10/15/16
I. AUSTIN LOCAL TAKEN INTO TRUSTEESHIP
II. FORT WORTH RALLY
II. 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. AUSTIN LOCAL TAKEN INTO TRUSTEESHIP
Austin’s oldest organized music entity suddenly hangs in the
balance. Local 433, the city’s musician union – established in
1907 – has been placed under trusteeship by the American Federation of Musicians.
The takeover, which went into effect Oct. 3, terminated all of Local 433’s elected officers, including president Freddie “Steady” Krc, a favorite
Austin drummer who’s kept beats for everyone from Jerry Jeff Walker
to Roky Erickson.
A letter sent to members earlier this month, authored by AFM’s
International Secretary Treasurer Jay Blumenthal, presented the
trusteeship as a means to restore the fiscal health of the financially
floundering union.
“Our local isn’t doing well financially and hasn’t been for many years,”
explains Krc, a member since 1974 who took over as president three
years ago. “There was an embezzlement issue in the Eighties and
Austin’s union, in order to remain financially solvent, had to take
out a loan from the national organization.”
Krc says the theft – to his understanding – resulted in Local 433
owing over $60,000 of debt, interest, and penalties to the federation.
Thus, during his tenure, the union operated on razor-thin margins.
“I’ve been reaching out to national for three years,” sighs Krc.
“We needed help. We didn’t get it.”
The federation appointed Steven Begnoche, a music educator and
performer who’s worked for Houston and San Antonio’s music unions,
as trustee for Local 433. Begnoche acknowledges it will take time to
pay down the debt. That process, he says, begins with cutting expenses, followed by direct contact with union members to educate them on
how the union can help.
“We take what you want to do artistically and legitimize what you
do physically,” he says. “We have contracts, pensions, and programs
– a piece of paper for everything you do whether you’re a live or
recorded music performer and everything is kept on record at the
union office for future reference.”
The relationship remains a basic one: If the union helps musicians
flourish financially, then Local 433 reaps dues that will decrease
the debt. Membership runs $197 annually. In Blumenthal’s letter
citing the rationale for the trusteeship, what that nets – in part –
is a “collective bargaining representative of the musicians of the
Austin Symphony Orchestra,” the ranks of which make up a large
part of the union’s 320 members.
Austin Symphony Executive Director Anthony Corroa says the union
doesn’t play a major role in their tri-annual contract negotiations since
the symphony’s economics are transparent and musicians always get
raises.
“The biggest issue with the union, and this is just my opinion, has
less to do with the Austin Symphony musicians and more to do with
all the other musicians around the city,” says Corroa. “They’re not joining
the union. Right now the club owners are taking advantage of pop and
jazz musicians. They’re not paying them anything because they don’t
have representation.”
Begnoche claims he can build membership by reaching out to all
members – all levels, all genres – and empower them to legitimize
their business to the extent that they can have contracts for gigs,
which will translate into revenue for the union through payment of
work dues. That’s a huge order of business considering the majority
of club gigs in Austin don’t currently involve contracts. A hearing’s
slated for 7pm, Tue., Oct. 25, at 1106 Lavaca, where all union members
will have a chance to be heard on the subject of whether the trusteeship
should be retained. With either outcome, it’s a sink or swim moment
for Local 433.
“It still has a lot of value to musicians and I have hope for it,” offers Krc.
“The goal of this trusteeship is to get it turned around and financially
stable. I don’t know if they can do that without forgiving the debt,
which they’ve declined to do in the past. The other option is it gets
absorbed by another local like San Antonio.
“That would be an embarrassment – if the ‘Live Music Capital of
the World’ didn’t have its own union.”
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II. FORT WORTH RALLY
If you’re in the Fort Worth area, you might want to attend this event.
Please join us at a Rally for Growth Not Cuts
Fort Worth Water Gardens, 1502 Commerce St. FW 76102
Saturday October 22, 5:00 PM
Featuring a performance by the combined Brass of the
Symphony Musicians of Fort Worth and the
Musicians of the Dallas Symphony
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III. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
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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10/22/16
DOWNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
On Saturday, October 22, the
DOWNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
will present the World Premiere of
“DOWNEY CELEBRATION SUITE”
8PM
DOWNEY CIVIC THEATER
8435 Firestone Drive
Downey, CA 90241
www.downeytheatre.com
composed by long-time musician and Downey resident,
Lars Clutterham.
The concert will also be part of the celebration
of Downey’s 60 years as a city, during most of which time
the Downey Symphony Orchestra has also been in existence.
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10/22/16
KIM RICHMOND AT THE DESERT ROSE
Dear fellow L.A. Musicians,
I’m back playing at the Desert Rose this coming Saturday,
October 22.
It’s been a while, but I’m back for this week only. It will be
good with a few guests sitting, and regulars Mark Z. Stevens,
Jon Mayer and Harvey Newmark. Details below. Please join us.
