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Allegro 

www.local802afm.org 

associated 

musicians 

of greater 

New York 

June 2011 

Vol 111, No. 6 

Musicians perform at a recent leafleting action 

at “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.” From left 

to right, Susan Gellert, Roxanne Bergman, Rick 

Dolan, Kurt Coble, Marshall Coid, Elizabeth 

Nielsen, Anne Leathers and Ashley Horne. (Not 

pictured: Maura Giannini, who also volunteered 

to play.) Photo by Walter Karling. 

Audiences demand 

Live music now 

We turn up the heat on our campaign

n your union staff 

LOCAL 802 

OFFICERS 

Tino Gagliardi, President 

Jay Blumenthal, Financial Vice President 

John O’Connor, Recording Vice President 

Executive Board 

Bud Burridge, Bettina Covo, Patricia 

Dougherty, Martha Hyde, Gail Kruvand, 

Tom Olcott, Maxine Roach, Andy 

Schwartz, Clint Sharman 

Trial Board 

Roger Blanc, Sara Cutler, Tony Gorruso, 

Eugene Moye, Marilyn Reynolds, 

Madelyn Rubinstein, Steve Shulman, 

Bob Suttmann, Dan Willis 

Delegates to AFM Convention 

Bud Burridge, Gail Kruvand, Eugene 

Moye, Tom Olcott, Andy Schwartz 

Delegates to New york city 

Central Labor Council 

John O’Connor, Tom Olcott 

Delegates to New York State AFL-CIO 

Martha Hyde, John O’Connor 

Delegate to United Hebrew Trades 

Andy Schwartz 

Supervising Officers 

Tino Gagliardi: Radio City, Lincoln 

Center Orchestras, Theatres 

Jay Blumenthal: Single Engagement 

Concerts, Symphony, Opera, Ballet, 

Music Performance Fund 

John O’Connor: Organizing, Electronic 

Media, Club Dates, Hotels, Nightclubs, 

Jazz and Latin 

Controller 

Ira Goldman 

Assistant to the president and 

supervisor of the theatre department 

Mary Donovan 

Assistant to the Financial Vice President 

Frances McDonald 

director of organizing and 

supervisor of club dates 

Michael Donovan 

supervisor of electronic media 

services and administrator of 

music preparation 

Steve Danenberg 

political and public relations director 

K.C. Boyle 

Union reps and Organizers 

Claudia Copeland (Theatre) 

Bob Cranshaw (Jazz consultant) 

Karen Fisher (Concert) 

Marisa Friedman (Theatre, Teaching artists) 

Shane Gasteyer (Organizing) 

Bob Pawlo (Electronic media) 

Richard Schilio (Club dates, Hotels) 

David Sheldon (Electronic media) 

Peter Voccola (Long Island) 

Todd Weeks (Jazz) 

Sick Pay & Hospitalization Fund/ 

Health Benefits Fund 

Administrator 

Gloria McCormick 

Allegro and 802 notes 

Mikael Elsila (Editor, Advertising 

Manager and Graphic Designer) 

Allegro redesign (2011) by Tony Sutton, 

NDA Inc., www.newsdesign.net 

HEADQUARTERS: 322 West 48th Street, 

New York, NY 10036 

Phone: (212) 245-4802 

Web site: www.Local802afm.org 

LONG ISLAND OFFICE: 54 Sunnyside 

Blvd., Plainview, NY 11803 

(516) 576-9436 

OFFICE HOURS: Daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

except Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 

DUES WINDOW closes at 3 p.m. 

CHECKS WINDOW closes at 4:30 p.m. (6 

p.m. on Wednesdays) 

ALLEGRO (ISSN 0002-5704) is published 

monthly, except for a single summer issue, 

at an annual subscription rate of $25 for 

non-members in the U.S. and $30 out of 

country, by Local 802, Associated Musicians 

of Greater New York, 322 West 48th Street, 

New York, NY 10036. Periodicals postage 

paid at New York, NY and additional 

offices (USPS #013-880). Copyright 2011. 

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 

ALLEGRO, Local 802, 322 West 48th Street, 

New York, NY 10036. 

Allegro is printed at Webb Communications, 

a union shop. 

To reach Allegro: (646) 765-9663 or 

Allegro@Local802afm.org or 

Allegro, Local 802, 322 West 48th Street, 


C o u r i e r 

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2 Allegro | June 2011

n advertising 

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June 2011 | Allegro 3

n News & Views 

Live music now! 

Our campaign is not just about jobs: it’s about art, beauty and culture 

All over New York City, we’re 

hearing the cry: don’t cut live 

music. As everyone knows by 

now, producers of the Broadway 

show “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” 

have hired fewer musicians than 

the Palace Theatre’s minimum and are 

using a recording to provide the sound 

of strings and augment the winds and 

brass. We’re fighting this decision in 

arbitration and we’re also fighting it 

in the streets. We’re letting audiences 

know that they’re not getting the live 

music experience they’re paying for. 

Before I go any further, I want 

you to, right now, stop reading this 

column, open up your computer, and 

visit our campaign Web site, at www. 

SaveLiveMusicOnBroadway.com. Sign 

the petition. Share it with your friends. 

Spread the news as widely as possible. 

Now let me step back for one second 

and talk about the bigger picture. We 

are at a crossroads in history. One path 

leads to cultural renewal and a renaissance 

of the arts and intellectualism. 

The other leads to decay, despair and 

a dumbing down of society. All of us 

have an obligation to help our culture 

take the high road. In the largest sense, 

that’s why we exist as artists, that’s why 

we exist as a union, and that’s why we 

fight for the highest standards of art 

and beauty. And that’s why we have a 

live music campaign, and that’s why 

we’re fighting canned music on Broadway. 

You see, it’s not just about musicians’ 

jobs – although we care deeply about 

our livelihoods! This struggle is really 

about rejecting the path that leads to 

a cheapening of the live theatre experience. 

Yes, some outsiders might say, 

”Oh, why can’t the musicians’ union 

just let that Broadway show get away 

with a little recorded music? It won’t 

hurt anyone.” But it will. 

Recorded music is a slippery slope. 

It’s a slippery slope to the path of artistic 

destruction. Imagine a world where 

all theatre and ballet is accompanied by 

4 Allegro | June 2011 

shows, whether on the Great White 

Way or on tour. It reduces the experience 

to rote performances… I’d just as 

soon download ‘Chicago’ from iTunes 

or listen to my old CD.” 

l “Shows with canned music don’t 

even come close to creating the experience 

that audiences are paying 

for, whether it’s in a small, local theatre 

with a five-piece band, or a full 

Broadway theatre with a magnificent 

30-piece orchestra like ‘South Pacific.’” 

l “Prospective audiences will not 

want to spend their hard earned dollar 

on canned music; they can have it for 

free in elevators.” 

l “The point of coming to New York 

to go to a Broadway show is to see a 

live performance and that includes live 

music. Hey producers – tell New York 

hotels, restaurants, shops, galleries, and 

museums that I won’t be coming.” 

l “I have never been to New York 

and, now that I am living on the East 

Coast, going to a Broadway musical is 

one of my dreams. However, I am worried 

that I will not have the chance to 

experience a musical with an orchestra. 

It is sad that theatre companies discourage 

potential patrons like me.” 

l “I will never, ever forget the joy 

and power of hearing ‘West Side Story’ 

performed live, feeling how that live 

music reinforced the fabric of the story 

and witnessing the interaction between 

live orchestra and performers. It was 

an unforgettable experience that reinforced, 

for me, the magic of the Broadway 

musical.” 

Those are all inspiring words. 

So, how can you help with our live 

music campaign? 

1. If you didn’t already, go to www. 

SaveLiveMusicOnBroadway.com. 

Sign the petition. Follow the links to the 

Facebook page. Share it with everyone 

you know. 

2. Join our electronic mailing list. 

Start at www.Local802afm.org and look 

for the sign-up box on the right. We’ll 

be sending out e-mail alerts about leafpresident’s 

report 

tino gagliardi 

Tgagliardi@Local802afm.org 

recording , or by recordings plus a few 

musicians. Perhaps audiences could 

get used to that awful sound, but what 

would be lost is the essence of the live 

music experience. This experience is 

not expressible in words. It is about 

spontaneity, interaction, excitement, 

joy and passion. 

We, as musicians, have picked Broadway 

as a venue to express ourselves 

musically. When we are required to play 

with a tape or a click track – supplanting 

the conductor’s guidance and limiting 

our ability to play expressively – we 

are deprived of the full experience of 

live performance. 

The magic of live performance is the 

reason we all became musicians in the 

first place. When audiences hear it – 

when they feel it in their bodies – they 

know that it is incomparable. They 

crave more of it, not less. 

It is our duty to protect this experience. 

That’s why we take a hard line 

when productions try to cut musicians. 

It’s not just about jobs: it’s about the 

art, and we have become the gatekeepers 

of this art on Broadway. 

Even if the producers of “Priscilla” 

should eventually win in the legal 

arena, they will have lost in the ethical 

and artistic arenas. Our struggle has 

earned us a New York Times story that 

was prominently displayed above the 

fold on the front page of the arts section. 

We also won media exposure on 

major radio stations, media outlets, as 

well as abroad and all over the Internet. 

Our story has gone “viral,” to use the 

term. This is not the kind of publicity 

that producers hope for when they invest 

in a show. 

This battle over taped music is just 

one aspect of what we’re calling our live 

music campaign. This campaign is not 

just reactive, it’s proactive. We are sending 

out positive messages to the public 

about the importance of live music. 

This campaign keeps live music front 

and center in the public’s eye, which is 

good for our members and also good for 

society in general. 

As part of the campaign, we joined 

forces with the Council for Living Music, 

which commissioned a survey of 

Broadway audiences. Over the next few 

issues of Allegro, we’ll publish some of 

the results. Not surprisingly, a vast majority 

of audience members think that 

live music is important and crucial to 

the Broadway experience. More than 8 

in 10 people oppose replacing live musicians 

with tape. 

Look at some of these comments that 

have been piling up in support of us. 

(These quotes have been culled from 

our Web sites, our Facebook pages and 

our Twitter feeds.) 

l “I hate taped music on Broadway 

Canned music is a slippery slope. 

That’s why we defend our art 

so vigorously. We must not let 

audiences settle for anything less.

n news & views 

leting “Priscilla” and any other shows 

that use recorded music. 

3. Most importantly, tell everyone 

you know that live music is integral to 

the live experience. Play live music for 

your relatives and friends. If you have 

young children, nieces or nephews, 

play your instrument for them whenever 

you see them at family gatherings. 

Get people interested in live music and 

show them the passion and the fun of 

it. Make yourself an advocate for live 

music. This is one of the most important 

things you can do. 

GRAMMY TRAVESTY 

Unfortunately, here’s some more 

news about cultural decay. The National 

Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences 

recently voted to eliminate 31 categories 

of Grammy awards, including Best 

Classical Album, Best Latin Jazz Album 

and Best Chamber Music Performance. 

