Allegro
Currently Browsing: April, 2016
Celebrating Our Jazz Musicians
President's Report
By the time you read these words, our negotiating team will have met with the Broadway League a few times to exchange proposals and begin preliminary bargaining. I want our members to know that even though we would like to
Who Goes to Broadway Shows?
We have received a demographics report from the Broadway League covering the most recent Broadway season (2014-2015). The League has kindly allowed us to share the report’s executive summary with our readers. Note that recent admissions have broken records. EXECUTIVE
Love Letter to Leon
Photo Spread
Leon Russianoff (1916-1990) was one of the top clarinet instructors in the world and the teacher of Stanley Drucker, among many others. He taught at Juilliard, the Manhattan School of Music, Queens College and the 92nd Street Y. He was
Goodbye, Long Island Philharmonic
Part of orchestra’s failure was that the board failed to listen to musicians
Well, wouldn’t you know it! Remember how my column last month expressed cautious optimism about the freelance concert world? I wrote about some recent Local 802 deals that showed progress in wages and other conditions. I wondered if the recent
Moving Forward, Together
Towards a more inclusive, diverse and innovative Local 802
Since starting my work as Local 802’s political and communications director on Feb. 1, I’ve been struck by two things: the passion for live music performance exhibited by our membership, and the vast amount of work and music taking place
Getting Down to Business
‘Jazz Mentors’ kicks off with sound advice from the masters
It’s called the music business for a reason. The business side of music is often anathema to most musicians – something to be ignored, feared or misunderstood. Historically, music conservatories and other higher educational institutions have put little weight on
Rhapsody in Green
Broadway Green Alliance helps make theatre more sustainable
Earth Day this year occurs in a world more aware and concerned about the environment and our effect on it. World leaders met recently in Paris to create real goals on curbing emissions. President Obama and others have called our
Go Green At Your Broadway Show
The Broadway Green Alliance collects and sends the following items to its partners for upcycling, recycling or proper disposal. These collections are year-round on a drop-off basis between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the BGA office., 165 West 46th
Democracy in Action
It’s all about respect! Part-time jazz faculty at the New School first won a contract with Local 802 in 1998. At the time, faculty had received only one raise in over 10 years and had no health benefits, pension or
Viva Paquito!
Paquito D’Rivera defies categorization. The winner of 14 Grammy awards and a member of Local 802 for 35 years, he is celebrated both for his artistry in Latin jazz and his achievements as a classical composer. Born in Havana, Cuba,
Heart of Gold
David Amram offers his gifts to the next generation with humility, grace and love
David Amram has played with everyone and traveled everywhere, but it’s never gone to his head. He started his professional life in music in the early 1950s playing French horn in the legendary jazz bands of Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie
‘Hamilton’ is Huge
One of the hottest tickets in town is “Hamilton” – and the show is everywhere. The cast recording just won a Grammy for best musical theatre album. The music is being taught as curriculum in public schools. The cast and
The Somewhere Project
Photo Feature
There’s a place for us….somewhere, a place for us.” Those immortal lyrics by Stephen Sondheim from Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story” were the basis for a new project in celebration of Carnegie Hall’s 125th anniversary season. The Weill Music Institute
How Scalia’s Death May Affect Union Fees
Legal Corner
Harvey Mars is counsel to Local 802. Legal questions from members are welcome. E-mail them to HsmLaborLaw@HarveyMarsAttorney.com. Harvey Mars’s previous articles in this series are archived at www.HarveyMarsAttorney.com. (Click on “Publications & Articles” from the top menu.) Nothing here or
Friedrichs v. CTA – it matters to us all
Guest Commentary
An attack on public sector unions is an attack on what all unions do best: speak with one voice to improve the lives of working people The Labor Movement provides the best way for working people to get ahead; particularly
Health Care Update for Musicians
What is happening to the Obamacare CO-OPs? I heard from several people this past fall who were subscribers to Health Republic Insurance of New York, which was one of 23 nonprofit alternatives to commercial health insurance. Health Republic shuttered on
Patient Alert: When ‘free’ isn’t free!
