Giving Tuesday – Nov. 27, 2018
On this national day of generosity, please consider a donation to help local musicians who have fallen on hard times to get back on their feet. Continue reading
Help a musician in need on #GivingTuesday
Category Archives: Features
2018 ILCA Awards
AFM Local 47 is a member of the International Labor Communications Association, a collective of labor media publications throughout the United States. Each year ILCA holds a Labor Media Contest which serves to recognize outstanding work in print, blogs, radio, video, and online communications efforts in the field of labor journalism. Continue reading
The Labor Wave: How Unions Carried the Midterms
The labor movement helped elect a wave of union members and pro-worker allies across the country this week.
We proved that if you support working people, we’ll have your back. And we sent a resounding message to every candidate and elected official that if you seek to divide and destroy us, we’ll fight back with everything we have. Continue reading
Tony & Me
The unlikely and continuing musical journey of a lifetime … so far
Guest Column by Gregg Field, 2018 Emmy Winner: Outstanding Music Direction, “Tony Bennett: The Library of Congress – Gershwin Prize for Popular Song”
Gregg Field holds his Emmy for his musical direction on “Tony Bennett: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Poplar Song.” A multiple Grammy winner, this marks Field’s first Emmy win. [Courtesy Gregg Field]
Tony Bennett would regularly appear two or three times a year at the Fairmont hotel Venetian Room in San Francisco. Whenever he was in town, I would drag my girlfriend, who would have much preferred to be at the Fillmore to Tony’s buttoned down, coat and tie concert. Continue reading
Making the Film of a Lifetime
The incredible journey of ‘Matt and Maya’
by Linda A. Rapka
Sometimes when making a film, what goes on behind the scenes makes for a compelling story all its own. And one would be hard pressed to find a more impressive example than the story of “Matt and Maya.”
It all began at the Motion Picture and Television Fund, a not-for-profit charity located in Woodland Hills founded in 1921 to serve members of the entertainment industry as a retirement and assisted living facility, as well as a creative space for individuals to thrive in their later years. Among the many programs offered to MPTF residents include opportunities to create films and television programs that are broadcast on a closed-circuit station on the property. Continue reading
Building Bridges
Students of the pilot Local 47 Career Pathways Program visit the Streisand Scoring Stage at Sony Pictures in Culver City. [photo by Tiffany Israel]
The Local 47 Career Pathways Program recently concluded its pilot session, and by all accounts was a resounding success.
With funding completely secured by the Verdugo Workforce Development Board from federal, state, and local sources, the program teamed up with the union to connect younger generation high schoolers with professionals working in the music industry.
John Legend Emmy win makes him an EGOT
And then there were 15… Superstar AFM Local 47 member John Legend joins the exclusive EGOT club with his two Emmy Arts wins as lead actor and co-producer for “Jesus Christ Superstar Live.” He is one of the youngest people ever to win all four Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards.
Welcome, Theater Musicians Association!
AFM Secretary/Treasurer Gary Lasley (far left) joins the newly sworn-in TMA Officers for a group photo. [by Tom Mendel]
Theater musicians from across the United States and Canada joined together with the mission of continuing to build the organization that is our voice within the American Federation of Musicians. Continue reading
Gloria Cheng wins L.A. Area Emmy for Independent Programming
Grammy-winning pianist Gloria Cheng, a professor of music in the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, has won an Emmy for independent programming at the 70th annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards for her short music documentary, “MONTAGE: Great film composers and the piano.”
The 2018 awards ceremony took place July 28.
The LA Area Emmy Awards are given to Los Angeles television stations and cable television for broadcast achievements for Local News, Programming, and Sports within the Los Angeles market.
The #LAEmmys for Independent Programming go to Gloria Cheng for “Montage: Great Film Composers and the Piano,” @PBSSoCalhttps://t.co/YcjJxfIrE8 pic.twitter.com/0KQVvKtTJV
— Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) July 29, 2018
Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship
Violinists Ayrton Pisco and Sydney Adedamola, violist Bradley Parrimore, and cellist Juan-Salvador Carrasco [photo: Ben Gibbs]
New community program brings diversity to the classical arts
Four top-tier post-graduate string musicians from underrepresented communities have been announced as the first class of the Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship, a program designed to increase diversity in American orchestras.
Launched in August 2018, the groundbreaking program was conceived by a partnership of Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA), the country’s largest African-American-majority youth orchestra; Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), one of the world’s leading chamber orchestras; and USC Thornton School of Music, one of the country’s top music programs. Continue reading