Jazz awards were cut from six to four, 

and classical awards were also cut 

(from 13 to nine.) The removal of these 

and other categories (like Best Instrumental 

Soloist Performance with Orchestra, 

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, 

Best Hawaiian Album, Best Zydeco/Cajun 

Album and Best Native American 

Album) weakens musicians’ chances to 

be recognized for their achievements. It 

also shows a disrespect for the diversity 

of American music. For more information 

and to sign a petition, go to www. 

GrammyWatch.info. 

BRAZILIAN UPDATE 

As members know by now, the music 

director of the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra 

(known by its Portuguese acronym 

OSB), recently dismissed half of its 

orchestra for “insubordination.” Why? 

Because they refused to re-audition 

for their own jobs. Musicians’ unions 

around the world came out in support 

of the Brazilian musicians and called 

for a worldwide boycott of auditions 

for the OSB. We sent out an action alert 

about this to all of our members. The 

OSB’s New York City auditions recently 

occurred here from May 20 to 23, and 

we sent our union reps there to intercept 

musicians who were on their way 

to audition and to let them know about 

the situation. 

DON’T PLAY FOR CHAIM ROSENBLATT 

The following notice is from a letter 

that we recently sent to all club date 

musicians. 

For the past several months we have 

been attempting to bring the club date 

agency Evanal under contract with Local 

802. The behavior of this employer 

has done nothing short of jeopardizing 

the entire Jewish club date field. If 

Evanal continues unchallenged, it will 

mean a race to the bottom for wages 

and benefits that union musicians have 

for long enjoyed. Make no mistake, 

some union musicians working for Evanal 

may be paid overscale now, but if 

people like Chaim Rosenblatt get their 

way, wages will soon be depressed, 

even among the most skilled players. 

With this in mind, Local 802 has 

moved toward a zero-tolerance policy 

for nonunion employers and union 

employers who are in violation of the 

Jewish Club Date agreement. Therefore, 

this notice will serve as notice to union 

musicians that they are to discontinue 

immediately all engagements with 

Evanal or any Chaim Rosenblatt services. 

Musicians who are found working 

for Rosenblatt or Evanal will be 

subject to charges by Local 802. Such 

charges could result in discipline up 

to and including expulsion from the 

union. Those expelled from the union 

may suffer loss of all future Local 802 

and AFM work. Musicians who are not 

members, will be liable to charges upon 

rejoining, should they ever require 

membership for AFM or Local 802 or 

any AFM work. 

As Ben Franklin once said, we either 

hang together or we hang separately. 

Union members are encouraged to 

call our hotline at (212) 245-4802, ext. 

260 to report any relevant information 

anonymously. 

PERFORMANCE RIGHTS 

We are continuing our long struggle 

to win performance rights for musicians 

when their music is heard on 

AM/FM radio. The latest news is that 

the broadcasters have pressured their 

allies in Congress to support a nonbinding 

resolution (H. Con. Res. 21) against 

performance rights for musicians. In 

response, the AFM’s allies are introducing 

a similar resolution in favor of 

performance rights (H. Con. Res. 42). 

This battle of nonbinding resolutions is 

similar to a straw poll, to see which way 

the wind is blowing on this issue. It’s 

easier for us to convince our allies to 

support a nonbinding resolution, since 

Local 802 recently joined forces with the Council for Living Music, which commissioned 

a survey of Broadway audiences. We now have hard data to support our claim that the 

public wants more live music, not less. Above, one page of the survey, showing that more 

than 82 percent oppose replacing live musicians with tape. 

there’s less political danger for them to 

do so. We’ve also learned that Rep. John 

Conyers is introducing a full-fledged 

bill in support of performance rights. 

The previous Performance Rights Act 

died at the end of the last session. We’ll 

keep you posted. 

INTRODUCING K.C. BOYLE 

I am delighted to introduce K.C. 

Boyle, our new director of politics and 

public relations. During his career as a 

community organizer, consultant and 

campaign manager, K.C. has worked 

across the country on gubernatorial, 

senate and mayoral campaigns as well 

as on Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential 

campaign. Since 2009, he has been 

working at City Hall, serving as chief of 

staff for New York City Councilmember 

Vincent Gentile, assisting with 

matters concerning legislation, communications 

and constituent services. 

K.C. comes from a family with a rich 

musical background, with two brothers 

recently graduating from Berklee College 

of Music. Given his own passion 

for music, the arts and politics, he tells 

us that he is excited to join the team at 

Local 802. 

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL 

I am happy to announce that Local 

802 is the first AFM local within the 

United States to reach an agreement 

with Cirque du Soleil. The company 

is based in Montreal, and after a week 

of deliberations there in April, Local 

802 was able to achieve working condition 

and economic standards representative 

of the theatre industry in 

New York City. This was a collaborative 

effort with AFM Local 406, which 

represents our Canadian brothers 

and sisters in the province of Quebec. 

We were able to negotiate a tripartite 

agreement that is attached to the larger 

agreement that is negotiated with 

Cirque and Local 406. Local 802 will 

have the obligation to administer the 

agreement and represent the musicians 

in New York. 

Cirque’s upcoming show is called 

“Zarkana” and will be playing at Radio 

City Music Hall from June 9 to Oct. 8. 

and I personally would like to welcome 

the musicians of “Zarkana” to our theatre 

community and to our local. It is 

important to point out that although it 

has been historically difficult to reach 

accord with Cirque (as proven by our 

negotiations over the company’s previous 

production of “Banana Speil”), all 

the entertainment guilds in NYC were 

able to come to an agreement and we 

can be assured that all the work done 

at Radio City this summer will be covered 

by union agreements that offer 

the protections and standards we rely 

on and expect. 



why we care 

By holding the line with ‘Priscilla’ now, 

we’re protecting audiences in the future 

A 

few weeks ago Local 802, in 

cooperation with the Council 

for Living Music, launched 

our Save Live Music On 

Broadway campaign. We urge those 

of you who have not yet visited www. 

SaveLiveMusicOnBroadway.com, to 

do so now. The campaign, which is the 

first stage in a much broader campaign 

to revive and preserve live music in New 

York City and beyond, has been in the 

planning stages since the beginning of the 

current Local 802 administration. Previous 

administrations have put together plans 

for live music campaigns, and though there 

have been a few activities that have sprung 

from these plans, including a successful 

initiative in 2003, no significant live music 

strategy has been forged on the level that 

this campaign has now reached. 

What motivates the Broadway live 

music campaign is the fact that over the 

past several years orchestra sizes in the 

pits on Broadway have shrunk. Local 

802 has recognized and acknowledges 

that due to changes in culture, some 

Broadway shows call for a different kind 

of musical sound than the traditional 

Broadway musical and has agreed in 

contract negotiations to a section known 

as “special situations,” which allows for 

the sorts of musical ensembles that appear 

in shows like “Memphis,” “Baby, 

It’s You” and “American Idiot.” 

But a great number of Broadway musicals 

call for conventional orchestras and, 

though aesthetic sensibility would warrant 

large orchestras of, say 28 or 30 musicians, 

it is rare to see more than an orchestra of 

19 in any musical production on Broadway. 

Many are much smaller. The fact is that, 

with few exceptions, the size of the orchestra 

these days is decided on one factor only, 

saving money for the producers. The full 

bore attack on minimums in 2003 led to 


recordinG 

VICE 

president’s 

report 

john o’connor 

Joconnor@Local802afm.org 

a dramatic cut in those minimum requirements. 

Had the League had its way, the 

minimum number of musicians required 

in all theatres would have been even smaller 

or zero. Some may argue that the musicians’ 

union wanting higher minimums in 

their contracts is an antiquated and nonsensical 

way to make decisions about the 

size of the orchestra, but what can be worse 

than making the decision based solely on 

the bottom line? 

One of the disheartening results of the 

2003 concessions on minimums is that the 

default number of 19 and 18 in the theatres 

that have the largest seating capacity is 

considered by the producers as representative 

of a full orchestra. Audiences lost more 

than 30 percent of the musicians in 2003 

and they stand to lose more if we allow musical 

decisions to be driven by those who 

have little respect for the art of live music. 

The public was, by and large, supportive 

of our fight in 2003 to save substantial 

minimums. Indeed if audiences had their 

way, orchestras would be larger. Every time 

a show opens with a large orchestra, such 

as the recent productions of West Side 

Story and South Pacific, the audiences go 

crazy with enthusiasm. It goes without saying 

that musicians prefer larger orchestras. 

So even though audiences and musicians 

believe in large orchestras in the pits, we 

see the erosion of orchestra sizes only because 

producers want it. 

In the immediate, the Broadway campaign 

is aimed at the producers of “Priscilla, 

Queen of the Desert.”For reasons 

that the producers are calling “artistic,” 

the decision was made to use a recording 

of 8 string instruments instead of 

the real thing. The contortions of logic 

that the producers of “Priscilla” have 

gone through to argue their case for this 

outrage is truly breathtaking. They want 

everyone to believe that the “flavor” 

of disco music cannot be reproduced 

by live instruments, ignoring that fact 

that some of disco’s most iconic music 

features huge string orchestrations. 

The truth is that this production shows 

a complete lack of respect for the tradition 

of musicianship and the milieu of 

the Broadway musical. Simply put, the 

replacement of musicians by recordings 

in this show is an insult to anyone who 

takes musical performance seriously. 

To add insult to injury, Garry McQuinn, 

one of the producers of “Priscilla” is quoted 

in the New York Times as saying, “I 

simply don’t know what I would do with 

… string players… if we were required to 

have them.” This is the sort of mentality 

by which Broadway audiences are being 

victimized. Would Mr. Quinn rather 

put walkers back in the pit than to have 

string musicians play the score that was 

written for them? That’s exactly what he 

implied he would do in the Times article. 

What “Priscilla” represents goes to the 

heart of not only what is important to 

everyone in our union, but to everyone 

who cares about the survival of live music 

as part of our culture. That is why this 

fight is the most important one since the 

Broadway strike of 2003. And it is why it 

is incumbent upon every member of this 

union to be involved in this campaign. 

So what are we trying to accomplish? 

A neutral party, in accordance with the 

special situations clause of the Broadway 

contract, has ruled that “Priscilla” 

doesn’t need to have more musicians in 

the pit (the show is loud enough with 

the recorded strings, she says) and we 

have appealed our case to arbitration. 

We hope for a favorable outcome. But 

regardless of that outcome, we need 

to make a stand about the violation of 

what is fundamentally important not 

only to the union, but to the theatre 

going public. In a recent poll commissioned 

by the Council for Living Music, 

more than 80 percent of the theatre 

going public has said they oppose replacing 

musicians with recordings. 

Who best represents the interests of 

the theatre-going public? The Broadway 

League or Local 802? The answer 

to that question has been clear for 

some time. It is vitally important that 

we do everything in our power to put 

the public on alert as to what certain 

producers are doing to kill live music 

on Broadway. Then the public and the 

union need to unite to put a halt to it. 

