost felt like discovering my voice.”

Bush co-produced the album with executive producer Byron Gallimore and Tom Tapley, whom he also worked with on Sugarland’s studio albums. “I love producing albums,” says Bush, “but it’s weird to produce your own vocals. You have to emotionally detach yourself. So the hardest part is the speed. I would do full takes, cut them together, and then take it home and listen to it for two or three days.”

In the end, they created an album far removed from the emotional turmoil where it began. Instead, Southern Gravity is hopeful, even joyful. “These songs are like Post-it notes that you might put around your house as inspirational reminders,” says Bush. “I listen to them for that reason sometimes—to remind myself that no matter how hard it gets, you can make things out of the pieces that are smashed.”

Once the songs were complete, it was time to begin his first solo tour. Bush admits that, even as a veteran musician, it felt strange to take the stage as a solo act. “I was so nervous my first show. It was strangely at the [huge] O2 Arena in London and I was opening for Little Big Town and Tim McGraw. I walked out on stage and my heart was practically beating out of my chest. I broke into the first song, and suddenly it was like, ‘Wait a minute, I totally know how to do this!’” he recalls.

Bush recently had the opportunity to look back on his career through a new documentary to air this month called Walk Tall (also the name of one of the tunes on his album). “It’s about Southern Gravity, but it’s also a journey, and what it’s like to make music after terrible things happen,” he says of the film. “As Americans, as people, the idea of never giving up is really important. When you have a passion, a belief, a joy, whatever life throws at you, the only choice you really have is how you deal with it. I’ve started to realize that there’s a resiliency in loving what you do and you go back to it as a way to ground yourself.”

Two tips for upcoming singer songwriters from Kristian Bush:

1) “Don’t give up; don’t judge yourself until about 100 songs because it’s going to suck for a while. They are going to be emotionally very much like your babies; write them as exercises.”

2) “There is so much technology out there to give you rhythms to write against. Whether it’s an app on your phone, a piece of software, or a drum machine, write against a beat. I love the way lyrics bounce against a rhythm.”

Legislative Update

Boston Local 9-535, Getting Results

August 31, 2015 Alfonso Pollard

This month, as a part of my series highlighting the outstanding legislative work being accomplished across the Federation, I am honored to shine the spotlight on AFM Local 9-535 (Boston, MA) and its president, Patrick Hollenbeck. Boston, Massachusetts, sits atop global cultural centers as one of the world’s most revered and respected music destinations. For centuries, the Boston arts community has been responsible for innovative musical concepts that have generated new audiences and work opportunities for Boston musicians.

Continue reading →

Music Business, Resources

Solidarity and Arts: Know Your Rights!

August 20, 2015 IM

by Laurence Hofmann, Contract Administrator, Communications & Data Coordinator, AFM Symphonic Services Division

Know your rights! As obvious as it might sound, it can’t be overemphasized.

There is a type of question asked by symphonic musicians about the desired collaborative relationship with local representatives and the orchestra committee, and how to solve disagreements with management. Queries may include topics such as dismissal without “just cause,” too short of breaks between run-outs, arbitrary seating, hiring orders, discrimination, wages, etc. Other strictly union questions might pertain to membership dues, rights involved, grievances, benefits, etc.

Of course, this is just a sample of the specific questions from symphonic musicians. The AFM handles a larger array of questions. Some of these are also common to other music genres, like: Can I fly with my instrument as carry-on? Is it banned under endangered species regulations? When will I receive payments for new use? And, why do film productions still go abroad to record soundtracks?

One of the sources of answers that is immediately available to you is your Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). You can also search the AFM document library, Opus 2012, Opus 2015, and/or watch the union educational video webcasts (covering healthcare, grievances, or many other important topics) in the SSD Resource Center on afm.org.

And don’t forget to check AFM Facebook and Twitter accounts for current information. Additionally, the AFM publication International Musician offers in-depth details. Your local bylaws and AFM Bylaws might provide guidance on a more general basis. AFM locals and symphonic player conferences publish their own newsletters. And, of course, there are other organizations with information for musicians like Content Creators Coalition and MusicFirst (my personal favorites).

To be your own best advocate, you should know the CBA for your orchestra. Your CBA alone gives directives to understand your rights (and obligations) within your orchestra. A comparative analysis of CBAs will help to put your situation in perspective with the national (and international) industry. For several decades, ICSOM, ROPA, and OCSM wage charts have provided an amazing tool to get a comparative look at CBAs. Data has been collected from CBAs and complemented by data from local unions (for example, dues) and orchestra managements (expenses, public and private funds, management salaries). At a glance, you can learn about the economics and working conditions in various orchestras. What kind of performances are guaranteed by the contract? What do they pay? What benefits are provided to musicians and at what cost to them? These are just a few examples.