Under the Affordable Care Act, Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) are required to cover certain preventive services 100 percent without co-pays, deductibles or coinsurance. This is intended to encourage folks to get tested and screened so if there are any major
Last Call for Taxes!
Do you know how to report your health insurance on your tax form? It’s required and it can be complicated, but we have all the info… April 15 is tax day, and that means it’s your last chance to make
Steve Tarshis, ‘a gentleman and a great guy’
Reminiscences
Steve Tarshis and I met back in 1984 working at the Guitar Study Center. We discovered that we both had a deep love for the blues. I asked him if he’d like to come to a jam session I put
Memories of Moe Wechsler
Reminiscences
A date without Moe is a song without sunshine,” I would say to him before the start of every session, parodying a then-current orange juice commercial. And Moe would laugh in his bouncy, guarded way, not really comfortable with direct
Remembering Reinhardt Elster
Reminiscences
My father, Reinhardt Elster, who died peacefully at 101 on Oct. 5, 2015 at his home in Massachusetts, was fond of telling a story about Sir Thomas Beecham, the English conductor. As the story goes, Beecham was in a graveyard
In the Studio: ‘Fiddler on the Roof’
Photo Feature
The music from “Fiddler on the Roof” is magical, and it stays in your head forever. Local 802 musicians recently recorded the cast album soundtrack at MSR studios, enjoying the wages, protections and benefits of a union contract. Allegro photographer
Executive Board Minutes
January 5, 2016 - February 16, 2016
NOTE: The Executive Board did not meet on Dec. 22, 2015 or Dec. 29, 2015. TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016 Meeting called to order at 11:12 a.m. by President Gagliardi. Present: Financial Vice President Olcott, Recording Vice President Schwartz, Executive Board
‘Why we joined the union’
I joined Local 802 after orchestrating regional and children’s theatre shows for a while and wanting to open the door to more exciting jobs in NYC. I also like the idea of joining a community of musicians who have been
‘Why we joined the union’
I joined Local 802 because I just moved to NYC from London and started getting work playing horn in some Broadway shows. When I was working in London, I was unable to join the British Musicians’ Union because I was
‘Why we joined the union’
I first joined Local 802 when doing some recording work for Corey Glover on his LaFace recording “Hymns.” It was my first experience with high-level professional music work. After a few years, I let my membership lapse. I decided to
‘Why we joined the union’
I joined Local 802 a few years ago in order to sub for the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. I had just moved back to New York after playing with New World Symphony, and the Christmas Spectacular was one
‘Why we joined the union’
I re-joined Local 802 after I was asked to be a violin/fiddle sub for Sting’s new musical “The Last Ship,” which I was very excited to be a part of, despite its brief run! Many years ago, I was also
‘Why we joined the union’
As a bassoonist and contrabassoonist with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, I have been covered collectively by the Israeli union (Histadrut) for more than 20 years. After arriving in NYC and becoming a freelancer for the first time in my career,
‘Why we joined the union’
As a member of AFM Local 11-637 in Louisville, I developed a great deal of respect for what it is that the union does for professional musicians. After several years of membership there, I decided to focus on my career
‘Why we joined the union’
I joined Local 802 after performing with Annaleigh Ashford for a Broadway.com promotional video. The experience sparked my interest in getting involved with Broadway pits. I am a guitarist and my musical goal in the city is to be the
‘Why we joined the union’
As a recent college graduate, I joined Local 802 to start my professional career in music. I am an orchestrator/arranger, composer and classically trained violinist, and am eager to find new orchestration and performance opportunities. I have been fortunate enough
‘Why we joined the union’
I joined Local 802 to make connections, to network with other musicians in the area, and to take advantage of the resources the union has to offer. My musical goal is to music direct a Broadway musical or work in
‘Why we joined the union’
I originally joined AFM Local 9-535 in Boston to play on the Today Show with Meghan Trainor (of “All About That Bass” fame), but it ended up falling through. I moved to New York almost a year ago, and joined
‘Why we joined the union’
Before coming to the U.S., I worked as a pit musician at a musical theatre in Poznan, Poland. I came here to pursue a graduate degree in jazz performance and composition. That led to performances in regional theatres in New