The replacement of musicians by 

recordings is an insult to anyone 

who takes performance seriously

n advertising 


n feature interview 

} If it weren’t for 

the musicians’ 

union, I wouldn’t 

be making a 

living. Without 

the strength of 

collective action, 

I don’t see 

how musicians 

can have any 

counterweight to 

market forces ~ 

keeping it 

Don Batchelder stays cool 

By KAREN FISHER 

Kfisher@Local802afm.org 

In a city full of excellent musicians, 

how does one stand apart as exceptional? 

A lot has to do with keeping 

a positive attitude, if you ask Don 

Batchelder, who holds the principal 

trumpet chair in the Stamford Symphony 

Orchestra, among others. He 

has been a Local 802 member since 

1979. 

Having just concluded a very difficult 

and protracted round of negotiations 

with that orchestra, Don – along with 

his colleagues on the orchestra committee 

– devoted an inordinate amount 

of his free time and effort to help bring 

those discussions to a successful conclusion. 

Always maintaining a calm demeanor 

and focused vision throughout the 

negotiations, Don impressed everyone 

with his sense of fair play when it came 

to protecting the rights and dignity of 

his colleagues in the orchestra. 

I spoke with Don between shows on 

a Wednesday afternoon to discuss music, 

teaching, and what inspires him to 

go above and beyond the call of duty. 

Karen Fisher: Please tell me a little 

about your musical background. 

Don Batchelder: I went to Juilliard 

straight out of high school. I studied with 

William Vacchiano and Mel Broiles. I 

started a master’s degree, and then I got 

a job in one of the Mexican orchestras, in 

Toluca. That was the time when Venezuela 

and Mexico had a lot of decently paying 

orchestras. And, boy, there were some 

great players there, too. I was in Toluca for 

three years, and then the peso crashed. I 

auditioned for a job in Korea, the KBS symphony. 

I was in Korea for part of a year. I 

started to get antsy, so I came back to NYC. 

KF: What work are you doing now? 

DB: I am principal trumpet in the NYC 

Opera Orchestra and I play first trumpet 

in the Stamford Symphony and the Westfield 

Symphony. I sub in the stage band 

at the Met and freelance doing various 

classical things and sub on Broadway. In 

addition, I’m teaching at Montclair State. 

I have been there 11 years and am also the 

brass coordinator so I have some administrative 

responsibilities as well. 

KF: What made you get involved in the 

Westfield Symphony negotiation back in 

1999? 



} Of course, 

the real way 

to succeed as 

a freelancer is 

that every time 

you show up, you 

sound good ~ 

At left, Don Batchelder shows a young 

audience member how to press the valves on 

his trumpet. 

positive 

while staying focused 

DB: Well, they got a new conductor 

and we realized that there were about 8 

or 10 people who had not gotten a hiring 

sheet. A lot of the orchestra members 

started wondering what we should 

do about it. Some were wondering if they 

should resign. I remember talking with a 

member of the NJ Symphony who said 

the best way to address this is with collective 

action. So, we got together with 

the new Organizing Department at Local 

802 and they were really great. 

KF: Was there a sense of outrage 

among the musicians? 

DB: Oh, yeah. It happened in the middle 

of the summer so we realized a little 

slowly what was going on. I remember 

we met at someone’s apartment to talk 

about it and everybody was really outraged. 

KF: What did you learn from that experience 

about the process of collective 

bargaining? 

DB: It was a good experience but it was 

difficult. One story stands out. Obviously 

it was important for us on the committee 

to get job protection and we were finally 

getting down to where we were close to a 

deal. Lenny Liebowitz was the lead negotiator. 

It was getting late in the afternoon 

and I was the only committee member 

left at that particular time. Lenny said “I 

think we’ve got a deal” if we used this 

particular language, and I looked at it and 

it wasn’t what we were hoping for. So, we 

called a couple people on the phone and 

I remember telling him, “The committee 

is split on this.” The language wasn’t 

bad, but it we wanted something better. 

As soon as he heard that the committee 

was split, he said, “All right, I’m taking it 

off the table.” At the time, I didn’t know 

the dynamics of negotiating or who was 

in charge. But Lenny made it clear that 

even though he had the knowledge and 

the leadership, the rank and file committee 

had the power. What I learned was 

that the most important thing a committee 

can do is stay unified. 

KF: We just wrapped the Stamford negotiation. 

What is your take on the differences 

between that negotiation and the 

Westfield negotiation? 

DB: It was remarkably similar in that 

we had a management that felt that what 

we wanted was inappropriate. They felt 

that because they aren’t in New York, 



Don Batchelder: } Something that has been really valuable to me is my ability 

to stay positive. And that's true as a musician. I've learned [from my teachers] 

how to continue to send positive musical messages even in adversity ~ 

they should be able to pay a lower wage 

and have greater authority over the way 

the whole orchestra runs. The teamwork 

between 802 and the orchestra committee 

was really terrific. The people on the 

committee, everybody worked really 

hard. I really felt we got all the support 

we needed from the local. 

KF: Why did you volunteer to serve 

on the Stamford Committee this time? 

When we first put the word out, I heard 

that you were not interested. What 

changed your mind? 

DB: Speaking of things that were similar 

to the Westfield experience, about 

a year ago, a couple of our colleagues 

were dismissed from the orchestra and 

this made a lot of us so angry. We just 

didn’t see any need or reason for it. At 

that point, I felt as though I wanted to 

try to do something to influence the 

negotiation. 

KF: What would you tell the musicians 

out there who are resistant to 

joining Local 802? 

DB: Here’s the thing: I always remember 

that if it weren’t for the musicians’ 

union, I wouldn’t be making a 

living. And the adversarial bargaining 

process can be incredibly frustrating 

and sometimes maybe it is not even the 

right process, but without the strength 

of the union and the strength of collective 

action, I don’t see how musicians 

can have any counterweight at all to the 

market forces. Pick up the paper, and 

you see how difficult it is for regular 

working people with a skill to get paid 

appropriately for that skill. 

KF: What do you think about the 

contractor system? 

DB: I started picking up freelance 

work in the early 80’s. I didn’t know 

whether I should be calling all the contractors 

or whether there were certain 

people I should be nice to, or play politics. 

So I wrote letters to all the contractors 

who were recommended to me. 

KF: How did that work out? 


Don Batchelder (right) and his son Danny, a violist and musicology student 

DB: Nobody got back to me at all! I’m 

sure I went in a big file! I started making 

finals – in orchestra auditions – when 

I was still at Juilliard. So, people knew 

me as someone who was making finals 

at NJ Symphony and at the Met and 

Philly Orchestra, so that was probably 

the biggest leg up. I went to Juilliard so 

I knew the people who were there, and 

the people who had been out working 

for a long time. I was relying on my connections 

with those people to help get 

me in on things. 

KF: How is the business different now 

versus when you were starting out? 

DB: I think people have to do a lot 

of different things to get by. I went for 

a very long time without ever having 

played a Broadway show. And I don’t 

know any classical players who refuse 

to play Broadway shows now. If they 

are lucky, they play some Broadway. It 

is certainly true that you need to get on 

the radar of the more successful players 

in town. Certainly if you are taking 

auditions and doing well, people are 

going to hear about you. If you have a 

little initiative or business ability, you 

can try to create a business opportunity 

and then call people and ask them to 

do the work. Even if it doesn’t pay great, 

like “I have this church gig; would you 

like to play?” That is a good way of getting 

somebody’s attention. 

KF: What would be your advice to 

young people starting out in NYC? 

DB: You want to get to know people 

who are about your age and are starting 

to succeed. Of course, the real way 

to succeed as a freelancer is that every 

time you show up, you sound good. 

KF: In order to make a living, do you 

find that teaching has been a necessity? 

DB: I love to teach and I am very fortunate 

to be in a position where I can 

teach very talented college students. 

Teaching jobs as good as the one in 

Montclair are very hard to come by, so I 

feel very grateful for that. When I was at 

Juilliard, I had no intention whatsoever 

of being a teacher. It never occurred to 

me, and there was almost an attitude 

of “if you don’t make it, then you can 

be a teacher.” At some point, I started 

to realize that teaching was one of the 

reasons that I’ve been put here. 

KF: There is a lot of depressing news 

out there: the Detroit strike, and recently 

the Philadelphia and New Mexico 

Symphonies filing for bankruptcy. How 

has this news affected you personally 

and what do you advise your students 

regarding these events? 

DB: I still think there is reason for 

hope even though I am not blind to 

how difficult and serious things are 

right now. Something that has been really 

valuable to me is my ability to stay 

positive. And that’s true as a musician. 

I’ve had a lot of amazing teachers, but 

I’ve learned from Arnold Jacobs and 

Vince Penzarella about how to continue 

to send positive musical messages even 

in adversity. 

KF: What does that mean? 

DB: The most important thing is the 

“song” you have in your head. So, you 

have a very detailed idea of how you 

want the music to sound. It’s not just 

about “oh, I’ve got to get all the notes,” 

it’s about hearing every nuance of your 

own part, and you understand how it 

fits with the entire orchestra, and you 

understand the style of that piece. As 

Vince Penzarella would say, the one 

who walks into the audition with the 

most instruments wins. So, if you can 

carry the whole orchestra in there, 

you’re in great shape. For one thing, 

that puts your mind 180 degrees opposite 

of “what if I miss this note?” That’s 

an example of positive thinking that 

musicians really need. 

KF: What else would you like your 

colleagues to know? 

DB: Stay in love with the music that 

you’re playing, and purposefully make 

positive statements to yourself when 

you practice.

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Requiem 

Leonard Arner 

Leonard Arner, 87, an oboist and 

a Local 802 member since 1941, 

died on Jan. 27. 

Mr. Arner was a member of the first 

graduating class of the High School of 

Music and Art. He studied at Juilliard 

and earned a degree from the Teachers 

College at Columbia University. 

Mr. Arner was a founding member 

of the Lincoln Center Chamber Music 

Society. He was principal oboist 

with many ensembles throughout his 

career, including the Buffalo Philharmonic, 

National Symphony Orchestra, 

St. Louis Symphony, Bell Telephone 

Hour, Symphony of the Air, New York 

City Opera Orchestra and the Mostly 

Mozart Festival Orchestra. 

He performed at the Casals, Spoleto, 

Aspen and Marlboro festivals, and 

New School chamber music concerts 

with Alexander Schneider. 

Mr. Arner was the founder and director 

of the Amadeus Ensemble. He taught 

at Queens College and the Montclair 

State College School of Music. 

He is survived by his wife Leah, 

daughter Jessica, son-in-law Eli Abbe 

and grandchildren Daniel and Rebecca 

Abbe. The family suggests that donations 

may be made to Juilliard or to the 

LaGuardia High School of Music & Art 

and Performing Arts. 

Dennis Godburn 

Dennis Godburn 

Dennis Godburn, 62, a bassoonist 

and a Local 802 member 

since 1975, died on May 13. 

Widely regarded as one of the preeminent 

bassoon soloists in the world, 

Mr. Godburn pursued a distinguished 

career as a performer of baroque, classical 

and modern bassoons. 

Mr. Godburn served as the principal 

bassoonist for the Orchestra of St. 

