Category Archives: All News

October 2017 Overture Online: Celebrating Lalo

Overture Online
October 2017

Celebrating Lalo
An 85th Birthday Concert Celebration With a Film Music Legend

Meet the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra
Show your support for #MusiciansofPSO!

RMA Night 2017
Los Angeles recording musicians celebrate Alf Clausen at annual gala

Who Played It Again, Sam?
The three pianists of Casablanca

and more!

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Overture Online is optimized for reading via smartphone or tablet. For those without access to a smart device, this issue may be viewed on a web browser (must have flash enabled). Local 47 members may download archived pdf versions from the members section at afm47.org.

In Memoriam: Tom Petty

Photo by Larry Philpot, www.soundstagephotography.com

Member. Guitar
10/20/1950 – 10/2/2017

AFM Local 47 the world in mourning the loss of music icon and longtime Los Angeles musicians’ union member Tom Petty.

His artistry and talents with the Heartbreakers, the Traveling Wilburys, and Mudcrutch made him one of the best-selling musicians of all time and earned him a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Thank you for the music.

New Legislation Seeks to Protect Workers

Bill would ban so-called ‘Right-to-Work’ laws that weaken unions and cripple worker rights

** Update 10/27/2017: The latest meeting between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, held in Virginia Oct. 11-17, ended at an impasse on the basic notion of what a revised version of the 23-year-old agreement should achieve. Canada and Mexico stand by the idea of free trade; the U.S. wants to make it less free, saying that its partners to the north and to the south are benefiting more than the U.S. through access to its huge market. Talks resume Nov. 17 in Mexico City. **

United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) in September introduced the Protecting Workers and Improving Labor Standards Act to prohibit states from introducing laws that make it harder for workers to form unions and fight for higher wages and better working conditions. Continue reading →

H&W: Get Healthy, Stay Healthy

Professional Musicians & Employer’s Health & Welfare Fund:

Your health matters, to you and to your family.

Getting healthy and staying that way doesn’t have to be complicated.

You can reduce your risk of many health problems by taking care of the basics, like preventive tests and exams and paying attention to your eye health, which might hint at bigger health issues.

Concentrate on these areas to get and keep yourself on track. Continue reading →

AFM Local 47 wins 2017 ILCA Labor Media Awards

AFM Local 47 the proud winner of the following 2017 International Labor Communications Association Labor Media Awards:

Overture Magazine – 1st Place
Visual Communication Awards / Best Design

Overture Online App – 1st Place
Writing Awards / Best Electronic Content

The Local 47 Beat Email Newsletter – 2nd Place
General Excellence / Electronic Publication

Overture Online App – 3rd Place
General Excellence / Electronic Publication

Thanks to the ILCA judges, and to you, our readers!

View our past awards

5th annual Made In Hollywood Honors for Television

Los Angeles musicians celebrated Emmy-nominated TV shows scored here in L.A. at the 5th annual Made In Hollywood Honors for Television. From left: Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth, AFM Local 47 Secretary/Treasurer Gary Lasley, violinist Elizabeth Hedman, and Recording Musicians Association Los Angeles President Steve Dress. (Photo by Linda A. Rapka/AFM Local 47)

The 5th annual Made In Hollywood Honors for Television event, held Sept. 12 at 1600 VINE, celebrated Emmy-nominated TV shows filmed in Los Angeles and throughout California. Continue reading →

Instrumental Casting Pledges to Not Violate Federal Labor Laws

Company owned by Jennifer Walton required to comply with National Labor Relations Board settlement agreement

In May of 2017, AFM Local 47 filed an Unfair Labor Practice Charge against Instrumental Casting, LLC, owned by Jennifer Walton, for violations for federal labor laws. In its charge, Local 47 said that she forced musicians to disclose their union membership status and categorically denied employment to musicians who were members of the Union.

Faced with Local 47’s charge and an NLRB investigation, Instrumental Casting signed a settlement agreement with the NLRB that requires Instrumental Casting to post an official NLRB Notice on its website and at its office stating that musicians are free to advocate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions, and to join or form unions, and that Instrumental Casting will refrain from restricting those rights or discriminating against musicians that exercise them. Walton must also email this Notice to musicians to whom she sent casting calls.  Continue reading →

‘Mission: Impossible’ Composer Lalo Schifrin to Celebrate 85th Birthday Concert

Legendary composer, musician, conductor and six-time Oscar nominee Lalo Schifrin (“Mission: Impossible”) will celebrate his 85th birthday with a special concert in his honor Oct. 7 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Continue reading →

‘Keeping the Score in CA’ Rally Highlights Good Jobs for Musicians Via Tax Credit Legislation

“Keeping the Score in CA” kickoff concert & media event outside of Los Angeles City Hall on Aug. 19, 2017. (Photos: Linda A. Rapka)

“Momentum is strong, and we can’t let up now!” That was the dominant message on Saturday, Aug. 19 at the “Keeping the Score in CA” free concert and rally at city hall where a crowd of 150 gathered to hear music, politicians and union leaders push for the AB 1300, the music scoring tax credit that will help keep good jobs in California.

“When you look at the overall state budget, the value of retaining these jobs here is of significant state interest,” Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon (D-57th), told the crowd who gathered to hear performances by musicians including Rickey Minor (bandleader for the 69th Annual Emmy Awards whose credits also include “The Tonight Show” and “American Idol”) and Siddhartha Khosla (composer for NBC’s “This Is Us”).

Related: Variety – Musicians Union Members Stage Free Concert to Bring Scoring Jobs Back to L.A. Continue reading →

Solar Eclipse Captures Nation’s Heart

L.A. musicians travel to ‘totality zone’ to experience full force of our nation’s first total eclipse in nearly 100 years

Marcy Vaj and Pam Gates

North America experienced its first total solar eclipse in nearly 100 years on Aug. 21, 2017. Its trajectory crossed the nation from the Pacific to the Atlantic, closely mirroring that of one in June 8, 1918, the last time North America experienced an eclipse in totality. Continue reading →