I want to talk about sacrifice. Working as a musician takes a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice, but the payoff is worth it. Soaring on a wave of excitement with an ensemble during a shout chorus (jazz talk meaning the peak of the piece), or weeping with the orchestra during Beethoven’s second movement of “Eroica” (jazzers, if you’re not familiar, it’s heavy!) or Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” will give your life meaning. Adding beauty to our world is a noble endeavor that musicians sacrifice dearly to deliver.

Sacrifice, like many things in life, is a spectrum. It means a lot of things to a lot of people. Think for a minute of the sacrifice we make for our loved ones. Think about the sacrifice parents make for their children.

Many of us sacrificed in order to learn an instrument and put in the years of practice time, including at night and on weekends when our friends were out partying. Many of us sacrificed a secure 9-to-5 lifestyle in order to commit fully to working as a professional musician. Many of us sacrifice hours out of our lives to volunteer at Local 802, either as a committee member or as a member of a task force or in so many other ways.

Sacrifice means hard work, shooting for excellence, and achieving more as a community than what you put in as an individual.

Regarding our community, our union, the spectrum of sacrifice is as follows. The minimum sacrifice we make is in the form of membership dues. The time it takes to write a check once, or four times a year.

The next level would fall to those who are blessed with a union contract to work under. This too is a financial sacrifice, in the form of work dues. There is no time sacrificed at this level.

The next level of sacrifice is made by a much smaller body of musicians. The sacrifice of time and energy. I am disturbed by the size of this body. I see it is a personal failure that so few members are inspired to give time and energy to our common cause. WE NEED EVERYONE to give time and energy for us to achieve our ultimate goal, a vibrant, integrated, unified body with one voice! A rising tide lifts ALL ships.

Then there are those who serve.These honored members are indispensable. They are the top shelf. We would shrivel like last week’s roses without them.

Then finally, our officers. Our leadership role demands we sacrifice the most time, energy, and heartache. We must live the message. The buck stops with us. Until death do us part.

But sacrifice does have its limits. I want to affirm that at this time in American history, Local 802 will not sacrifice its values.

To be specific, let me direct readers to an article elsewhere in Allegro this month from the Local 802 diversity committee, which is creatively called “DECIBAL.” (It stands for Diversity, Equity, Community, Inclusion, Belonging, Access and Leadership.) In the article, you’ll read that the committee remains “committed to working internally at Local 802 and with our grassroots partners to remove barriers of entry, amplify marginalized peoples’ voices, and create a supportive community for all musicians.” This committee’s work has never been more important than right now. I encourage you to read the article and reach out to the committee if you feel like you can lend a hand.

Our values also include representing you — the members of Local 802 — always. In that vein, I encourage you to read this issue of Allegro carefully and learn how this administration is working hard to deliver much-needed gains and to support your lives as working musicians. Specifically:

• Recording Vice President Harvey Mars writes about a major union victory at the Argyle Theatre and also gives us an update about A.I. and legal issues.
• Financial Vice President Karen Fisher reassures us that Local 802’s operations are stable, even during this turbulent time.
• Musicians who play under the Local 802 Not-For-Profit Off Broadway union agreement recently won a 14 PERCENT TO 18 PERCENT RAISE over the next three years of their new contract…plus other new benefits and perks! Make your gigs union: contact www.local802afm.org/hotline
• We celebrate Women’s History Month with a celebration of diversity on Broadway by Georgia Stitt and a tribute by Martha Hyde to one of the most famous composition teachers in history: Nadia Boulanger
• Local 802 member Dominic Fallarco tells us his opinion on congestion pricing — and why less traffic could actually be a win for the arts.
• It’s tax time, and we present our annual tax tips for musicians. Keep an eye on all the important changes in tax law!
• And much more!

A few more things before I sign off. I want to congratulate our members who won Grammys this year:

• Congrats to the Broadway musicians of “Hell’s Kitchen,” who won Best Musical Theatre Album.
• Congrats to Local 802 member Jon Batiste for winning TWO Grammys (!), one for Best Music Film and one for Best Song, both for his “American Symphony.”
• Congrats to Local 802 member Regina Carter for her performance with the vocal group Säje, which won a Grammy for Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals
• (If we forgot any Local 802 Grammy winners, please let us know at allegro@local802afm.org.)

Lastly, I want to share with you these words I delivered recently at a union rally of the precollege faculty of the Manhattan School of Music, who are fighting for a fair contract. “I am ashamed to be an alumni of this school! This is a place of higher learning, with a world-class faculty standing on the street in front of me. I came here along with thousands of other students, with high hopes of a bright future. And then to find that this school is, in fact, a predator of the very faculty that is their lifeblood. That is disgusting. I am with you. Local 802 is with you. Brothers, sisters and family — we want justice and we want a fair contract! We are going to stay here until we get what we want.”