Luke’s since 1976. In 1977, he started 

playing with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra 

and became a member in 1995. 

He also performed with the Metropolitan 

Opera, the San Francisco Symphony, 

Music @ Menlo Festival, New England 

Bach Festival, Boston Early Music 

Festival Orchestra, Handel & Haydn 

Society, Waverly Consort, Philharmonia 

Baroque and the Classical Band, 

among others. 

Mr. Godburn appeared as a soloist 

on the Great Performers Series at Lincoln 

Center and at the Mostly Mozart 

Festival, the Chamber Music Society of 

Lincoln Center, Ravinia Festival, the 

Kennedy Center and on “Live from 

Lincoln Center” national television 

broadcasts. 

He also served on the faculties of the 

State University of New York at Stony 

Brook and the Manhattan School of 

Music. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions can 

be made to the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, 

450 West 37th Street, Suite 502, New 

York, NY, 10018 with a designation for 

the Dennis Godburn Memorial Scholarship 

Fund. 

He is survived by his wife Moy Eng, 

daughters Amanda and Julia, sister 

Denise, brother-in-law Michael, aunts 

Lorraine and Gertrude, uncle William, 

numerous cousins and the Dobratz- 

Crandal family. 

A memorial concert is being planned 

for later this year. 

We also remember . . . 

Julius Brand, violin 

Marty Gold, piano 

Sebastian Larry Guarnieri, clarinet 

Harry M. Horowitz, piano 

Martin Noliboff, French horn 

Johannes F. Somary, conductor 

Rudolph G. Stevenson, guitar 

Lois A. Terry, violin 

Karen A. Tuttle, viola 

Bill Walker, violin 

Snooky Young, trumpet 

To report the death of a member, 

please call Avelon Ramnath at (212) 

245-4802. Be sure to ask about 

any possible refund of Local 802 

membership dues or about the union’s 

death benefit (there are certain 

eligibility requirements). 

Spouses of deceased members should 

call the AFM Pension Fund at (800) 

833-8065, ext. 1311, to ask about any 

possible benefits. 

To submit an obituary to Allegro, e-mail 

Allegro editor Mikael Elsila at Allegro@ 

Local802afm.org or call (646) 765- 

9663. Photos are also welcome. 

to make a contribution to Local 802 in 

honor of a deceased member, contact 

Ira Goldman at (212) 245-4802 or 

igoldman@Local802afm.org. 

to continue receiving Allegro in the 

mail after a spouse is deceased, e-mail 

Allegro@Local802afm.org or call (646) 

765-9663. 


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119. 



Brazilian boycott? Why? 

Unions should not get involved with artistic matters 

This is a response to Local 802’s call 

for a worldwide boycott of auditions 

for the Brazilian Symphony 

Orchestra. Why should such a boycott 

happen, from London to New York 

to Rio? Brazilian Symphony management 

under Maestro Minczuk wishes 

to improve its 86-member orchestra by 

re-evaluating through auditions. This 

procedure is legal. I refer members to 

an informative article written by Francine 

Stutzman, president of AFM Local 

180 (Ottawa) in the May issue of International 

Musician. I called one of the 

Local 802 officers about this and was 

informed “it isn’t fair.” Oh, really? Auditioning 

is the accepted process for employment. 

Because you have auditioned 

years ago, does that mean you have a job 

for life? Fifty players that did re-audition 

have been rehired. What is the problem? 

I contacted a colleague who is an 

experienced U.S.-trained string player 

and was a member of Eleazar de Cavalho’s 

Sao Paulo orchestra, and knows 

musicians’ 

voice 

The Musicians’ Voice is an open 

forum for discussion about the state 

of union affairs. The letters here do 

not necessarily express the views of 

Local 802. E-mail letters to Allegro@ 

Local802afm.org or write to Allegro, 

Local 802, 322 West 48th Street, New 

York, NY 10036. Letters must be no 

more than 300 words. 

the Brazilian scene well. I was informed 

that “the reason some of the players 

wouldn’t audition is because they are 

that bad.” That is why the management 

(with a large amount of funds recently 

given them) wants to have a higher 

standard orchestra for the city of Rio de 

Janeiro. 

We now have a world-wide union boycott 

propping up 36 players who will not 

audition, and prohibiting 36 trained applicants 

from auditioning for these jobs. 

In 1970, I was the associate principal 

violist with the Dallas Symphony. Anshel 

Brusilov was appointed the new 

conductor and requested all non-tenured 

players to be re-evaluated by reauditioning. 

We all auditioned, no one 

was fired and there was no opposition 

from the union. 

Is this an example of “WORKERS OF 

THE WORLD UNITE”? If so, count me 

out. Unions should not be involved in 

artistic matters: it is not their domain. 

Kenneth Burward-Hoy 

Tyranny vs. civilization 

If people think that the banning of 

the categories “Best Classical Album,” 

“Best Chamber Music Performance” 

and “Best Latin Jazz Album” from 

the Grammys is to be the final nail in 

the coffin of American culture, think 

again. It may appear so and seem to 

be the final death knell of traditional 

culture in the midst of this very unenlightened 

generation. But be aware 

that barbarians have come and gone 

before and the spark of genius which 

marks the thinking minority of our 

species lives on in spite of idiocy, no 

matter how tiny its glow. 

The actions of the National Academy 

of Recording Arts & Sciences will live 

on in infamy as always do the dumb 

functions of tyranny against the advance 

of civilization. We few will prevail 

even when the last shriek of sound 

– misnamed “modern music” – finally 

fades and dies the death it so richly 

deserves. 

Ferde Grofé 

The writer is a producer, director and 

screenwriter, and son of the composer 

Ferde Grofé (1892-1972) 

Snooky, I’ll miss you 

We lost trumpeter Snooky 

Young, 92, on May 11. Some 

of my favorite moments during 

my tenure at the “Tonight” show 

in the 1960’s 

were spent hanging 

out between 

rehearsals with 

some of the “older 

guys” in the 

band: Snooky, 

Clark Terry, Jimmy 

Maxwell, Al 

Klink, Bob Haggart 

et al. 

Snooky Young 

Snooky was a 

master storyteller 

and I couldn’t get 

enough about the Lunceford and Basie 

bands, where he played lead for years. 

When the show moved to California 

in 1971 we lost touch. I didn’t see him 

again until maybe ten years ago at a jazz 

festival in Newport Beach, Calif., where 

he appeared with the Clayton/Hamilton 

band, still smiling, still having fun. What 

a great player! I’ll miss him. 

Derek Smith 

Remembering Armen 

Armen Halburian, my relative and 

exceptional friend, passed away 

on March 16 at the age of 77. Armen 

was an extraordinary drummer, 

percussionist and inventor and a member 

of Herbie Mann’s “Family of Mann,” 

recording and touring alongside heavyweights 

Steve Gadd, Tony Levin, David 

“Fathead” Newman, Cissy Houston, 

Sam Brown and others. He played on 

over 50 albums, including Larry Young’s 

“Lawrence of Newark” and Dave Liebman’s 

“Lookout Farm.” Armen earned 

a reputation as 

an imaginative 

and tasteful musician, 

attaining 

prominence and 

recognition for his 

high energy level 

and personal style 

that feeds back 

inspiration and 

Armen Haliburian creative spirit. Armen 

also invented, 

designed and patented the famous 

4-in-1 drum tool and the “Armen Solid 

Bar Chimes.” His chimes sold successfully 

throughout the world. Since 2009 

Armen played at the Chapala Grill in 

Bergenfield, NJ with a nine-piece Latin 

jazz band, “Cactus Salad,” led by traps 

master Russ DiBona. This gig became 

Armen’s musical and spiritual refueling. 

He became a devout Roman Catholic in 

1999 and dedicated his life to the teachings 

of Jesus Christ. Armen is survived 

by his companion of over 27 years, Joan 

Sergi, and nieces Dawn Booth and Lorna 

Bagdasarian and nephew, Jeff Bagdasarian, 

and their children. 

Armen was a personal inspiration to 

me. My first memory of him goes back 

to my grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary 

in 1960. I was 9, Armen was 

29. I distinctly remember him as one 

of the hip relatives who I admired. In 

later years, as a musician myself, I had 

many conversations with him during 

which he expressed his views on music, 

spirituality and life. He was always engaged 

with the world, incredibly active 

and unrelenting in his curiosity and involvement 

with others and with his own 

growth and self-realization. I will miss 

him a lot. 

Armen Donelian 



‘Borscht Belt’ memories 

We take a road trip through the ‘Jewish Alps’ 

to check out Local 802’s new territory 

By michael donovan with 

Mary Donovan and Bob Pawlo 

we recently took a road trip 

through time, back to when 

music rang throughout the 

Catskills in upstate New York. 

Formerly known as the “Borscht Belt” or 

the “Jewish Alps,” this is the region where 

Jewish families from New York City summered 

to escape the city heat. 

As readers may remember, earlier this 

year Local 802 was assigned this jurisdiction, 

which was formerly governed by AFM 

Local 809. The area generally follows state 

route 17 as it runs through Sullivan County. 

Hotels such as the Concord, the Raleigh, 

Grossinger’s and Kutshers’ thrived here in 

the past, providing entertainment for the 

thousands of summer vacationers, and 

jobs for hundreds of musicians – including 

Local 802’s recording rep Bob Pawlo, who 

generously provided a tour of the area and 

arranged for meetings at various venues. 

In the 1950’s, there were several dozen 

large resorts, and hundreds of bungalow 

colonies, each with at least one band. 

The shows included performers such 

as George Burns, Jan Peerce, Jack Benny, 

Jerry Lewis, Woody Allen, Tony Bennett 

, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Mel 

Brooks, Sammy Davis Jr., Rodney Dangerfield, 

Barbra Streisand, Richard Pryor, 

Jerry Seinfeld and others. It was a mark 

of pride to play “The Mountains.” 

Many Local 802 members would perform 

at one of the resorts in the summer, 

often with their families in tow. More than 

a few New York City musicians would 

come up for one day and play a headliner 

show. This was known as an “augment.” 

For young musicians, it was a training 

ground for so many who went on to careers 

in recording, Broadway and other 

venues. 

On our recent visit, we first met with 


Chris White, the aide to Rep. Maurice 

Hinchey, who represents this district in 

Congress. Chris welcomed us and assured 

us of Rep. Hinchey’s support of 

labor related issues. We relayed greetings 

from the officers and members of Local 

802 and told Mr. White to relay these 

wishes to Rep. Hinchey, who has been ill. 

While in Middletown, we stopped at the 

Paramount Theatre, run by Nelson Page. 

Mr. Page gave us a tour of his theater, 

which opened in 1930. The theater functions 

today as a performing arts center as 

well as cinema for the Middletown area. 

The theater also has a fine Wurlitzer “Style 

H” organ dating from the early 1920’s. 

