Category Archives: All News

Music Performance Trust Fund celebrates 70 years

This year the Music Performance Trust Fund celebrates providing grants to help create free music performances for the public’s entertainment and education for its 70th year.

Its funding is meant to ensure that the professional musicians who are performing are reasonably paid on par with local scale, while assuring that there is no cost to enjoy the music. The idea is to enhance our communities and enrich lives through music. Co-sponsored events run the gamut of musical styles, from classical and opera, to Dixieland, pop, rock, country, jazz, and R&B. Events often introduce musical styles that are not easily accessible, and many times include an educational element. Continue reading →

Reprise for REPRISE! Announcing REPRISE 2.0

REPRISE is back after being absent from the Los Angeles theatre scene since 2013.

The newly launched REPRISE 2.0 presents a season of three classic American musicals at UCLA’s Freud Playhouse beginning this summer. Under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Marcia Seligson (founder of REPRISE! Broadway’s Best), REPRISE 2.0 remains faithful to the original concept which presented limited runs of 50 classic musicals between 1997 and 2012 featuring an onstage band and simple sets and costumes. Matthew Herrmann serves as general manager, and Kevin Bailey and Arthur Allan Seidelman are executive producers. Continue reading →

The Handmaid’s Tale

Direct from the scoring stage, AFM Local 47 composer Adam Taylor shares his process about creating the music of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale:

Go behind the scenes with composer Adam Taylor as he unpacks the musical decisions behind every instrument, chord and note to give The #HandmaidsTale its signature sound. pic.twitter.com/JNIv5ZwhQW

— The Handmaid’s Tale (@HandmaidsOnHulu) June 19, 2018

In this article from Variety, journalist Jon Burlingame delves deeper into Taylor’s process and the incredible Los Angeles musicians who give humanity and soul to their performances.

AFM Int’l Unfair List: Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra

Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra has been placed on the American Federation of Musicians International Unfair List for failure to pay musicians according to industry standards.

The organization also appears on the AFM Local 47 Do Not Work For List.

If you are called for an engagement, please submit a report to Local 47’s Anonymous Tip Line: 424-341-DARK (3275), bit.ly/darkdate

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2018 Membership Drive

Musicians Celebrate New Laws to Strengthen California Film & TV Music Industry

Chris Pierce (left) and Siddhartha Khosla (front right) perform with Rickey Minor and his band at the Keeping the Score in California kickoff concert at Los Angeles City Hall Aug. 19, 2017, in support of music tax credits. [File photo/Linda A. Rapka/AFM Local 47]

Newly inked state budget looks to bring music jobs back to the state

LOS ANGELES, CA (July 5, 2018) — Musicians and the entertainment industry celebrate a major victory with the update to California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program that for the first time includes meaningful support for music-scoring jobs.

California has suffered an exodus of film and television music jobs for decades, and the state budget signed Monday by Gov. Jerry Brown gives the California Film Commission authority to create regulations that will have a significant impact in bringing these music jobs back home. In version 3.0 of the program, productions will now receive points based on how many music-scoring jobs will be created in California. These points don’t increase the incentive a production receives — they actually help a production qualify. Continue reading →

New Study Finds Unions Increase CA Worker Earnings by $18.5 Billion Annually

The Union Effect in California #1: Wages, Benefits, and Use of Public Safety Net Programs is the first report in a three-part series that explores how unions improve the lives of all working people in California, both union and non-union members.

These findings are publishing as the U.S. Supreme Court just handed down a ruling in Janus v. AFSCME that threatens to weaken public sector unions. Continue reading →

New Agreement With Wallis Annenberg Center

We are pleased to announce a new three-year deal with the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.

The Wallis CBA is the result of many years of dialogue with the management at the venue. “I want to thank Local 47 member Dan Savant for his help in arriving at this deal along with Business Rep Michael Ankney, who maintained a good working relationship with the venue’s operations team,” says AFM Local 47 President John Acosta. Continue reading →

H&W: Are All Eligible Participants Enrolled in the Fund’s Life Insurance Benefit?

Professional Musicians & Employer’s Health & Welfare Fund:

The Professional Musicians Local 47 and Employers’ Health & Welfare Fund (“Fund”) provides a $20,000* Life Insurance benefit to all Participants who have qualified for benefits. Completion of an enrollment form is not required and enrollment is automatic once the Fund confirms, after the close of the annual qualifying window (generally Oct. 3 of every year), that you have qualified for benefits based on the employer contributions made on your behalf in the prior qualifying year (generally Oct. 2 through Oct. 3). Contributions in the qualifying year, determine eligibility for the following January through December (i.e. employer contributions made during the period of Oct. 3, 2016 through Oct. 2, 2017, have determined eligibility for the period Jan. 1, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2018). Continue reading →