Allegro
Currently Browsing: April, 2020
DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THE APRIL 2020 ISSUE OF ALLEGRO (CLICK THE LINK BELOW)
Download a PDF of the April 2020 issue of Allegro
How are musicians coping during the crisis? Share your insights!
Take our survey!
Allegro would like to share stories of how musicians are coping with the coronavirus crisis — including new ways we’re using technology. Your answers could really help your colleagues! Please click here to take the survey.
HELP FOR MUSICIANS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
HELP FOR MUSICIANS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS 1. Start at the Local 802 coronavirus update page at www.bitly.com/local-802-coronavirus 2. Go to the Local 802 Musicians Emergency Relief Fund at www.Local802erf.org/how-to-apply 3. Looking for counseling? Help with substance abuse? Someone to
EVEN DURING A CRISIS, IT’S IMPORTANT TO COUNT EVERY NEW YORKER!
Take the census now!
Even as the coronavirus crisis interrupts our lives in unimaginable ways, we can help each other by focusing on a positive future. The 2020 U.S. Census – which is happening right now – can affect future arts funding in a
WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER
President's report
By Adam Krauthamer There are no words to describe the evolving crisis that all of us are experiencing right now. The pain and confusion are possibly at the highest level that many of us have ever felt, and I don’t
COMING TOGETHER AS LEADERS
Financial vice president's report
By Karen Fisher The week of March 9, 2020 began the most extraordinary and surreal time for our country since 9/11. The precautions taken to stem the spread of COVID-19 extended to the widespread closure of nearly every arts institution
Are you teaching online during the coronavirus crisis?
You can use LS-1 contracts to get onto the union’s health plan!
(Also see: “Making Videos Under Quarantine: How to protect yourself and your fellow musicians” AND “Working at home — while still collecting union benefits”) Are you teaching online during the coronavirus crisis, using Skype, Zoom or another platform? Do you
HELP FOR MUSICIANS FROM THE EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND
Musicians often live without a safety net. That’s where we come in. The Local 802 Musicians’ Emergency Relief Fund is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide Local 802 members with reliable assistance in times of need – like
HOW MUSICIANS ARE HELPING EACH OTHER
Local 802 member Steven Behnke has created a Facebook resource group because, he tells Allegro, “it’s really important musicians have a digital home while we’re going through one of the greatest challenges our community has ever faced.” Behnke works with
FAQ’s for the UNINSURED and UNDERINSURED musician
From the Actors Fund
Click here for information from the Actors Fund for UNINSURED and UNDERINSURED musicians. We published this information in the April 2020 issue of Allegro on pages 10 and 11:
A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR MUSICIANS DURING A CRISIS
Winning on stage
By Dr. Don Greene The CORONAVIRUS crisis is an indescribable disaster for professional musicians in New York. It’s compounded by the simple fact that most of us are not trained to deal with chaos, catastrophic change and tragedy. The crisis
‘Let’s get active and make some noise’
If you love the Earth, now's the time (EARTH DAY 2020)
By Marc Schmied As musician/activist in 2020, I find myself celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and hopeful for the prospect of change through the November elections. In past issues of Allegro, I’ve written about my involvement in the
EARTH DAY AND VIRTUAL GREEN IN THE AGE OF #GREENQUARANTINE
By Krissy Linacre Earth Day’s 50th anniversary is right around the corner, and as we all practice social distancing to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are forced to seek creative ways to engage in social solidarity to
JAZZ FACULTY STEP UP
It’s all about respect! We part-time faculty at the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music at the New School’s College of Performing Arts first won a contract with Local 802 in 1998. At the time, faculty had received only one
‘WHAT THE NEW SCHOOL UNION CONTRACT MEANS TO ME’
As negotiations approach, part-time jazz faculty reflect on the power of a union contract
“Having union representation has allowed the New School jazz faculty to bargain collectively to achieve vast improvements in academic working conditions that individually would have been impossible for me to acquire on my own. Local 802 has been instrumental in
PICKING UP THE PIECES
When federal laws fail workers, we can encourage states and cities to do what it takes
By Harvey Mars, Esq. While the Trump National Labor Relations Board is doing all it can to dismantle the vast protections afforded to workers by prior labor boards, those of us who live in more liberal or progressive states (like
How to play percussion on Broadway…on Zoom!