Later that day the 802 team met with 

managers of Bethel Woods, a performing 

arts center built near the site of the 1969 

Woodstock Festival. Bethel Woods is a 

major venue that has outdoor seating for 

15,000 people. We spoke with Matt Mc- 

Neil, senior director of event marketing 

and the person in charge of major bookings; 

Eric Frances, Bethel Wood’s chief 

financial officer; and James P. Reilly, the 

director of production. We told them, as 

we told all those we met with in Sullivan 

County, that we were there to introduce 

ourselves and that Local 802 had taken 

over the administrative area of Local 809. 

This summer the center is presenting, 

among others, the New York Philharmonic, 

the Boston Pops, John Pizzarelli with the 

New York Pops, Neil Sedaka with the New 

Jersey Symphony, Tim McGraw and even 

the rock band Deep Purple accompanied 

by an orchestra. All of these shows will be 

under union contract! 

Later we met with Norman Duttweiller, 

managing director of the Forestburgh 

Playhouse, which was founded in 1947. 

The 290-seat theater, converted from a 

barn, operates during the summers only, 

from mid-June through Labor Day. 

The Delaware Valley Arts Alliance 

THEN AND NOW: Grossinger’s, the famous Catskills hotel (above) in its heyday. Local 802 

recently received jurisdiction over this area, which has a new crop of venues, such as the 

Bethel Woods amphitheater (below), near the site of the original Woodstock festival. 

is located in the town of Narrowsburg 

on the Pennsylvania/New York border. 

Elaine Giguere, executive director of the 

Alliance, met with us and told us about 

the Tusten Theater, which the Delaware 

Valley Arts Alliance administers. The 

theatre is a town-owned former movie 

house, now playing host to live concerts, 

theatre, opera and film events. 

Local 802 looks forward to hosting a meetand-greet 

sometime this summer for former 

members of Local 809, and the many members 

of Local 802 who have moved to the 

Catskill region or who have summer places 

in this beautiful area. 

For more info, contact Bob Pawlo at 

(212) 245-4802, ext. 191 or Rpawlo@ 

Local802afm.org. We also plan on announcing 

the event on the local radio channel, 

WJFF 90.5 FM (Jeffersonville, NY). 

photo: terrastories.com



FASHION 

POLICE 

Can your boss tell you 

what to wear? 

normally, your boss can tell 

you what you can and can’t 

wear to work. But when it 

comes to union gear, you’ve 

got fashion protection, courtesy of the 

Supreme Court. 

Wearing union hats, shirts and buttons 

is the surest way to let your employer 

and co-workers know that you 

support the union. The Supreme Court 

upheld workers’ right to wear union 

paraphernalia to work in its seminal 

decision, Republic Aviation Corp. v. 

NLRB, 324 U.S. 793, 801-803 (1945). 

The right was granted under Section 

7 of the National Labor Relations Act. 

Workers have the right to organize and 

to make known their concerns and 

grievances pertaining to their job. The 

court found that this includes the wearing 

of union insignia while at work. 

But – there’s always a but… 

Even though workers have the right 

to wear union gear, the court also 

said that this right must be balanced 

against the “equally undisputed right 

of employers to maintain discipline in 

their establishments.” 

In the many decades since the Supreme 

Court wrote that, the labor 

board has decided time and time again 

that sometimes it’s O.K. for employers 

to demand that workers not wear 

union gear. 

Employers can try to prohibit the 

wearing of union messages if it might: 

legal 

corner 

harvey mars, 

esq. 

Harvey Mars is counsel to Local 

802. Legal questions from 

members are welcome. E-mail 

them to JurMars566@aol.com. 

Harvey Mars’s previous articles in 

this series are archived at www. 

HarveyMarsAttorney.com. (Click on 

“Publications & Articles” from the top 

menu.) Nothing here or in previous 

articles should be construed as formal 

legal advice given in the context of an 

attorney-client relationship. 

l jeopardize employee safety 

l damage machinery or products 

l exacerbate employee dissension 

l unreasonably interfere with the 

business’s dress code, if such dress code 

is part of the business’s public image 

l threaten decorum and discipline 

among employees. 

For instance, at Noah’s New York 

Bagels, the labor board found that the 

employer could prohibit a union t-shirt 

stating that “if it’s not union, it’s not kosher.” 

The Komatsu corporation, which is a 

Japanese industrial company that has a 

presence in the U.S., was permitted to 

prohibit employees from wearing shirts 

that referenced Pearl Harbor. 

In a 1972 case against the telephone 

company, employees weren’t allowed to 

wear shirts that said “Ma Bell is a Cheap 

Mother.” 

At Caterpillar and elsewhere, the labor 

board found that employers could 

prohibit workers from wearing buttons 

saying “Don’t be a Scab” and “Don’t be 

a Free Rider.” 

In 2003, post office workers were not 

allowed to wear fluorescent posters stating 

“One Year Without a Contract” and 

the name of their union. 

Another company was allowed to tell 

workers to not wear shirts that said, “I’m 

Tired of Bustin’ My Ass.” 

In assessing whether employers can 

ultimately tell workers what to wear, 

the labor board is required to determine 

whether the employer’s right of control 

over its business operations, property 

and premises overrides the rights of the 

workers. 

This burden is a high one for an employer 

to satisfy, but as demonstrated 

by the decisions listed above, it can be 

done. 

Thus, before employees decide to wear 

t-shirts demonstrating union pride, the 

message the t-shirt conveys must be 

carefully vetted and scrutinized – or employees 

may find themselves outside the 

protection of the law. 

Messages that are obscene or incite to 

violence may very well be prohibited. 

Furthermore, messages that deride 

the quality of the employer’s product or 

contain untruthful statements about the 

employer should likewise be avoided. 

Probably, the easiest way to ensure 

that you will fall within the scope of the 

law is to simply wear a shirt, hat or button 

that simply states the name of the 

union. Sometimes less is more. 

p.s. There were so many cases 

referenced in this article that I was 

unable to cite all of them in detail here. 

If you’d like to see the citations, e-mail 

Allegro editor Mikael Elsila at Allegro@ 

Local802afm.org and he’ll send you 

the original version, which contains the 

exact name and citations of each case I 

wrote about. 


n labor history month 

Harvey S. Mars, Esq 

Local 802 Member 

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Attorney at Law 

322 West 48th Street, 6th Floor 

New York, NY 10036 l (212) 765-4300 

Providing a full range of legal services concerning employment 

issues, civil rights and discrimination claims, contractual 

disputes and general litigation 


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based on availability of chosen candidates. 

Applicants may receive information regarding these 

auditions by sending a one-page written resume, to 

be received by this office no later than July 1, 2011. 

Auditions will be held in the fall of 2011. 

Application information will be sent upon receipt 

of resume. Please do not send recordings at this 

time. REPERTOIRE WILL NOT BE GIVEN OUT OVER 

THE PHONE. The Audition Committee of the New York 

Philharmonic reserves the right to dismiss immediately any 

candidate not meeting the highest professional standards 

at these auditions. 

Address resumes to: Carl R. Schiebler, Orchestra 

Personnel Manager, New York Philharmonic, 10 

Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023 

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 



photo: alyn stafford 

Looking for gigs? 

CUSTOM 

CROSSWORDS 

by Patrick Blindauer 

Do you know about Local 802’s referral service? 

My work has appeared in places 

like the New York Times, Wall Street 

Journal, and GAMES. 

Now you can get your very 

own personalized, one-of-a-kind, 

professional quality New York Timesstyle 

the crossword call. We puzzle, match chock-full up our of 

when someone calls the union to hire musicians, our referral service handles 

members with prospective clients. If you’re a Local 802 member, signing up for the words referral and service phrases chosen is easy. by Go you. to 

www.Local802afm.org and click LOGIN from the grey menu bar near the upper right. Once you’re logged in, 

Surprise your crossword-loving 

click on the red link “Update My Profile,” from the list on the left. When you get to the question, “Would you like 

friend or family member on a birthday, 

to sign up for and receive e-mails for the Musicians’ Referral Service?” be sure to fill wedding, in “yes.” anniversary, If you’re a or member other special 

of a group, answer the questions about group name and size. If you’re a teacher, be occasion. sure to Try answer the puzzle that question 

page 33 for 

too. As you fill out this page, it’s very important that you input all of the areas of a work sample. and styles that relate to 

you. The referral service uses these profiles to match musicians with the specific requests of the client. Often, we 

search our database by style of music, so if you’ve not provided this information, your name may not come up 

www.PatrickBlindauer.com 

in the search. Many members do not have enough information listed in their profiles. 

for more 

The more 

info & 

information 

FREE crosswords 

you give us about yourself, the better chance we have of matching you to a request that comes in. For more 

information, contact Theresa Couture at Referral@Local802afm.org or (212) 245-4802, ext. 115. 



Which way the 

What instrument should 

It’s a recorder vs. pennywhistle smackdown! When Allegro ran 

a recent piece on the value of teaching pennywhistles to kids, 

we didn’t imagine that it would open up a debate on this topic, 

yet the decision about what instrument kids should learn first is 

actually a critical and crucial choice. Below, Local 802 members 

Wayne Hankin and Bill Ochs offer up some subtle arguments… 

Recorder requisites 

By Wayne Hankin 

WayneHankin@earthlink.net 

I 

applaud bill Ochs’s recent article in 

Allegro and wish him success in increasing 

the pennywhistle’s visibility 

for our education system. It’s important 

to encourage our colleagues to bring 

their goals and ideas to fruition. 

Bill’s main point is that “the pennywhistle 

is a much better choice as a 

first instrument than the typical plastic 

school recorder.” 

Our message as professionals is 

about learning an instrument properly 

that requires a little discipline. 

Isn’t this what we want to instill right 

off in kids? Without discipline, no 

child is going to learn or appreciate 

any instrument well. 

In my 30 years of playing and teaching, 

I have visited hundreds of schools 

and as many music workshops. I can see 

which classes move forward and which 

lead students towards dead ends. The recorder 

is simple enough to learn with the 

right book and teacher, but if one crossfingering 

is going to stop a student from 

learning then we might as well hang it 

up here because the pennywhistle is not 

exempt from its own challenges too. 

The fingering on a pennywhistle is 

easy up to a point. But on a D pennywhistle, 

you do have to learn cross fingerings 

(C natural) plus half holes (F natural), 

which takes some practice. Good musicians 

and teachers know how to bring 

their students beyond the first lesson. 

Although Bill’s intentions are good 

and he makes an effective point about 

the pennywhistle’s ease in the second 

octave, he should be careful when adding 

to the discussion things like, “I’d go 

as far as to say that the recorder can 

hold back some children’s musical development.” 

It’s like saying, education 

can hold back a child’s development. 

This poor choice of words might offend 

some in the recorder community and 

what we should be doing is working together, 

not creating divisions. Neither 

instrument has a major learning advantage 

over the other. 

If both instruments can be had for 

as little as $5, which instrument offers 

more? A pennywhistle in D can play 

in five keys; with a recorder you can 

play in 24. 

Now let’s talk about history. Bill dates 

the pennywhistle revival to the Celtic 

and World Music booms of the 1980’s 

and 90’s. But what really launched the 

pennywhistle to huge worldwide acclaim 

happened during the late 1950’s, right 

here in New York. 

