We have a new mayor here in NYC, and I’d like to thank all of the Local 802 members and staff who helped support Bill de Blasio. We were an early endorser of Bill’s campaign, and we did so because

I’d like to begin this month’s column with applause for Broadway musicians, who create so much theatrical magic that they were recognized at this year’s Tony awards. It goes without saying that Broadway wouldn’t be Broadway without live music. Congratulations

March is Women’s History Month and there are several features in this issue of Allegro that readers will find interesting, including an interview with Irene Breslaw on page 24. Ms. Breslaw will celebrate 37 years as Assistant Principal Violist with

This has been one of the hardest months in my time as a musician, as a union president and as a New Yorker. The fact that the New York City Opera will be missing from the cultural scene is something

I hope that everyone had a great summer. You can see from the front page of the printed issue that the Local 802 Executive Board has endorsed Bill de Blasio for mayor of New York City. There are several reasons

As you can see from our cover story, our Justice for Jazz Artists Campaign recently entered new territory. Up until now, we’ve confined our protests to the sites of the various jazz clubs. But due to limited response from the

  This month, Allegro is honored to feature an interview with AFM President Ray Hair about hot topics in the recording industry. It’s immediately clear that President Hair is both a big picture person and a detail man. As part

March 31 is the deadline to apply for this year’s Anne Walker Scholarship prizes. This is the 15th year that members of Local 802 and their children who are pursuing studies in music will have the opportunity to apply for

When we think of Black History Month, it is impossible in this business not to think of the history of jazz and its creators and practitioners. From its origins in blues and spirituals in the southern United States and its

It has been said here before, but it bears repeating that the AFM pension remains perhaps the best benefit that our years of collective bargaining with employers offers. And in spite of the fact that the pension payout multiplier has

It sounds better when it’s union! Local 802 musicians recently recorded the soundtrack to “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas,” a live show that has previously appeared at Madison Square Garden. The session was done under a union contract, and the

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

How much do you think New York City spends on culture – including live music? Would it surprise you if you heard that the number was currently less than one percent? The actual number is 0.22 percent. But what if

In the printed issue are the audited financial report for the period Jan. 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2012. Members will note a modest increase in nearly every asset category. In the revenue category, work dues and basic dues are

  Harry Belafonte, one of the nation’s most prominent performers and social activists, has announced his endorsement of Local 802’s Justice for Jazz Artists campaign. Belafonte’s endorsement caps off a week which saw tremendous growth in support from notable figures

The fight against music piracy has often been a battle waged against regular people. “Don’t pirate!” we’re supposed to tell our kids. Yes, it’s absolutely true that individuals shouldn’t pirate music, but now we know that piracy is more than

Looking back on my first term in office as Recording Vice President, I am struck by how quickly time has passed and how much time it takes to accomplish goals the union has set for itself. The two greatest tasks

In the end of my block is a restaurant that features live music most nights of the week. The caliber of the musicianship is fine and the diversity of musical styles is exciting, ranging from reggae to country swing to

Recording musicians came together in late January when the New York chapter of the RMA held its annual meeting at Local 802. The featured topic of the night was New York state and city tax credits for film production and

Last year I shared the story of my parent’s struggle with Alzheimer’s and so many of you responded with such generosity. Your iPod donations have brought such joy to those suffering from this horrible disease. As you might recall, I

The AFM gets serious about organizing – and what that means for our jazz campaign I was recently in Portland for the Western Conference of AFM Locals where Paul Frank, the AFM’s new director of organizing, conducted a full-day version

If you want to hear what chaos sounds like, open the door of any Guitar Center music store. You’ll hear hundreds of customers at any given time plucking strings, slapping skins, or jamming on keys. But there is one sound

As another summer recedes into memory, I’d like to give you a few important updates in the classical field, and also throw out some topics that merit future discussion. The selection of items below is certainly not the gourmet’s tasting

See photos by Walter Karling below. On a recent spring evening, an intrepid group of activists and some of the most respected musicians in the world – including John Pizzarelli, Bob Cranshaw and Dr. Larry Ridley – came together on

Justice for Jazz Artists coordinated another successful event on Nov. 6 at St. Peter’s Church. The “Battle of the Saxes” was designed to raise awareness around the challenges faced by older jazz musicians. The concert featured instrumental soloists Patience Higgins

