Member Spotlight

AFM Local 47 member Trevor Lawrence, Jr. is a multi-Grammy Award winning drummer, producer, podcast host, and developer. His music credits include working with Dre, Eminem, LeeAnn Rimes, Euge Groove, Lauren Daigle, Alicia Keys, Herbie Hancock, and many other artists. You can learn more about him at trevorlawrencejr.com and browse his apps and plugins at trevbeatsmultimedia.com. Local 47 had the pleasure of sitting down with Trevor and talking about his music career.

After 17 years with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel is leaving at the end of his contract this summer to become the music and artistic director of the New York Philharmonic. LA Philharmonic musicians share their words below on working with the celebrated music director over the years to build the orchestra into the world-famous institution that it is today.

Late July and August are generally busy times for Local 47 leadership, as well as leaders from around the AFM. Our AFM Player Conferences and other AFM meetings typically occur then, and this year is no exception. I have just returned from a week in Dallas to represent 47 at the annual conferences of both the Theatre Musicians Association (TMA) and the Regional Orchestra Players’ Association (ROPA). In both cases our players were also represented by rank-and-file delegates; Stephen Green for TMA and Lynn Grants for ROPA.

For most of us, touring is why we do what we do. There’s nothing like the rush of a live set or the connection with a new crowd. But let’s be real: behind the curtain, the road can be a grind that wears down even the toughest players.

Seventy three years ago in the December 1953 Overture, our Local 47 leadership urged members to take political action with the following list of “Ten Ways to Join Political Fight”. 

Lynn Grants, Pasadena Symphony Delegate to the Regional Orchestra Players Association (ROPA), provides a report on the 2026 conference.  

The following report from the 31^st Conference of the Theatre Musicians Association in Dallas, TX held on July 27 and 28 was submitted by Stephen Green, Vice President TMA SoCal Chapter.

July marks one year from the increased funding to and modernization of our Film and Television Jobs Program! Since its implementation across the full fiscal year (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026), the newly expanded Program 4.0 has awarded 170 total projects that collectively represent:

• $6.6 billion in direct production spending in California
• $4.3 billion in qualified expenditures (inclusive of qualified wages)
• $2.58 billion in qualified wages
• 34,921 cast and crew jobs
• 212,065 background performer days worked
• 6,630 total California filming days, including 1,351 out-of-zone filming days

Member Spotlight

AFM Local 47 member Paulinho Da Costa made history in May as the first Brazilian-born entertainer to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The achievement is in recognition for a life spent recording on some of the most recognizable and best-selling albums and soundtracks of all time.  His mastery of over 200 percussion instruments and infectious rhythms can be heard on hundreds of works spanning five decades.

In recognition of America’s 250-year celebration, composer Peter Boyer and photographer Joe Sohm have created a multi-media work called American Mosaic, which is being performed across the country. They bring a wealth of creative talent and experience to the project, with Joe having more than one million published images over a career of forty years, and Peter composing a catalog of orchestral works which have received nearly one thousand live orchestral performances, and contributing orchestrations to many high-profile film projects. Local 47 talked with Peter and Joe to learn more about American Mosaic.