Singer and pennywhistler Tommy 

Makem (also a Local 802 member!) 

came to Greenwich Village and joined 

up with the Clancy Brothers in 1956. 

Five years later they set America on its 

ears with their 16-minute performance 

on the Ed Sullivan Show. One of the 80 

milliion people who saw that broadcast 

was John Hammond, who signed them 

to Columbia Records. Within a year they 

were known all over the world. To say 

they were influential is putting it mildly. 

Any followers or players of the tin whistle 

will know the names Paddy Moloney, 

Matt Molloy, Sean Keane and Sean Potts 

of Chieftains fame, who further popularized 

the instrument to many more millions 

of people worldwide during the 

Irish folk revival of the 1960’s, as well 

as Mary Bergin, Carmel Gunning, Micho 

Russell, Sean Ryan, Peter Barnes and 

jazzer Steve Buckley, just to name a few. 

Today, the American players who have 

mastered this wonderful instrument are 

too numerous to mention here. 

In conclusion, I felt all sides of the 

argument needed to be presented fairly, 

which is why I questioned whether Bill 

gave the recorder a fair shake. But to 

side with him, he’s right that a good 

pennywhistle program is worth a try. 

The overall point is that each of the 

wind instruments discussed brings 

something special to the table. They all 

have to be learned properly. Easy introductions 

only last so long. In the end, 

it’s about setting the stage to master instruments 

by way of good teachers and 

good instruments. That, and not quick 

fixes, will solidify any instrument’s 

worthiness for further study and enjoyment 

and hence greater appreciation 

for the professionals who play them. 

For a longer version of this essay, e-mail 

the author at WayneHankin@earthlink. 

net. Wayne Hankin has performed on 

pennywhistle and recorder in film and 

television, most recently “Disney’s Princess 

Enchanted Tales,” “Miss Spider,” “Resident 

Evil II” and “Breaking Bad” on AMC. 

photo: niznoz via flickr.com 



wind blows 

kids learn first? 

Pennywhistle 

prerogatives 

By BILL OCHS 

BillOchs@pennywhistle.com 

I 

thank Wayne Hankin for taking 

the time to respond to my article, 

for wishing me success in increasing 

the pennywhistle’s visibility in our 

educational system, and for expressing 

his opinion that “a good pennywhistle 

program is worth a try.” 

Wayne questions whether I gave the 

recorder “a fair shake.” I am admittedly 

biased towards the pennywhistle as 

a first instrument for children and, in 

fact, I’m on a mission to re-introduce it 

to our schools. Why else would I start 

www.PennywhistlesForSchools.com? 

photo: ncreedplayer via flickr.com 

From my point of view, the recorder 

has had more than a fair shake. Millions 

of recorders are in use in our schools 

and have been for years. But sheer 

numbers do not necessarily mean that 

the recorder is a better choice as a first 

instrument for children. 

I have great respect for the recorder 

as an instrument for professionals 

and serious amateurs. The recorder’s 

eight holes – or more properly ten if 

one counts the double holes – allow 

a player who knows all fingerings 

to play chromatically in 24 keys, as 

Wayne points out. 

But does an eight-year-old beginner 

really need an instrument that plays in 

24 keys if its fingering is complicated 

and playing in the second octave is a 

challenge? Isn’t there something to be 

said for giving kids a simpler instrument 

that does a few things very well, 

and on which they can play almost any 

tune they know, without putting obstacles 

in their path? 

It’s true that if all beginners are going 

to do is play “Twinkle, Twinkle” in the 

first octave, there is not much difference 

between the recorder and the pennywhistle. 

But as soon as they move into 

the second octave, the pennywhistle’s 

advantages come to the fore. 

On the pennywhistle – which has just 

six holes – a player simply over-blows to 

play the second octave using the same 

simple fingerings that were used in the 

first octave. 

On the recorder some fingerings vary 

from the first octave to the second. And 

a recorder player must “crack” or partially 

open the thumbhole to get the 

second octave notes to speak. The placement 

of the thumb varies as the notes 

increase in pitch. How many eight-or 

nine-year-olds can learn to do this correctly, 

especially in a classroom setting 

with twenty or more other students? 

Wayne claims that the recorder is 

“simple enough to learn,” but he qualifies 

this statement by adding “with the 

right book and teacher.” By contrast, 

generations of Irish and South African 

kids figured out how to play the pennywhistle 

without books, teachers, or 

even fingering charts. They just played 

the music they heard all around them 

and because the fingering of a six-hole 

flute is so intuitive, they were playing 

two diatonic octaves in virtually no time 

at all and making marvelous music in 

the process. 

And when I say that “the recorder 

can hold back some children’s musical 

development,” I am careful to say some 

children. Talented kids with an aptitude 

for wind instruments are likely to 

do well regardless of which instrument 

they are given. But some of the average 

and slower kids may fall through 

the cracks when confronted with the 

recorder’s complications. Can we afford 

to lose those kids right from the start? 

Why not give them a better chance at 

success in their first musical endeavors? 

Regarding the revival of the pennywhistle, 

I am well aware of the history 

that Wayne mentions and have written 

about it extensively in other contexts. 

But revivals come in waves, and by the 

1980’s and 90’s awareness of the pennywhistle 

had reached a critical mass. 

Its use in punk, pop, world-beat, New 

Age music, and in the movies, and in 

hugely popular step-dancing shows in 

those decades, helped the instrument 

break out of its folk niche and reach a 

much wider audience. 

Most importantly, this burgeoning 

awareness created enough demand so 

that it became viable to manufacture 

pennywhistles in the U.S. once again. 

This happened in the 80’s, with the result 

that the instrument became widely 

available in music stores all across the 

country for the first time in years. None 

of this was true when the Clancys and 

Tommy Makem appeared on the Ed Sullivan 

Show in the 1960’s. 

I firmly believe that for beginning 

music students less is more. On the pennywhistle, 

children can do more with 

less and have great fun along the way. 

The pennywhistle’s six-hole fingering 

system has survived for centuries because 

it is simple and intuitive. Ireland 

and South Africa are shining examples 

of two countries that have stuck with 

the pennywhistle as a beginning instrument 

and produced vibrant musical 

cultures in the process. American 

schools should give this a try! 

For a longer version of this essay, e-mail 

the author at BillOchs@pennywhistle. 

com. 


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n aDvertising 

You can have the shirt off their backs 

Congratulations to the Local 802 Musicians Softball 

Team for making it to the playoffs last year. They are 

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And now, you can be a star too. By making a taxdeductible 

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For more information, contact Marisa Friedman 

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Local802afm.org 



Money on our mind 

Financial planning in good times – and bad 

By Pat Dougherty 

PatDBass@aol.com 

Financial planning is a vital 

function of our lives, in both good 

times and bad. Planning procedures 

may vary with changes 

in the economy or in your life, but the 

process of – and the need for – financial 

planning always remains. Having a plan 

gives you the focus and the motivation 

to achieve your goals. 

The planning process begins with a 

snapshot of your financial “now.” Then, 

goals and plans for the future are determined. 

Finally, the actions or solutions 

for getting from “now” to “future” are 

determined with a plan. This plan is like 

a blueprint. And since financial planning 

is as fluid as life, your blueprint will likely 

be altered over time to accommodate 

these changes. 

The components of financial planning 

can be broadly described as the 

following: 

1. Current Financial Condition, 

which comprises: 

a. Cash Flow Statement (all income 

minus all expenses) 

b. Net Worth Statement (all assets 

minus all debts) 

2. Taxation, which is the positive use 

of basic tax-saving techniques. 

3. Risk protection (insurance) to 

be certain you are adequately insured 

to protect against personal losses (like 

medical, disability and long term care); 

property losses (like home and contents, 

musical instruments and items of value); 

and to provide for your dependents (life 

insurance). 

4. Investments are used primarily to 

accumulate capital for specific objectives. 

For instance: 

a. Emergency Money Fund, ideally 

equal to six months’ living expenses, to 

cover the unexpected 

b. Provide for the education of 

children 

c. Provide for your retirement 


d. General investment fund, which 

is used – for example – to provide for a 

better standard of living, to retire earlier, 

take a special vacation, etc. 

Additionally, investing involves many 

factors. Examples of a few: 

a. Your current age and expected 

life span (estimated time available for 

you to invest) 

b. Your risk tolerance: conservative; 

moderate; aggressive 

c. Purposes of the investments: 

buy a home; take a vacation; fund college 

for the children; etc. 

d. Types of investments: savings, 

CD’s, Treasury securities, stocks, bonds, 

mutual funds, REIT’s, etc. 

5. Retirement Planning involves 

utilizing the options available to provide 

for retirement. For example: pensions, 

IRA’s, 401(k) and 403(b) plans, 

assets that could be sold for additional 

retirement income, Social Security 

benefits, etc. 

6. Estate Planning is providing for 

your heirs, which can involve such areas 

as wills, trusts, pertinent tax law and accounting, 

insurance, and investments. 

For many people, estate planning can be 

fairly simple and inexpensive. For larger 

estates, it can be very complex and require 

the use of several different professionals. 

To begin your financial planning journey, 

there are several activities designed 

not only to help develop comfort with 

the financial planning process, but also 

to assist you in achieving certain specific 

goals. These activities are as follows: 

l To determine where incidental 

money (the daily, out-of-pocket money) 

goes, carry a small spiral notebook with 

you (for at least 30 days) at all times 

and enter all money spent each day 

(for example, Starbucks coffee, Metrocards, 

newspapers, stamps, etc). Total 

these expenditures daily, weekly and 

monthly, and categorize them as to type 

of expense (food, refreshments, travel, 

impulse shopping, etc.) with their totals. 

This may sound like a lot of work, but to 

be this precise can lead to great savings. 

You’d be astounded! 

l Calculate, not only your recurring 

monthly and annual fixed expenses 

(rent or mortgage, utilities, food, 

clothing, car payment, etc.), but also 

your extra, unplanned expenses (outof-pocket 

medical expenses, auto repairs, 

etc.). Once again, categorize these 

fixed expenses with their totals. 

l Determine some goals which 

you’d like to achieve. Goals are shortterm 

(1 to 2 years – for example, pay off 

car loan); medium-term (2 to 5 years 

– for example, buy new kitchen appliances); 

and, long-term (5 years and more 

– for example, retire in 15 years). 

Once you’ve determined where your 

monies (both the incidental and fixed) 

are going, and which expenditures can 

be eliminated (for example, buy one 

Starbucks a day instead of two), you can 

then redirect the saved money toward 

accomplishing your goals. This practice 

has assisted many people in establishing 

and achieving their goals. 

Additionally, there are two more exercises 

which are essential to the financial 

planning process. 

Most of us have felt the negative 

effects of the downturn in the 

economy, the constriction of 

the music business and the 

accompanying losses and volatility 

in the stock market


Become accustomed to saving 

money every day. Commit to putting a 

fixed amount into the piggy bank each 

day, whether it be fifty cents or $5 a day, 

during both good times and bad. Of 

course, you can always add more money, 

as desired. This practice helps develop 

the habit of saving, a necessary ingredient 

of financial planning. 