Kids whose dream is to perform on Broadway have their own special camp every summer. Since 2010, Local 802 has hosted Inside Broadway’s Broadway Boot Camp. This year, the week-long camp – provided free of charge to the participants –

Violinist Newton Mansfield was born in Poland. At age two, he and his family moved to Paris. “When I was about six,” Mansfield remembers, “neighbors of ours – two old ladies who were of the Austrian aristocracy and wore black

Recently, one of our board leaders commented to me, “I know you prefer playing classical music to pops.” I think he meant to demonstrate his sensitivity to the reluctance of orchestral musicians to play more and more pops shows, a

In 1916, Margaret Sanger opened the nation’s first family planning clinic in Brooklyn, and women lined up for birth control information. Within nine days, Sanger was jailed for her advocacy, but a movement for women’s health was born. Today, Planned

Jazz education lives! I recently hopped on a plane to Atlanta, accompanied by preeminent jazz bassist Bob Cranshaw, to attend the Jazz Education Network’s annual conference. Our mission, as mandated by the Organizing Department and the Executive Board, was to

For the grasping managers of corporate America – and the institutions their wealth dominates – no workers deserve dignity, not even the most amazingly accomplished. What do bank executives who make $19 million a year do in their spare time?

Question: Everyone’s talking about the Affordable Care Act, but how will “Obamacare” affect those in the arts and entertainment community? Answer: Affordable health insurance options should increase immensely over the next year. Did you know that: People who make $15,800/year

Earth Day is around the corner (it’s April 22) – and to the extent that any of us pay attention to it, it’s a pretty ho-hum thing if acknowledged at all. The first Earth Day was in 1970 and it’s

When kids get to hear live music, something magical happens. Twice a year, Inside Broadway brings children from various New York public schools to a Broadway production where they are given a once-in-a-lifetime experience – a behind-the-scenes peek at the

Last month was musical hell. We lost the New York City Opera, and the situation in Minnesota got even worse, thanks to the sad departure of its music director, Osmo Vänskä. But the larger issue is how the media likes

As we celebrate Black History Month this year, we also celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Rosa Parks, who was born on Feb. 4, 1913. On the night of Dec. 1, 1955, Rosa Parks boarded a bus in

If a referendum were put on the ballot to place a toxic waste dump in the middle of Manhattan, would the New York State AFL-CIO support it on the pretext that it would create union jobs? I doubt it. And

I’ve always loved recycling. Call me weird, call me a typical Virgo, but ever since I was a little kid I’ve actually taken quite a bit of pleasure in sorting plastics from paper, glass from cans and bottle caps from

While Pandora continues to lobby lawmakers to slash royalty payments to thousands of musicians and labels, top company management at the Wall Street giant have cashed out company stock worth over $40 million since Pandora’s $235 million IPO in June

The first of October was a difficult day for the musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra, a day that marked the one-year point of the managerial-imposed lockout that has silenced an orchestra once called “the best in the world.” That morning,

Were some of J. S. Bach’s compositions actually composed by his wife, Anna Magdalena? In this exclusive story for Allegro, Professor Martin Jarvis, from Charles Darwin University in Australia, shares with us the intriguing results of his research, just in

Members of Local 802 and the Justice for Jazz Artists campaign came together on Jan. 14 to leaflet the 2013 National Endowments for the Arts’ Jazz Masters Awards ceremony. The goal was to draw attention to an injustice being perpetuated

The Musicians’ Voice is an open forum for discussion about the state of union affairs. The letters here do not necessarily express the views of Local 802. E-mail letters to Allegro@Local802afm.org or write to Allegro, Local 802, 322 West 48th

The AFM is pleased to announce that its lobbying efforts against H.R. 6480, the Internet Radio Fairness Act (IRFA), achieved positive results at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on the bill. The hearing by the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition

New York City has always been the best place to advance new art. Starting in the 1990s, the festival circuit here began to grow in many genres – film, music, dance and theatre. The New York Musical Theatre Festival –

Once you've played Wagner, you're never the same. In the following articles, Local 802 musicians reflect on what Wagner means to them, as we celebrate the great composer's 200th birthday this year.

