MORE ON THE LIVE MUSIC CAMPAIGN

To the Editor:

In the May issue of Allegro, “A Message From Counterpoint” appeared in the Musicians’ Voice. That letter was originally sent to President Moriarity in February urging the formation of a task force to help develop a live music campaign; it suggested that the task force include representatives from each rank-and-file committee in addition to the five-member Executive Board subcommittee already selected to work on the campaign. Responding in Allegro, President Moriarity said that it was his understanding that rank-and-file involvement had already been the subject of subcommittee discussion, and that members in a wide range of musical fields would be consulted and involved.

We have the utmost respect for our colleagues who comprise the subcommittee – namely Jack Gale, Maura Giannini, Jimmy Owens, Marilyn Reynolds and Bobby Shankin – but recent Local 802 experience suggests that the current subcommittee is too small for the task at hand, and the response that there will be more rank-and-file involvement is short on specifics. The local’s successful subcommittee on the SFX CD-ROM project ran quickly and efficiently with eight hard-working members to handle what would be only one part of this far-reaching campaign, and it is difficult to imagine how any five people could address the complex needs of our diverse community in such an effort without a great deal of creative and logistical support.

We believe that a live music campaign that includes the direct participation of the elected rank-and-file committees has a much greater likelihood of producing a successful outcome for the local’s different constituencies.

If we are serious in our desire to encourage the rank and file to participate in the affairs of the union, we must make certain that their participation is meaningful. A campaign to ensure the future viability of a career in music holds meaning for all members of Local 802 – regardless of their musical orientation – and affords an excellent opportunity for vigorous, open and thoughtful involvement.

We look forward to hearing more about this vital project and the rank and file’s active involvement in it in the coming days.

–Counterpoint Editorial Board

Martin Agee, Katie Dennis, Marc Goldberg,
Juliet Haffner, Evan Johnson, Jennifer Newell,
Laura Oatts, Larry Rawdon, Clay Ruede