Local 802 members will be teaching the NYU Broadway Percussion Seminar online
Here’s some very welcome good news! As Allegro goes to press, registration for this year’s NYU Broadway Percussion Seminar is STILL OPEN…and is planning to be taught online via Zoom! Hosted by the NYU Steinhardt Percussion Studies Program, the NYU
Jazz in that ‘other America’
Jazz Appreciation Month 2020
By Su Terry Trumpeter and Local 802 member Walt Szymanski likes to go mountain climbing. In 2010 the Detroit native and former resident of Brooklyn started looking for mountains in the country of Ecuador, located in the northwestern part of
Reggie Workman honored as N.E.A. Jazz Master for 2020
Jazz Appreciation Month 2020
April is Jazz Appreciation Month, and longtime Local 802 member Reggie Workman has been awarded the title of Jazz Master, the highest honor in jazz, by the National Endowment for the Arts for 2020. Workman is the only Local 802
Encouraging jazz appreciation in the digital age
Local 802 Artist Rights Caucus
By Ken Hatfield As we celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month, I ask my fellow jazz musicians to reflect upon how appreciation of our music has actually diminished in the decades since the digital paradigm shift dramatically altered the landscape of how
A ray of light in an uncertain time
Local 802 member Martin Agee uses his music to provide comfort to animals, which he describes as “my favorite audience”
By Martin Agee There are audiences of music lovers out there who have been waiting to hear their first live concert. And while their love of music is palpable, sadly many of them have never heard so much as a
TAX TIME!
Are you in the groove when it comes to your taxes? Check out our annual tax tips for musicians and see if you’re on the money
CORONAVIRUS TAX UPDATE The coronavirus crisis has affected musicians in many painful ways. For tax purposes, any loss of income caused by the crisis this year (tax year 2020) will affect next year’s tax filing (due April 2021). We’ll discuss
Rock in musical theatre
Member to member
By Joseph Church Although I’ve sung all my life, I don’t consider myself a singer. I know that’s an odd statement coming from someone who just wrote a book on singing. What I am is a musician who freely uses
‘Why we joined the union’
Grégoire Maret
I re-joined Local 802 when I started teaching at the New School. As a union musician, I want to be treated fairly when I work. As a chromatic harmonica player, I’m touring all the time, but my musical goal in
‘Why we joined the union’
Nicolas Mirabile
I joined Local 802 to become a member of a wider musical community. I hope to meet talented and skilled colleagues and friends with whom to bond and make music. As a freelancer, I’ve played with many groups, including the
‘Why we joined the union’
Ariana Cappon
I joined Local 802 to gain access to quality work for humane compensation and to find a broader musical community in New York City. Because this city has such an appetite for the arts, it’s an ideal place to collaborate
‘Why we joined the union’
Candace DeBartolo
I re-joined Local 802 after I recently had the chance to do some musical theater work under a union contract. I’ve been a professional musician since I was 23 years old and have traveled extensively, touring with rock bands, cover
‘Why we joined the union’
Avery Yurman
I joined Local 802 to have more varied performance and compositional opportunities in NYC. I first joined AFM Local 16-248 to perform on bassoon in “West Side Story” at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey and then joined Local
‘Why we joined the union’
Mayu Saeki
I re-joined Local 802 when I was asked to sub for Josh Johnson for “Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish.” I loved the book because it called for three flutes (C, piccolo and alto) with no doubles, which is unusual
Remembering Eddy Davis (1940-2020)
The banjoist Eddy Davis died on April 7 at the age of 79 due to complications of the coronavirus. He had been a member of Local 802 for over 40 years. He is survived by his daughter Lucie and his
NJSO FELLOWSHIP FOR BLACK AND LATINX MUSICIANS
The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Colton Fellowship supports early-career Black and Latinx musicians in the orchestra field. The Colton Fellow will participate in NJSO performances, receive mentorship and engage with the community. To be considered for the NJSO Colton Fellowship,
Executive Board Minutes
February 11, 2020 - March 3, 2020
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 Meeting called to order at 11:18 am by Financial Vice President Fisher. Present: Recording Vice President Schwartz, Executive Board members Axelrod, Donovan, Frawley, Hoyt, Kainuma, Shankin. President Krauthamer absent. Minutes of February 4, 2020 reviewed. It
THE BAND ROOM
I found this story in my old friend Gene DiNovi’s interesting memoir “I Can Hear the Music,” which you can read online at wattpad.com. When Gene was getting started in the music business, he went on the road with a