This January marked the second year of the contract between Local 802 and the NYC Winter Jazzfest. The festival, now in its ninth year, showcases a wide variety of jazz artists over two days in several Greenwich Village venues. The

A month later, it almost seems like it never happened. But for 32 days this summer, I hit the road with fellow AFM member Rik Palieri, singing for unions and union people at 23 concerts in 15 states. This self-organized

The Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra recently presented a stylish selection of waltzes, foxtrots and ballads at a free outdoor concert at the World Financial Center. Audience members kicked up their heels and danced to Johann Strauss, Irving Berlin and other great

Having had the opportunity to play Wagner’s operas at the Metropolitan Opera is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. My appreciation has only grown over the years, as I’ve been privileged to play most of this repertoire many times. On

Jazz musicians and fans gathered on Feb. 1 to express their enthusiasm, solidarity and support for Local 802’s Justice for Jazz Artists campaign. The panel, entitled “Coming Together as One: Fighting for Your Rights on the NYC Club Scene,” kicked

I wish I could say that I had the kind of musical career that gave me the opportunity to play “The Rite of Spring” numerous times with Great Orchestras under the batons of Great Conductors. Alas, that was not to

In 1940, Paul Benjamin Cohen first joined Local 802. He had arrived. Now, more than seven decades later, Paul is still swinging. He recently celebrated his 91st birthday at a senior center in Margate, Florida, where he leads a weekly

Do you want to use your music to enrich the lives of public school children – while getting paid? Here’s some news: the Actors Fund has come up with a very creative way for musicians and other artists to do

The Riverside Symphony is investing in the future of music education. For over 10 years, the symphony has produced a unique music curriculum that many teachers utilize. Students learn about 16 major music compositions, then come together for a fabulous

To say that the past year has been brutal for orchestral musicians is a bit of an understatement. As you have certainly read by now, musicians in the U.S. and overseas have been beleaguered by unprecedented attacks from their managements.

Irene Breslaw joined the viola section of the New York Philharmonic in August 1976. She was named assistant principal viola in 1989. Prior to joining the orchestra, Ms. Breslaw was a member of both the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and

There is at least one perk to getting older: free health care. But how free is it? Five years ago, I gave an overview of Medicare in these pages. (See www.bitly.com/Medicare01). But since the rollout of the Affordable Care Act

The Musicians’ Voice is an open forum for discussion about the state of union affairs. The letters here do not necessarily express the views of Local 802. E-mail letters to Allegro@Local802afm.org or write to Allegro, Local 802, 322 West 48th

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

James B. Kopp’s “The Bassoon” (Yale University Press) exemplifies the quality we have come to expect from the Yale Musical Instrument Series. As a comprehensive monograph about the instrument from its early precursors to its use in the modern orchestra,

Tax time is around the corner. There are many business and job expenses musicians must pay to keep current in the profession and continue their career. Deducting these expenses can lower your tax bill or increase a refund. Usually there

Tuesday May 7, 2013 Meeting called to order at 11:15 AM. Present: President Gagliardi, Financial Vice President Olcott, Recording Vice President O’Connor, Executive Board members Brandford, Cranshaw, Dougherty, Hyde, Schwartz, Sharman. Minutes from April 30, 2013 reviewed. It was moved

The yellow brick road to hell started last year when I was forced through my financial circumstances to play drums and percussion on a non-union tour of “The Wizard of Oz.” The tour gave me an old-fashioned schooling on what

Why does opera remain one of the most popular and enduring forms of classical music today? Why do some fans of opera travel the world to experience a new production of a work they may have seen a dozen times

Take a trip with me in 1913 to Calumet, Michigan and the copper country…” are the opening lines of one of the most haunting, powerful and depressing songs in the Woody Guthrie catalogue: “1913 Massacre.” I learned the song from

KIRBY CAMPBELL Kirby Campbell, 97, a member of Local 802 since 1946, died on Sept. 27. Mr. Campbell was a multi-instrumentalist, who played cello along with all of the woodwinds, and even taught himself a little electric bass. Raised in

The grand matriarch of jazz piano, Marian McPartland, died on Aug. 20 at the age of 95. It was a sad if inevitable moment. Despite her advanced age, it was hard to imagine that Mrs. McPartland could actually die some

  Local 802 member Joe Stanko was a successful freelance musician in NYC when he realized his career needed a little boost. He learned about the Actors Fund Work Program, which – despite its name – is not just for

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

One of my clients bought a very expensive instrument from a store. The store, acting as agent for a private owner, wanted her to provide an out-of-state address where they could say the instrument was shipped to when she actually

