Allegro

Currently Browsing: December, 2019

President's report
I often talk about the inevitability of change. As a community of musicians working in an ever-changing industry, we must both drive change and adapt to it. It’s vital to the success and power of our union to develop an

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Every year, the Broadway community honors those artists who have served on Broadway the longest, in an event called Broadway Salutes. This year, more than 50 members of Local 802 were inducted for the first time. Brian Stokes Mitchell hosted

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Bettina Covo
Do you use LS-1 contracts? ALL LS-1 CONTRACTS AND CHECKS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY JAN. 15, 2020 FOR THE BENEFIT PERIOD THAT BEGINS MARCH 1, 2020 PLEASE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT NOW! ONLY teaching (private and institutional) or solo, live engagements

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‘You never have to face management alone’
Financial vice president's report
Karen Fisher
Behind every union activist is a story. Typically, the tale revolves around an indignity or injustice suffered on the job. I learned my lessons about power dynamics and inequality early in my career while playing in an orchestra in Guanajuato,

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MUSICIANS AT WORK Musicians in the Stamford Symphony, who are covered by a Local 802 contract, recently opened their new season. Allegro photographer Walter Karling was granted access to a rehearsal and took the photos below.  

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Are recordings allowed in live theatrical performances?
Recording vice president's report
Andy Schwartz
An ever-increasing and unwelcome trend both on and off Broadway is the use of recorded tracks in productions. In its least troublesome form, this would be a request from producers for so-called “incidental music” – a track or tracks recorded

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Reminiscences
Caroline Lester
My aunt didn’t know her name until her first day of school, when her teacher called out “Marya” and pointed at her. When she was a baby, her father called her a little muffin. The nickname stuck. She later learned

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Views from the board
Janet Axelrod
The best teachers draw out of you what you didn’t realize was possible. With the warmth of a family member or with the aloofness and drive of a team coach, a great teacher can guide you to finding your own

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Bobby Shankin
Trumpeter Murray Rothstein died on Sept. 9. He was a key figure in the modern history of Local 802 and and I want to share some of his life with my fellow musicians. First, here’s some background about Murray that

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Ray Cohen
I first met Murray Rothstein when I was in my early 20s. We spent five summers playing together in the Mac Pollack Orchestra at a Catskill resort, and I learned so much from him during that time – not only

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Local 802 Artist Rights Caucus
Ken Hatfield
Copyright is the most fundamental of all artists’ rights. We are currently living through the most intense and comprehensive expansion of technological change in human history. Consequently, I believe it’s no exaggeration to declare that now, more than ever, we

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Notes from the field
Leo Gertner
A union is not some faraway, stand-alone entity – it is the sum of its members and the qualities, interests and commitment to collective power they bring to it. That is why I am honored to join Local 802, a

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Hanging out with Blue Lou Marini
Feature interview
Bob Pawlo
Lou Marini needs no introduction to readers of Allegro. A member of Local 802 since 1972, he’s known as a consummate multi-instrumentalist and composer. He might be best known to the public for his work with the Blues Brothers band

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Legal corner
Harvey Mars, Esq.
Union laws in this country disfavor unions – but a new bill in Congress could change that. As many union members already know, the National Labor Relations Act and the Labor-Management Relations Act are the primary federal laws that guide

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Winning on Stage
Dr. Don Greene
There are all sorts of mental training strategies and methods available for performing artists. These include meditation, biofeedback, visualization, neuro-linguistic programming, hypnosis, autogenic training and the centering process. Which of these are you familiar with? Do you practice any of

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Ray Santos Ray Santos, known as “El Maestro” by his fans and fellow musicians and “Papi” by his family, died on Oct. 17 at the age of 90. He had been a member of Local 802 since 1946. A Juilliard

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The Musicians' Voice
To the Editor: I wish to announce the passing on Oct. 26 of my good friend and collaborator Ellis J. Pough, whose nickname was “Ellis the Nazarene.” Ellis was a pianist and composer who I knew for over 35 years.

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Reminiscences
Lucy (Luce) Amen
My husband, Alan Warner, 90, a pianist and a member of Local 802 since 1945, died on Sept. 29. I want to share some memories here. Al was born on April 27, 1929 in Brooklyn, the son of Florence and

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Reminiscences
Dana Countryman
Vinnie Bell (Vincent Gambella), 87, an electric guitarist and a member of Local 802 since 1948, died on Oct. 3. He is survived by his wife Bonnie, daughter Michele, son-in-law Steve, stepchildren Dawn and Albert, grandchildren Krista and Katharina, great-grandchildren

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Jimmy Merchant
I joined Local 802 to pursue more opportunities in NYC as well as to connect with other musicians. As a composer, arranger, teacher, saxophonist and flute/clarinet doubler, my musical goal in NYC is to be a successful freelance musician on

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Andrew Funcheon
I joined Local 802 so that I could get involved and connect with more NYC musicians. Ultimately, my goal is to play as much great music as I can at the highest level with colleagues whose work I admire. I

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Jesse-Ray Leich
I joined Local 802 after I was hired to play the drum chair for the first national tour of “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.” In fact, I’ve been touring with various Broadway musicals for the past couple of years (as

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Brianne Lugo
I rejoined Local 802 to actively participate in the professional musical theatre scene and establish myself firmly in New York City. With all this place has to offer, my goal is to try on as many hats as a musician

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Dominic Frigo
I joined Local 802 because my goal was to join the union when I became a financially stable musician – and I have achieved that goal! I aspire to work Broadway and Off Broadway shows as well as build more

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Michael Raposo
I joined Local 802 because it has always been a step in my career that I looked forward to. As I progressed through my education, I was so focused on my growth as a musician that I often ignored the

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October 15, 2019 - October 29, 2019
Tuesday, October 15, 2019 Meeting called to order at 11:18 am by President Krauthamer. Present: Financial Vice President Fisher, Recording Vice President Schwartz, Executive Board members Axelrod, Cohen, Davis, Kainuma, Paisner, Shankin. Minutes of October 8, 2019 reviewed. It was

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Bill Crow
The Newport Jazz Festival was always the high point of the year for me during my years as Gerry Mulligan’s bass player. I not only got to hear some of the best jazz groups playing at the time, I got

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