The current 2014-2015 wage charts are now available to AFM musicians in an innovative format. The digital charts can be downloaded, saved, and/or printed, as needed, from our new website: wagechart.afm.org. In the coming months, this dedicated website will acquire new features to allow dynamic and interactive use of the charts, both current and past.

For example, the charts will soon be updated in real time with delegates able to change their data immediately after successful negotiations or upon receiving data for the tax year from the union local or management. Gradually, historical data will be made available, providing an opportunity to observe an orchestra’s progress. Furthermore, AFM members will be able to search, extrapolate, analyze, and compare several orchestras and report on specific subjects. Some searches will generate tables and graphs. Every single document (charts and reports) can be saved and printed.

One of the main advantages of up-to-date searchable data is that it empowers your arguments for wage increases and working condition improvements. These wage charts are essential negotiating tools. They will provide a look at past and current information to help you change the future.

The creation of this innovative, dynamic, and interactive website was made possible through the collaboration of ICSOM Chair Bruce Ridge, ROPA President Carla Lehmeier-Tatum, and a task force composed of ICSOM Secretary Laura Ross, ROPA Secretary Karen Sandene, Richard K. Jones, and OCSM President Robert Fraser. I thank all of them for their valuable input in support of this alternative to printing the charts, which was initially motivated as an environmentally friendly alternative. All the other benefits of a digital wage chart are value-added advantages that evolved from having made this decision.

Knowing your rights is the first step in being able to claim your rights. Communicating with local officers and/or consulting with the orchestra committee and union stewards are also key. United we have a stronger voice as evidenced in the Minnesota and Atlanta orchestras, which are coming back stronger than ever.

The AFM and its Symphonic Services Division (SSD) have been joining forces with other organizations and government representatives to tackle the issue of the ban on endangered species. This ban resulted in difficulties for musicians traveling with their instruments. In an attempt to ease the understanding of this complicated issue, I have edited various IM articles by AFM Political Director and Director of Diversity Alfonso Pollard into a specific guide for musicians who might have instruments containing components of endangered species—elephant ivory, tortoiseshell, pernambuco, and Brazilian rosewood. It is part of the AFM Complete Guide to Flying with Your Musical Instrument available on the AFM.org website Member’s section Documents Library, in the Legislative folder.

I’ll tirelessly keep my commitment to musician’s causes. If you have any questions contact me at (212) 869-1330 x211 or lhofmann@afm.org.

You are not alone. We all support each other. That’s why, together we are the union!

Music Business, Resources

Strategies for Effective Negotiating Teams

August 18, 2015 IM

by Barbara Owens, AFM International Representative Midwest Territory, and Negotiator

Being part of a negotiating team is time-consuming, challenging, exhausting, and rewarding. When the interpersonal dynamics work (both on our side and on management’s), the energy created as the team begins to reach agreement can be a tremendous catalyst for bringing the negotiations to completion.

A negotiating team is made up of diverse individuals coming together with the common goal of negotiating an agreement. It’s the responsibility of the group, and its leader(s), to bring out the best in each team member. In the orchestra world, we are already used to being a part of the group in our “day job” (playing in the orchestra), so it is familiar energy to be working within the group setting. Just as musicians each have a unique way of articulating a musical phrase, each negotiating team member has a unique way of expressing themselves. By listening and employing nonjudgmental feedback, we can use our familiarity with our colleagues to our advantage, even if we do not agree with them all the time.

Every team member brings unique strengths to the table. If you are a team leader—committee chair, sub-committee expert, or union leader—you have an additional opportunity to manage the strengths of individual team members and create an environment that supports effective communication and problem solving.

Listening is a critical part of what we do as musicians and also what we do as negotiating team members. In negotiations, people hearing the same information will often have different interpretations and memory retention. If you played the “telephone game” as a child, you will remember the confusion when the story was passed from one person to another, and then finally revealed at the end. Not only was the final story often completely different than the initial telling, but frequently, there were forgotten or even new details.

Your mind and imagination have a tendency to fill in the gaps when you hear information that is not clearly understood. It is critical that your team clarify every confusing detail in real-time, as the negotiations move along, both internally and with management, if necessary. Saving questions for late in the negotiations causes confusion, and may erode any goodwill that has been established between musicians and management.

Ultimately, an agreement is achieved through successful teamwork on both sides and across the table. Although we may naturally revert to our traditional musician/management roles at the conclusion of the negotiations, the lessons we learn from negotiation teamwork can establish a framework of effective communication and cooperation for the life of the agreement.