WHAT: Kim Richmond with the Mark Z. Stevens Trio,
plus invited guests sitting in).
WHERE: Desert Rose Restaurant,
1700 N. Hillhurst Avenue.
LOS FELIZ VILLAGE,
Los Angeles, CA 90027;
I suggest you call for reservations, and designate INSIDE SEATING
(to hear the band) 323) 666-1166
WHEN: This Saturday, October 22, 7 to 11 PM (3 sets)
WHO: Kim Richmond, saxophones; Jon Mayer, piano;
Harvey Newmark, bass; Mark Z. Stevens, drums
ADMISSION CHARGE: none—no cover, no minimum
FOOD: Excellent, check it out
PARKING: Valet available, street parking
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10/23/16
LOS ANGELES SYMPHONIC WINDS
Subscription Concert 1 – Calabasas High School
CITY OF ANGELS
Gala Season Opening Concert. A spectacular afternoon of inspired
music making with your LA Winds. Featured works will include
Alfred Reed’s classic “Armenian Dances”
and Maestro Piazza will be the featured soloist in John Williams’
theme music from “The Terminal.”
• Sunday October 23, 2016
• 2:30 p.m. Performing Arts Education Center
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10/29-30/16
RESERVE YOUR SEATS NOW
OCTOBER 29th – 30th AT 7:30 PM
HARVEST MUSIC FESTIVAL 2016
Intimate Musical Soirees with
Old World Hospitality and Charm
Presenting Extraordinary Concert Artists
and Distinguished Speakers
Two Evenings of World Class Music Making
Each Concert Featuring
Unique Programming & Artists.
Tickets and Reservations are available at:
www.malibufriendsofmusic.org
or call: (310) 589-0295
Saturday, October 29th at 7:30 pm
MONTGOMERY ARTS HOUSE FOR
MUSIC AND ARCHITECTURE
Music Room
“BRINGING IN THE HARVEST”
Musical Works to Display the
Warmth of the Human Spirit
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sunday, October 30th at 7:30 pm
MONTGOMERY ARTS HOUSE FOR
MUSIC AND ARCHITECTURE
Music Room
“SPOOKY SONORITIES”
The Sacred and Secular
(And a CRAZY Haunted House)
Featuring Harvest Festival Artists
Performing Exceptional Works of
Johannes Brahms, Gioachino Rossini,
Rebecca Clarke, William Bolcom
Bela Bartok, Max Janowski,
and Maria Newman
2016 Harvest Festival Artists:
Christina Borgioli, soprano
Diana Tash, mezzo soprano
Nandani Maria Sinha, mezzo soprano
Wendy Prober, pianist
Maria Newman, violinist and composer
Scott Hosfeld, violist
Paula Hochhalter, cellist
MASTER OF CEREMONIES:
Samuel Thatcher
For more information on the
Malibu Friends of Music
please visit: www.malibufriendsofmusic.org
Click above to enjoy this performance of the
Maria Newman’s, “The Bullfight,”
performed here by the Kairos String Quartet
~ Read the glowing review here ~
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2016/Oct/Newman_quartets_MAHMR1205208.htm
All programs, dates and artists subject to change and/or cancellation.
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11/2/16
Free Admission Glendale Noon Concerts:
Wed NOVEMBER 2, 2016 at 12:10-12:40 pm
Ergo Musica Baroque Ensemble will perform
J.S. Bach’s Cantata BWV 152.
Website: http://www.glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com
Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Glendale Noon Concerts
818-249-5108
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11/19/16
SFV Symphony Orchestra
Nov. 19, 2016 – Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center
Bizet: Carmen Suite #1
Bizet: Symphony in C major
Fernandez: Oboe Concerto – Francisco Castillo, oboist
Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, 1st mvt.
Thompson Wang, violinist
Contact: Roberta Hoffman, publicist ([email protected]) www.sfvsymphony.com
Program information:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Other concerts in the series
Jan. 21, 2017 – Tutor Family Center at Chaminade West Hills
Schumann: Manfred Overture
Mendelssohn: Symphony #3 in A minor (Scottish)
Belling: Music Madly Makes the World Go Round
Inaugural Performance Cary Belling, violinist
Mar. 18, 2017 – Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center
Tuttle: By Steam or By Dream Overture
Inaugural Performance
Prokofiev: Symphony #1 in D major (Classical)
Ben-Haim: Pastorale Variée for Clarinet, Harp and Strings
Geoff Nudell, clarinetist
Beethoven: Romance for Violin and Orchestra
Domine: Frankenstein Fantasy
Ruth Bruegger, violinist
May 13, 2017 – Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center
Saint-Saens: Bacchanale from “Samson and Delilah”
Tchaikovsky: Orchestral Suite No. 2 in C major
Egizi: Orchestral Suite
“In Memoria di Mio Padre”
Inaugural Performance
Programs subject to change
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You can read all previous offerings at:
http://www.responsible47.com
UNTIL NEXT TIME,
THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47