Why did I join Local 802? I was asked at the last minute to sub for the sub for the Springfield Symphony’s holiday concert last winter, and there was absolutely no way I would have ever passed up the opportunity

The office of the Musicians’ Assistance Program is your one-stop shop for musicians’ health. We offer counseling – both one-on-one and in groups – as well as information on all kinds of social services, including health insurance, housing, food stamps

  I’m sitting in the chair next to Lester, the only other tuba in the high school band, who will be killed at the hands of his brother three years hence. The crime of the year, it’ll be all over

The following tax tips for musicians were published in the February 2012, February 2013 and March 2013 issues of Allegro, the magazine of the NYC musicians’ union (AFM Local 802). We post an updated article with current tax tips for

Larry Mullins (a/k/a Toby Dammit) is not your ordinary drummer. For over 20 years, he’s been playing with punk godfather Iggy Pop and he’s also played with everyone from Rufus Wainwright to Lydia Lunch. The best thing is that he’s

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

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 Meeting called to order at 11:07 AM. Present: President Gagliardi, Financial Vice President Olcott, Recording Vice President O’Connor, Executive Board members Brandford, Burridge, Cranshaw, Cutler, Dougherty, Kruvand, Schwartz, Sharman, Assistant to the President Boyle. Minutes from

When the Big Apple Circus comes to town, music director Rob Slowik and his ensemble perform under a Local 802 union contract. It’s showtime! Photos by Walter Karling.

NOTE: The Executive Board did not meet on the following dates: July 23, Aug. 20 and Sept. 3. Tuesday, July 16, 2013 Meeting called to order at 11:05 AM by Financial Vice President Olcott. Present: Olcott, Recording Vice President O’Connor,

Charlie Parker would have turned 93 this past Aug. 29, and here are a few words as a birthday tribute. Charlie Parker told Max Roach, who told Cecil Bridgewater, who told me (and I’m paraphrasing here) that your instrument should

In 1999, Local 802 measured sound levels at 14 Broadway shows. The results showed that orchestra pits were louder than levels recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health over 75 percent of the time. Smoke and fog

The cold winter night was heated up by Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly,” performed by the New York Grand Opera and conducted by Vincent La Selva at the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew on the Upper West Side. It was

Sitting down in a Boston deli one day in 1959, Irving Fields faced a puzzling problem. A pianist and composer who loved Latin music, Fields had just finished recording a new album, and he needed a title. His record was

Sax legend Al Gallodoro would have turned 100 on June 20. A recently uncovered interview sheds some new light on the master performer… What can you say to someone who has never heard Al Gallodoro? Beauty of tone, never sacrificed

Local 802 and the Music Performance Trust Fund are pleased to announce a special offer in honor of Jazz Appreciation Month. If you qualify, the fund will contribute 50 percent of the cost of your gig. But you must apply.

As Financial Vice President Tom Olcott writes in his column, the union experienced a financial decrease in the first half of 2013. Fortunately, it was extremely minor. For the six-month period from Jan. 1, 2013 to June 30, 2013, Local

What would Christmas be without the Grinch? The production moved from Broadway to Madison Square Garden this year and enjoyed a successful run under a union contract. Photos by Greg Landes and Cathy Venable.

Linda Novis sent me this story that was told to her by her late father, Frank Pomerantz, who worked in New York advertising for over forty years. A colleague, Ken Silverbush at Hi-Fi Stereo magazine, told him that one day

From time to time, Allegro publishes interviews and personal essays from our members. Below, Bob Magnuson remembers how a lifetime of music sprang from his early days and how he has used technology to stay ahead in the field. Bob

The office of the Musicians’ Assistance Program is your one-stop shop for musicians’ health. We offer counseling – both one-on-one and in groups – as well as information on all kinds of social services, including health insurance, housing, food stamps

John Danser John Danser, 79, a clarinetist and saxophonist, died on July 22. He had been a Local 802 member since 1952. After emigrating from London at the age of 14, Mr. Danser quickly established himself in New York City

I was 14 years old, and my dad was taking me to a party in New York City. We lived an hour north of the city but I went there with my parents often, as my father was a native

In 1955, Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh recorded an experiment with time displacement, playing the last chorus of the bebop standard “Donna Lee” starting one beat early and keeping it there while the rhythm section stayed with the original placement.

