Allegro

Currently Browsing: March, 2004

Unplugging the Virtual Orchestra Machine
David Lennon
On Feb. 6, Local 802 achieved an unprecedented agreement with the Opera Company of Brooklyn (OCB) that bans the use of the virtual orchestra machine and commits the company to use only live musicians in all future productions. In the

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Big Apple Circus Wins 802 Contract
Summer Smith
Send in the clowns! And send in the union musicians! The Big Apple Circus musicians ratified their first Local 802 contract on Feb. 4, the culmination of an organizing effort that began last November. The circus hires eight musicians, including

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When Broadway Ups the Minimums, Critics Take Notice
Joe Delia
Since the conclusion of the Broadway strike last spring, there have been two developments that point to the centrality of the live musical experience in the theatre. One is the fact that five shows have come in well above the

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Jazz Education Conference Meets the Big Apple
Natasha Jackson
The 31st annual International Association for Jazz Education Conference was held in New York on Jan. 21-24, with events centered in Midtown at both the Hilton and Sheraton Hotels — and, for the first time, a jam session at Local

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David Demsey
Ninety-year-old woodwind virtuoso Al Gallodoro has had a storied career that virtually spans the history of modern American music. Best known for his work as alto saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet soloist with Paul Whiteman, on recordings and as a

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(The following is the text of a radio ad that ran on 1010 WINS during the month of February, as part of 802’s expanding live music public awareness campaign.) “Hello, I’m David Lennon, president of Local 802, the New York

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Each year, as the tax season approaches, Allegro publishes these tax tips provided by Local 802’s accounting firm, Gould,Kobrick & Schlapp P.C. OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS The Jobs and Growth Act of 2003 contains a number of important tax breaks for

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Michael McKee
New Yorkers have benefited from the protections of rent and eviction protection laws, in various forms, for 61 years. But because of legislative changes during the past decade, rent control and rent stabilization will soon be a distant memory. That

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An Interview with Toshiko Akiyoshi
“Toshiko Akiyoshi is the first woman in jazz history ever to compose and arrange an entire library of music and organize her own orchestra to interpret it.” — Los Angeles Times Toshiko Akiyoshi, born in Manchuria, began her piano training

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Guest Commentary
City Councilmember Christine Quinn
I was extremely flattered to be invited by Local 802 to write a piece for the Women’s History Month issue of Allegro. In preparation for this piece, I began to reflect on both the significant gains in equal rights made

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Local 802 Legal Corner
Harvey S. Mars, Esq.
Local 802 Counsel
Leibowitz & Mars LLP
In three of my columns last year (July/August, October and November) I wrote about employment discrimination. But there is one form of employment discrimination which I had not fully explored in those articles which is of particular relevance to women:

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Musicians' Assistance Program
Matt Kudish
“Making it” in New York City as a musician can be very challenging. Between practicing, auditioning, working, and trying to earn enough money to pay your bills, it is often near impossible. For many, a large portion of income must

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In January, Remo Inc. donated a drum set to Local 802 and made a second set available at a greatly reduced price. The sets are two models from Remo’s new Gold Crown series. One set is the Be Bop model.

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The Musicians’ Voice is an open forum for discussion about the state of union affairs. The views expressed here do not express the views of Local 802. Please keep all letters to 300 words and send them to Allegro, c/o

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Heather Beaudoin
REGISTERING TO VOTE HAS CHANGED FROM MORE PAY TO NO PAY STOP OVERTIME PAYCUTS ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR A TAX CREDIT? REGISTERING TO VOTE HAS CHANGED Voter registration forms have added new identification requirements. Currently, if you need to register

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OFF BROADWAY All musicians in the following theatrical agreements have identity with the product for at least three years following the termination of the show. Health benefits are capped at $7.25 per call and $58 per week per musician. Pension

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NEW YORK POPS Local 802 and the New York Pops management have settled a recent grievance with regard to personal days. Three Pops members were denied their request to take a personal day for a rehearsal even though their requests

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Dennis W. Brooks – Saxophone Virgil Caruso – Oboe Leo De Betta – Saxophone V. Richard De Cicco – Trumpet Albert Gabay – Accordion Joseph Giorgio – Saxophone Manny O. Grodman – Piano Joseph B. Habig – Trombone/Producer David Kates

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December 30, 2003 -- January 27, 2004
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2003 Meeting called to order at 11:25 a.m. Present: President Moriarity, Recording Vice-President Price, Executive Board members Blumenthal, Crow, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Rohdin, Shankin, Weiss, Controller Bogert, Assistant to the President Dennison, Assistant Director Lennon. Local 802

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Bill Crow
Bill Elton saw a story in one of my recent columns about his old trombone section mate Tommy Mitchell, which reminded him of this one: Bill and Tommy were playing a six-week gig at the Statler Hotel with Tex Beneke’s

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