6/5/17
I. AFM-EPF PLAN PARTICIPANTS
II. MEMBER COMMENT
III. FROM KIM RICHMOND
IV. EVENTS
…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer
…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician
…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician
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I. OPEN LETTER TO AFM-EPF PLAN PARTICIPANTS:
Response to 5/19 Funding Status Update from the AFM-EPF
Dear Plan Participants,
By now, many of you received an email from the AFM-EPF stating that our
pension fund earned better-than-expected returns in 2016, and we will
not be entering critical and declining status for the next fiscal year
(read that email here). Avoiding critical and declining status means that
our trustees will not be able to file an application to the U.S. Treasury to
cut our hard-earned pension benefits. Under the law, the cuts could be
up to 70% of accrued benefits (use this calculating tool to see the
maximum reduction you could face).
We are not out of the woods, however, and far from it. Our fund
could very well enter critical and declining status this time next year.
In the meantime, it is important that we participants become as
informed as possible as to the inherent problems and solutions.
Musicians for Pension Security (MPS) is requesting that the AFM-EPF
trustees make decisions with input from the participants, and not
be selective about what information they share. They must find a
long-term solution that does not cut accrued benefits without
the fully informed consent of the workers affected, and they must
proceed with complete transparency.
We are aware that certain AFM-EPF Trustees actively support MPRA,
the law that gives them the right to cut our benefits. This law is
controversial as it was passed by Congress in the middle of the
night in 2014 without any debate or hearings. Numerous Senators
and Congressmen on both sides of the aisle, including Bernie Sanders
(D-VT) and Rob Portman (R-OH), believe that MPRA is an unsound
law that hurts workers. They want it repealed, or very substantially
revised. Policy alternatives exist and have been introduced by members
of Congress. These alternative proposals recognize that cutting
accrued benefits without the consent of the workers, particularly
workers who are retiring soon, is morally unacceptable.
We are also aware that our crisis follows a decade of bad investment
management by the trustees. The ten-year investment return for
the fund has been a measly 3.2% net of investment fees, which falls
far short of the trustees own investment goal of 7.5%. To make up
for the poor performance, the trustees are taking more risks with
our investment portfolio. Currently, approximately 32% of Plan
assets are allocated to private equity and alternative investments.
That is $600 million in notoriously risky, illiquid and opaque ventures.
MPS has formally requested the trustees disclose more precise
information regarding the fees and net returns of our private equity
investments. Participants must judge the true performance and arrive
at an informed decision to our prospects going forward.
Many plan participants are unprepared for pension cuts and
face dramatic hardships if they are made. Cutting benefits
without the consent of the workers is not in the interest of the
majority of plan participants. It is something we as a united
majority cannot accept. We as Membership must band together,
speak up and hold our leaders accountable.
In order to stay informed and work with the AFM-EPF, Musicians
for ‘Pension Security has sent a formal request for more plan
information to our Fund Administrator. A copy of that information
request can be found here.
Sincerely,
Members of Musicians for Pension Security
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II. MEMBER COMMENT
Hi there!
Just wanted to alert you to a book that is coming out from University of
California Press that has an chapter-length interview with me regarding
film scoring in Hollywood. The publisher is sending me a copy, so I don’t
know how it ultimately turned out. But I did speak VERY candidly about
my story . . . and how many of our colleagues face the same problems.
Funny thing is, since the interview for the book, which I did a few years
back, I’ve been dropped by MG and seem to have been also dropped by TN.
So I’m dead in the water.
Well, at least I had a chance to vent – and it’s there on the printed page!
https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/11966301
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III. FROM KIM RICHMOND
Dear fellow L.A. Musicians,
A little more than one month from now we will be holding the
1st annual Santa Barbara Jazz Workshop, July 11 – 14, Tuesday
through Friday. This is an intimate jazz clinic, limited enrollment
assuring a more personal learning experience for instrumentalists
and vocalists.
I am co-director with vocalist Kimberly Ford (yes, the 2 Kims),
and this 4 day workshop will be held at the Marjorie Luke Theatre
and SOhO Jazz Club in lovely Santa Barbara. The performances at
the SOhO Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (late afternoons) are
open to the public. The Friday concert (6 PM) will feature the
student combos and the big band.
A faculty of 9 professional jazz performers will teach improvisation,
jazz repertoire and vocabulary, and the students will have opportunities
to play in combos and a big band.
The students are from high school age (21 or younger gets a discount)
to seniors and everything in between.