Be appreciative of yourself, daily, for 

your admirable efforts to take control of 

your finances and therefore, your future. 

Most of us have felt the negative effects 

of the downturn in the economy, the 

constriction of the music business and 

the accompanying losses and volatility 

in the stock market. Suffice it to say, the 

recent economic and market declines 

(from Oct. 9, 2007 to May 9, 2009) have 

felt like bad times. The stock market is 

now considered by some to be in recovery, 

but recoveries are often erratic and 

bumpy, and therefore they don’t feel 

good to most of us. 

Recovery periods, while painful for 

investors, have also been periods of 

opportunity. The five-year recovery 

period of 1988 to 1992 illustrates this 

contradiction: 

1988: bank failures; digital cell 

phones invented 

1989: Exxon Valdez oil spill; World 

Wide Web developed 

1990: Iraq invaded Kuwait; British 

and French tunnels are connected under 

the English Channel 

1991: U.S. recession; Persian Gulf 

War ended 

1992: U.S. consumer confidence 

dropped; the formal end of the Cold 

War occurred. 

Regardless of whether we’re experiencing 

good times or bad, by maintaining 

focus on your financial blueprint and 

by working to achieve your goals, you 

should be rewarded with success while 

experiencing the justified satisfaction of 

accomplishment. 

Bassist Patricia Dougherty has been a 

member of Local 802 since 1979, and has 

performed with ABT, ASO, Chautauqua 

Symphony, LI Phil, MET Opera, NYC 

Ballet and NYC Opera. She is a current 

elected officer of the Local 802 Executive 

Board and has been a Certified Financial 

Planner since 1989. Members may e-mail 

her at PatDBass@aol.com. 

photo: hidesy via istockphoto.com 

In a rush? 

As a musician, you should know 

about direct deposit at Local 802… 

1. For Broadway musicians 

If you are a Broadway musician, the Broadway contract allows you to deposit 

your vacation money weekly into your account at the Actors Federal Credit 

Union. This is an easy way to save for a vacation. Any musician, actor or entertainer 

can open an account at the credit union; there is a branch on the 

fourth floor of the Local 802 building. For more information, contact Marisa 

Friedman at Mfriedman@Local802afm.org or (212) 245-4802, ext. 130. 

2. For recording musicians 

If you receive checks at the recording checks window at Local 802, and have an 

account at the Actors Federal Credit Union (see above), you can have your recording 

checks deposited automatically to your account. Start by going to the credit 

union on the fourth floor of the union building. Ask for an automatic deposit 

form. Fill one out and get it notarized. (Local 802 can notarize it for you: see Lisa 

Mejia or Fran McDonald in the Concert Department on the fourth floor.) Return 

the notarized form to the Recording Department on the second floor (ask for Bill 

Crow or Howard Williams). Now any recording checks that are owed to you will 

be pulled once a week and sent up to the credit union. They’ll deduct the work 

dues, deposit your money and mail you the stubs and receipts. For more information, 

contact Bill Crow at Bcrow@Local802afm.org or (212) 245-4802, ext. 118. 

photo: eric skiff via flickr.com 


n membership 

New and readmitted members 

ALTO SAX 

Pettay, Jordan, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, 

Box 774, New York, NY 10023 

BARITONE SAX 

Evans, Adison, (908) 399-7322, 969 Columbus 

Ave, Apt 4-B, New York, NY 10025 

BASSOON 

Duckworth, Samantha E, (201) 461-6806, 

99 Glenwood Avenue, Leonia, NJ 07605 

CELLO 

Jortner, Iris, (212) 781-4320, 370 Ft 

Washington Avenue, Apt 606, New York, 

NY 10033 

CLARINET 

Rumy, Balazs, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, P O 

Box 444, New York, NY 10023 

Schatz, Brian, (201) 541-7076, 24 Evans 

Road, Cresskill, NJ 07626 

CoMPuTeR SYNTH PRgrm 

Romano, Pete T, 95 Romaine Avenue, Apt 

5, Jersey City, NJ 07306 

DRUMS 

Cipriano, Nick, 204 Huntington Street, 

Apt 3, Brooklyn, NY 11231 

Coiro, Philip, (516) 459-8781, 46 E. Mineola 

Avenue, 2nd Flr, Valley Stream, NY 11580 

De Trizio, Giancarlo, (857) 272-5397, 29-18 

Ditmars Boulevard, Astoria, NY 11105 

Geismar, Lawrence, (212) 721-1555, 545 

West End Avenue, Apt 11-C, New York, NY 

10004 

To join Local 802, call our Membership Department at (212) 245-4802 

Joseph, Stuart, (561) 744-2962, 150 Seashore 

Drive, Jupiter, FL 33477 

Mele, Jonathan A, (516) 616-0516, 67 Adams 

Street, Garden City, NY 11530 

Mule, Mark Richard, 6547 Midnight Pass 

Road, Apt 33, Sarasota, FL 34242 

ELECTRIC BASS 

Canino, Frank P, (917) 873-7923, 3750 

W. Hudson Manor Terrace, Apt 1-H, 

Bronx, NY 10463 

Watt, Braden, 104 Rogers Avenue, Apt 

3-B, Brooklyn, NY 11216 

FLUTE 

Chang, Jennifer, 254 Seaman Avenue, 

Apt E-1, New York, NY 10031 

Schulich, Sean Louis, 355th Ave, Apt 2-C, 


FRENCH HORN 

Williams, Gregory R, (212) 749-2398, 314 

West 104th Street, Apt 8, New York, NY 

10025 

GUITAR 

Alomar, Carlos M, (201) 430-3255, 7855 

Boulevard East, Apt 25, North Bergen, NJ 

07047 

Bach, Leroy, 77 N Henry Street, Brooklyn, 

NY 11222 

Brady, Terrence, (631) 235-5261, 22 Spray 

Ct, Bayport, NY 11705 

Demers, Lionel, (914) 764-5569, 67 Salem 

Road, Pound Ridge, NY 10576 

Gibbs, Van J, (251) 744-3550, 8390 SW 

94th Street, Miami, FL 33156 

Sagebiel, Jason, (917) 987-1550, 107- 

37 71st Avenue, Suite 5, Forest Hills, NY 

11375 

HARP 

Lilly, Allegra, 605 West 141st Street, Apt 

23, New York, NY 10031 

OBOE 

Merrick, Rita, 50 West End Ave, P O Box 

533, Florham Park, NJ 07932 

PERCUSSION 

Kozumplik, Thomas, (347) 687-5243, 

144 Spencer Street, Apt 517, Brooklyn, 

NY 11205 

PIANO 

Cerullo, David, (973) 207-2998, 2 

Windsor Place, Apt 3, Brooklyn, NY 

11215 

Heberlein-Reveley, Julie, (561) 833-4119, 

200 South Ocean Blvd, Suite 201, Palm 

Beach, FL 33480 

Hoyer, John, (620) 704-1596, 2014 37th 

Street, Astoria, NY 11105 

Kouyoumdjian, Mary, (310) 867-4936, 

344 East 61st Street, Apt 14, New York, 

NY 10065 

Madsen, Mark, (510) 559-9595, 1540 

9th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710 

Minkstimas, Edvinas, 83-46 118th 

Street, Apt 3-I, Kew Gardens, NY 11415 

Whiting, Brandan, (646) 725-3731, 31- 

59 32nd Street, Astoria, NY 11106 

Winebold, Kevin, 101 Audubon Ave, Apt 

56, New York, NY 10032 

SAXOPHONE 

Continentino, Jorge, (347) 724-3310, 15 

Revere Avenue, Maplewood, NJ 07040 

Reza, Christopher, (216) 616-9459, 134 

Claremont Avenue, Apt 1409, New York, 

NY 10027 

TROMBONE 

Melendez, Ozzie, (631) 981-0823, 9 

Almike Drive, Centereach, NY 11720 

TRUMPET 

Aspinwall, Brian D, (212) 787-0694, 

24 Park Trail, Croton On Hudson, NY 

10520 

Gandara, Roberto A, (917) 599-8489, 

410 St Nicholas Avenue, Apt 16-G, New 

York, NY 10027 

Garcia, Andrew, (646) 753-0266, 720 

West End Avenue, Apt 1609, New York, 

NY 10025 

Lukason, Vincent, (203) 637-0461, 23 

Clark Street, Old Greenwich, CT 06870 

Yerkes, Clynt, 804 Bergen Street, Apt 

1-F, Brooklyn, NY 11238 

VIOLA 

Deighton, Timothy John, (814) 867- 

0699, 242 Conover Lane, State College, 

PA 16801 

VOCALIST 

Connors, Francina, P O Box 1196, New 

York, NY 10026 

Ortiz, Angela, (917) 670-3098, 117B 

Underhill Avenue, Apt 3, Brooklyn, NY 

11238 

Is there money waiting for you? 

Go to www.Local802afm.org. From the top menu bar, 

select Links, then Unclaimed Checks 


why we joined the union 

To join Local 802, call our Membership Department at (212) 245-4802 

n membership 

Daniel Rein Sivan Magen Adam Podd Joana Miranda Jen Herman 

Tiffany Hall 

Aleks Karjaka 

I am a pianist, conductor and composer, 

and I recently moved to New York City 

from London to pursue a career on Broadway. 

I’m currently working as associate 

musical director on the “Les Miserables” 

25th anniversary U.S. tour. 

Daniel Rein 

randani@netvision.net.il 

I joined the union at the request of an 

orchestra in which I was subbing as principal 

harp. My musical goal in NYC is to be 

as active as I can as a chamber musician, 

recitalist and orchestral player, or just to 

keep on making music in any way and 

form. My most recent gig was a recital at 

Carnegie’s Weill Hall; I was presented by 

the Pro Musicis foundation, whose award I 

received in 2009. My principal instrument 

is the harp 

Sivan Magen 

SivanMagen@gmail.com 

My musical goal in NYC is to enjoy my 

time here by making music with other 

talented musicians, and being part of 

worthwhile artistic projects and organizations. 

My more recent gigs include 

co-composing for “The Spidey Project,” 

playing piano/synth for the Village Light 

Opera’s “Carousel” and doing a variety of 

composition and session work with New 

York Noise. I play piano/keyboards and 

also tuba. 

Adam Podd 

AdamPodd@gmail.com 

I joined Local 802 after moving here from 

Milwaukee where I’ve been a member 

of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra 

and AFM Local 8 since 2000. I’m excited 

to now be a part of the vibrant musical 

scene in NYC. I recently came back from 

a week-long tour with the New York City 

Ballet at Kennedy Center. I started subbing 

with the orchestra in February after 

having played for Maureen Gallagher, the 

principal violist. My principal instrument 

is viola, although I earned a B.Mus, MM 

and a Performer’s Certificate in violin from 

Eastman School of Music. 

Joana Miranda 

JLmiranda20@gmail.com 

I won a position with the Flint Symphony 

Orchestra in Michigan two years ago, so 

at that point I had to join AFM Local 542. 

After a year, I moved back to New York and 

decided to transfer to Local 802. I wanted 

to stay in the union for many reasons, including 

finding out about orchestra auditions. 