Do you want to use your music to enrich the lives of public school children – while getting paid? Here’s some news: the Actors Fund has come up with a very creative way for musicians and other artists to do

My father, Emilio de los Reyes (1920-1987), was a well-known and popular orchestra leader. This year was the 26th anniversary of his death and I’m grateful for the chance to share these reminiscences with readers of Allegro. Former Local 802

Most musicians in the business stay in it because they love it. Our own Howard Williams, who has worked at Local 802 since 1991, has kept his love for music alive by assembling his own jazz orchestra. Described as a

Tuesday February 26, 2013 Meeting called to order at 11:11AM. Present: President Gagliardi, Vice President Olcott, Recording Vice President O’Connor, Executive Board members Brandford, Cranshaw, Cutler, Hyde, Kruvand, Schwartz, Sharman. It was moved and seconded to approve the minutes from

Ted Curson Ted Curson, 77, a trumpeter and a Local 802 member since 1957, died on Nov. 4. Mr. Curson was born in Philadelphia and began his musical studies at Philadelphia’s Granoff School of Music. It was Miles Davis himself

LEE ARMENTROUT Lee Armentrout, 103, an arranger, copyist and trombonist, died last Oct. 21. He had been a Local 802 member since 1938. Mr. Armentrout studied piano as a youngster, later taking up trombone in high school. In Chicago and

I began singing at the age of 16. My earliest influences were Sarah Vaughan, Morgana King, Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, Nina Simone and Laura Nyro. Throughout the years, I’ve performed at Dangerfield’s in NY, the Clef Club in Philadelphia, Chaplin’s

Since the start of my career as a player and composer, the goal of my music has always been to communicate with people. Like African griots, I want to tell people things they need to know. I also want to

When John Glasel and the Members Party ticket took office at Local 802 in January 1983, I became a member of the Executive Board, a post I held for the next 20 years. John asked me if I’d like to

NOTE: The Executive Board did not meet on Tuesday, May 14, 2013. Tuesday May 21, 2013 Meeting called to order at 11:37 AM by Financial Vice President Olcott. Present: Olcott, Recording Vice President O’Connor, Executive Board members Brandford, Cranshaw, Dougherty,

Every four years America gets another chance to make its voice heard. And every four years the American arts community, in a way, gets a bit of a fiscal makeover. How is that? Well, it has to do with how

The office of the Musicians’ Assistance Program is your one-stop shop for musicians’ health. We offer counseling – both one-on-one and in groups – as well as information on all kinds of social services, including health insurance, housing, food stamps

The following is a list of tasks that a contractor is required to complete for all electronic media sessions. If a contractor is not required on the session by the terms of the specific collective bargaining agreement, the leader is

The office of the Musicians’ Assistance Program is your one-stop shop for musicians’ health. We offer counseling – both one-on-one and in groups – as well as information on all kinds of social services, including health insurance, housing, food stamps

I joined Local 802 in order to belong to a larger body than myself, one of like-minded professionals working for the greater good of all musicians, locally and internationally. My musical goals are to perform, educate and work on Broadway

The office of the Musicians’ Assistance Program is your one-stop shop for musicians’ health. We offer counseling – both one-on-one and in groups – as well as information on all kinds of social services, including health insurance, housing, food stamps

Tuesday April 2, 2013 Meeting called to order at 11:07 AM by Financial Vice President Olcott. Present: Olcott, Recording Vice President O’Connor, Executive Board members Brandford, Cranshaw, Cutler, Dougherty, Hyde, Schwartz, Sharman, Assistant to the President Boyle. It was moved

William Zinn told me that, while he was concertmaster of the Queens Symphony, they played the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #3 in D minor with Van Cliburn as soloist. At the dress rehearsal, the conductor wasn’t setting the tempo that Cliburn

Frank Tate told me a story about the late Dick Sudhalter that he got from Dick’s friend Daryl Sherman. Dick had left his trumpet, in its case, in the bandroom at the back of the Red Blazer, while he visited

One morning this past April, I drew back the curtains, adjusted to the light, and found myself gawking at Big Ben gleaming across the river Thames! “How did I get here?” I wondered. It all began when, as a 17-year-old

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring,” we solicited anecdotes and reminiscences from Local 802 musicians about what playing this awesome piece means to them. Here are their stories: Bam! What Was That Sound?

The 2014-2015 Local 802 directory will be compiled at the end of this year. Thousands of musicians receive a copy of this book and use it as a vital resource. Here’s how to check to make sure your information will