I joined Local 802 because I am a staff composer at a music production company called Mophonics Music & Sound, which specializes in original music for television and film. A lot of the jobs I compose music for are union. I heard about Local 802 through other composers who advised me to become a member not only to collect checks for union work but also to enter in the health insurance programs and other great benefits Local 802 has to offer. My musical goal in NYC is to continue recording, playing and collaborating with the amazing talent this city attracts. Most recently my favorite project has been playing with my band Kelly and The Hermanos. I find that it is important to treat playing and writing like a job and strive to get better every day. As long as I am working hard and challenge myself daily to avoid feeling comfortable or stagnant, then I feel good about the music I make. I get inspired from all kinds of things, but collaborating with other artists always brings out the best in me. My principal instrument is guitar.

Michael Haziza

I joined Local 802 to make myself available for any type of work in NYC, and also because I’m playing in the Radio City orchestra this year. My musical goal is to be consistently playing a variety of styles and gigs. One of my recent jobs was the national tour of “Young Frankenstein,” which I got through the company NETworks, with whom I’ve worked for the past four years. My principal instrument is saxophone, but I also play all of the woodwinds.

Sean Imboden

I joined Local 802 because my husband and I recently relocated to NYC from Florida, where we belonged to AFM Local 389 (Orlando). I played in the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the Florida Lakes Symphony and also accompanied top artists and performed in touring shows. I played Reed 1 in Disney’s “Aladdin” at the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in Utah. It was exciting to work with a show as the creative team molded it and decided if it was ready for Broadway. My musical goal in NYC is to continue to grow as a musician. NYC offers a musical scene that suits my diverse musical loves, from symphonies, to Broadway, to new music, to opera and beyond. My principal instruments are flute and piccolo. I also play saxophones, clarinet and ethnic/world flutes, including pan pipes, dizi, recorders, bansuri, Native American flutes and many others. I offer a lecture-recital entitled “A Tour of World Flutes,” which features performances on 11 flutes from around the world.

Tereasa Payne

I joined Local 802 to connect with a larger music community and to be a part of an organization that represents and defends musicians. My musical goal in New York City is to music direct/conduct and perform for shows and productions, but also to connect and collaborate with my colleagues. One of my most recent gigs was to compose for a new musical in development through Julia Quinn Productions. I saw a posting in an international film scoring and visual media magazine and sent in my music samples. My principal instrument is piano and my principal talents are music director, conductor, composer/arranger, orchestrator, vocal coach and accompanist.

Henco Espag

I joined Local 802 after several opportunities to work in union musical theatre shows came to me recently. After working the club circuit for many years, my goal is to work on more theatre productions. I also had the pleasure of working in the band for a musical called “Born Blue.” The gig came to me by recommendation from the director. My principal instrument is electric bass.

Paul Gil

I joined Local 802 to widen my professional opportunities to perform repertoire for the cimbalom, my primary instrument. I am also a member of AFM Local 9-535 (Boston). One of my most recent gigs was with the New York Philharmonic in its performances of György Kurtág’s “…quasi una fantasia…” In 2012 I also appeared with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal. The cimbalom is quite a rare instrument, so my musical goal in New York City is to expose as many people as possible to its rich sound and unique character.

Nick Tolle