2017 FACULTY: 9 professional jazz musicians
Saxophone: Kim Richmond (Los Angeles)
Vocals: Kimberly Ford (Santa Barbara)
Trumpet: Jim Mooy (Santa Barbara)
Trombone: Scott Whitfield (Los Angeles)
Guitar: Tom Hynes (Los Angeles)
Piano: John Proulx (Los Angeles)
Bass: Chris Symer (Seattle)
Drums: David Bayles (Milwaukee)
Jon Nathan (Santa Barbara/Pasadena)
Please spread the word. Flyer attached. The website for the Santa
Barbara Jazz Workshop is
santabarbarajazzcamp.com
All the best,
KIM R
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IV. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first
Friday of
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891
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LA WINDS JAZZ KATS 584
NO COVER, NO MINIMUM.
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at
Viva Cantina
7:30-10:00.
900 Riverside Drive,
Burbank.
Free parking across the street at Pickwick Bowl.
Come hear your favorite charts played the way
they
should
be.
We are in the back room called
the Trailside Room.
Come on down.
Guaranteed to swing.
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6/6/17
THE MALIBU FRIENDS OF MUSIC
and the
Montgomery Arts Housefor Music and Architecture
PRESENT
A SPECTACULAR SEASON FINALE CONCERT EVENT
at MAHMA
Click Below:
Take a moment to listen to the sonorous sounds of the
Malibu Coast Chamber Orchestra
under the baton of Scott Hosfeld.
Our own Maria Newman is the viola soloist.
Enjoy gelato & coffee and beautiful ocean views at 7:00pm
just prior to the concert
To make a reservation please call
(310) 589-0295
or make a reservation online at:
www.malibufriendsofmusic.org
Ticket/Donation for our Musical Soirees
is $25.00 per guest (Under 18 is Free)
Donation may be made online or at the door.
The Malibu Friends of Music is a non-profit organization
and operates solely on the generosity of your donations.
Artists, Programming and Dates are subject to change
and/or cancellation without prior notice.
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6/7/17
FREE ADMISSION GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS!
PRESS RELEASE/ Wed JUNE 7, 2017 at 12:10-12:40 pm at the Free Admission
GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS/ Richard Strauss Violin Sonata:
Violinist Jacqueline Suzuki
Pianist Brendan White.
Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Glendale Noon Concerts
818-249-5108
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6/10/17
EDENDALE UP CLOSE CONCERTS
in Echo Park, at the Edendale Branch Library (LAPL).
Fiato String Quartet) – Saturday JUNE 10, 2017 (Noon-1:00pm) performance
Complete info, including upcoming concerts through JAN 2018,
can be found at http://edendaleupclose.blogspot.com
Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Edendale Up Close Concerts
818-249-5108
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6/13/17
CalStateLA Symphony Orchestra/Olympia Youth Orchestra
Dear Friends & Colleagues:
You are cordially invited to attend the admission FREE concert given
by the CalStateLA Symphony Orchestra/Olympia Youth Orchestra
on Sunday, June 11, 2017 at 3PM at the historic San Gabriel Mission
Playhouse, 320 S Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776.
The orchestra is composed of young and talented students ages
12 through college age performing standard repertoire for orchestra
from Baroque to Contemporary periods. Students win their positions
in the orchestra through our annual competitive audition. The guest
soloist this concert will be the renowned violinist, Timothy Fain, who
was the recording artist on the sound track of the movie “The Black
Swan”. He will be performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in
E minor accompanied by the orchestra.
Other works will include Wagner Tannhauser Overture, 2nd movement
of the Dvorak New World Symphony, Mozart Adagio and Rondo for
violin and orchestra(performed by our concertmaster, Jeongwon
Claire An), and the 1st movement of the Tchaikovsky Symphony No.4.
Looking forward to seeing every there..
Sincerely,
Fung Ho
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6/25/17
Dear Doctor Wu Fans,
We will be appearing at the Santa Monica Summer SOULstice Festival
on Sunday, June 25th 2017 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM, where we will play
two sets of your favorite Steely Dan tunes. Please bring your friends
along and enjoy a great time with us!
Edgemar Courtyard
2440 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90405
4:30 – 6:30 PM
We hope to see you there!
The Doctor Wu Band
http://www.doctorwuband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/doctorwuband
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7/11-14/17
SANTA BARBARA JAZZ WORKSHOP
The LA Jazz Society is proud to partner with Kim Richmond
and Kimberly Ford in presenting the Santa Barbara Jazz
Workshop, July 11-14, from Tuesday afternoon to Friday night.
A faculty of Jazz professionals teach instrumental/vocal master
classes, improvisation, Jazz Listening (How to listen, and who to
listen to.), modern Jazz combo and Big Band playing with concerts
each late afternoon (open to the public) where advanced students sit in
For more information, visit www.santabarbarajazzcamp.com.
Presented by Kim Richmond and Kimberly Ford
at the Marjorie Luke Theater and SOHO Jazz Club.
You can read all previous offerings at:
http://www.responsible47.com
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UNTIL NEXT TIME,
THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47