I am currently playing with many 

orchestras in the area as well as teaching, 

but hope to win a permanent orchestra (or 

opera orchestra) position someday. I am 

also very involved with my contemporary 

chamber ensemble “Lunatics at Large.” 

It’s a really fun and interesting group, and 

we recently premiered five poets and five 

composers in “The Sanctuary Project” in 

Carnegie’s Weill Hall. I am a violist, and 

even started on viola (not violin!) 

Jen Herman 

jen.herman8@gmail.com 

I joined the union to continue to pursue 

my passion as a jazz vocalist and to get to 

know other musicians and perform with 

them, specifically on the hotel circuit. 

I have performed at the Lenox Lounge 

Zebra Room, the Showman’s Lounge, 

Londel’s Supper Club, Pine Hollow Country 

Club and the Schomberg Theatre, as 

well as many other private engagements. 

I am looking forward to the opportunity 

to perform in as many venues as possible 

with the new pool of talent that is offered 

through the union. I am thrilled to be a 

new member of Local 802! 

Tiffany Hall 

TiffanyHallsings@aol.com 

I joined Local 802 to keep up to date with 

the music scene here in NYC. I figured it 

would be the best way to make connections, 

and to take advantage of the various 

opportunities Local 802 and the AFM 

have to offer, such as instrument insurance 

discounts and membership meetings. 

My goal is to support myself as a 

freelance clarinetist and music educator. 

With a bachelor’s in music education and 

a master’s in clarinet/bass clarinet, I look 

to perform in all genres, from classical to 

contemporary to Broadway. My most recent 

gigs include “Camp Wanatachi” at La 

Mama Theater, and Meet the Composer’s 

Three City Dash series, featuring the Music 

From China Ensemble at Symphony 

Space. 

Aleks Karjaka 

aleksandr.karjaka@gmail.com 

photo: ethan myserson 

Are you paying too much tax? 

As a musician, your employers are legally required to pay their fair share of your Social Security 

and Medicare taxes. If you’re paid cash for gigs, you’re losing money. How much? If you make 

$30,000 per year as a musician, you lose $2,295 out of your own pocket when you are 

misclassified as an independent contractor. Tell your bandleaders and employers to pay you 

as an employee – it’s your right, and it’s the law. For more information, contact the Organizing 

Department at (212) 245-4802. 



As a musician, do you lead a 

cluttered life? Here’s what to do… 

musicians’ 

assistance 

program 

Cindy Green, Lcsw 

The office of the Musicians’ Assistance 

Program is your one-stop shop 

for musicians’ health. We offer 

counseling – both one-on-one and in 

groups – as well as information on 

all kinds of social services, including 

health insurance, food stamps and 

more. All services are free to Local 

802 members. Contact us at MAP@ 

Local802afm.org or (212) 397-4802. 

With the dark days of winter 

finally over, we set our 

sights on longer, brighter 

days of sunshine and fun 

summer plans. 

Spring is about renewal, so what better 

time to undertake some new projects 

and plans – including organizing your 

living space! 

Instead of facing this task with dread 

and anxiety, consider the following tips 

to help motivate you. 

Clutter causes stress. Being organized 

will save time, money and your sanity. 

When all of your belongings have a 

place, you always know where they are. 

Imagine – no more wasting time looking 

for misplaced items. You can accomplish 

redundant tasks and errands 

more quickly. 

Being organized will leave you with 

more time to do activities you like. Suddenly 

deadlines will be easier to manage 

and you’ll be less likely to miss appointments. 

Plus, you’ll be more likely 

to deposit checks or cash you make at 

gigs rather than leave them at the bottom 

of another pile. 

Tackling the task of organization can 

be overwhelming; it’s hard to know 

where to start. Here are some ideas to 

consider before you start. 

Pinpoint the things in your apartment 

that need a “home” – a reliable 

location. Are these items that need to 

be easily accessible or can you place 

them in an out-of-the-way spot? 

What kinds of supplies (file folders, 

plastic containers, shelves) will you 

need to stay organized? Perhaps your 

bills need to have their own spot for 

you to visit once a month, not every 

day. A file folder in a drawer might be 

ideal to manage this task. 

Be proactive and block out time to 

manage your space. It may sound like 

a challenge with our busy schedules, 

but think of it as an investment. If you 

simply take an hour or two out of your 

week to organize, the time you save will 

always exceed the time you invest in 

taking charge of your space. Make lists 

and check off the things you’ve accomplished. 

Calendars are also helpful, for 

business and for personal time. If you 

have access to an electronic calendar 

such as Outlook or Google Calendar, 

you can access them anywhere you 

have internet access and receive alerts 

for events and tasks you might forget. 

Be ruthless when you’re considering 

what you need and what you can toss 

out. Make rules for yourself and follow 

them. 

Clothing that hasn’t been worn for 

more than two seasons goes to charity. 

Magazines or papers older than four 

weeks get recycled 

Access information online: toss out 

those flyers and take out menus 

Open your mail (or e-mail), then 

throw it away, file it or take the required 

action (such as paying the bill) immediately 

so that these tasks don’t pile up. 

Check your apartment for duplicate 

items or other things you don’t need. 

Look at your home and see where you 

might be able to create additional organization 

space. Placing your bed on risers 

can leave an extra foot of storage underneath. 

Draping tablecloths over end 

tables you can store items underneath 

and out of view. By placing shorter furniture 

at an angle in a corner, space can 

be used behind it to keep seldom used 

items like holiday decorations. 

Becoming organized when your life 

and space is chaotic may take some 

time. Allow yourself to become organized 

gradually. Trying to tackle every 

aspect of your life at once will likely 

make you want to give up entirely. Take 

one area at a time and stay committed 

to the process. Try to start by prioritizing 

your needs and deal with each item 

one day at a time. 

If you find you’re struggling with your 

organization skills or you simply can’t 

reduce your clutter, please call the MAP 

office at (212) 397-4802. We’ll be happy 

to organize with you. 

Union 

directory 

is now 

available 

online 

If you’re a Local 802 member, you 

can search the membership directory 

online – which will get you names, 

addresses, e-mails, phone numbers 

and instruments of all of our members. 

Just go to www.Local802afm.org. 

Log in as a member. Then click 

“Search Directory” from the lefthand, 

red menus. 

photo: puuikibeach via flickr.com 


n BREAKTIME | CROSSWORD 

CROSSWORD PUZZLE by Patrick Blindauer (www.PatrickBlindauer.com) 

November 

2011 

june 

2010 

CALENDAR 

Send information to Mikael Elsila at 

Allegro@Local802afm.org 

Jazz Jam 

There is a jazz jam on most Mondays at 

Local 802, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Upcoming 

dates include June 6, June 13, June 20 and 

June 27. For more information, call Joe 

Petrucelli at the Jazz Foundation of America 

at (212) 245-3999, ext. 10, or e-mail Joe@ 

JazzFoundation.org. 

membership meeting 

The next membership meeting is Wednesday, 

June 15 at 5 p.m. See the back cover for details. 

Membership orientation 

The union holds its regular orientation for new 

members this month on Thursday, June 16 at 11 

a.m. and again at 6 p.m. in the Executive Board 

Room. For more information, call Maureen 

Cupid at (212) 245-4802, ext. 111. 

FREE HEARING TEST 

Protect those ears! Our next free hearing 

test takes place on Wednesday, June 22. A 

professional audiologist will check your ears 

and create a baseline measurement for you. 

Reservations are required. Contact Robin Donach 

at (212) 245-4802, ext. 101. 

free dental clinic 

Want your teeth to be their best? Local 802 is 

hosting a dental clinic on Thursday, June 23 from 

9:30 to 4, here at the union. It’s free, but you 

must apply ahead of time, and there are certain 

eligibility requirements. Services will include 

a dental exam, simple cleaning and bitewing 

x-rays. For more information or to apply, call 

(877) 303-6962 or send an e-mail to RSVP_ 

MCNY@grammy.com. Space is limited. The 

clinic is being sponsored by MusiCares, Smile 

New York and Local 802. 

theatre committee 

The Theatre Committee meets on Wednesday, 

June 29 at 5 p.m. in the Executive Board Room. 

For more information, contact Mary Donovan 

at Mdonovan@Local802afm.org or (212) 245- 

4802, ext. 156. 

Answer will be posted at www.Local802afm.org within two weeks 

SIGHT-SINGING CHALLENGE 

Ô 

Ô 

ANSWER: Cat theme from “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev 

New location! 

149 west 46th St 

(212) 391-1315 

Robertoswinds.com 

Roberto’s 

Winds 

ACROSS 

1 It’ll melt in your mouth 4 Charged 

particle 7 Some milk cartons: Abbr. 10 

“What Kind of Fool ___” (1962 hit) 13 

Battery terminal 15 Large depression 

for water 17 Pump pads 18 Work on, 

as a Pixar film 19 Secretive classroom 

activity 21 “Alice in ___” 24 Prussian 

denial 25 Summer hrs. in Albany 26 

“Maggie May” singer Stewart 27 Portly 

president 29 “Adios!” 31 Zing 33 Like 

some graduate tests 35 Hazy air pollution 

39 Workers at 1600 Pennsylvania 

Avenue NW 42 Spreadsheet figures 43 

Track postings 44 2010 Wimbledon 

winner Rafael 45 Missouri airport abbr. 

47 Raison d’___ (reason for being) 49 

Turkish title of respect 50 Indian title 

of respect 53 Judge, as a case 55 Cycling 

accessory 57 2400, on the SAT 60 They 

multiply by dividing 61 “That sounds 

about right” 65 Not the fanciest of eating 

utensils 66 Starts to cry 67 Bay of 

pigs? 68 Vitamin bottle abbr. 69 Suffix 

with violin or guitar 70 Do-over at 

Wimbledon 

DOWN 

1 French for “here” 2 When doubled, a 

dance 3 Sci-fi space voyagers 4 Gilbert 

and Sullivan operetta 5 1969 Bee Gees 

album 6 Robert Stack role 7 Woodworking 

tool 8 Actual 9 Like a string bean 

10 Back off 11 Doled out 12 That is, in 

Latin 14 Western Indian 16 Music style 

of Jimmy Eat World 20 Housebreakers, 

e.g. 21 Assemblage 22 Kerfuffle 23 Fess 

up (to) 28 Course requirement? 30 

“¿Cómo ___ usted?” (Spanish greeting) 

32 Frequent fund-raising gps. 34 Helper, 

shortly 36 Irving Berlin’s “Call Me 

___” 37 21, e.g. 38 F sharp, enharmonically 

40 Stud poker item 41 Derides 46 

It may be raised or passed 48 Scholarship 

creator 50 Mr. Peanut’s footwear 51 

Make a payment 52 Swift literary device 

54 Clueless 56 “Good Times” producer 

Norman 58 Not many 59 Field opening? 

62 Chic initials 63 “A Boy Named ___” 

64 Select, with “for” 

Want to reach the eyes of thousands 

of professional musicians each month? 

E-mail Allegro@Local802afm.org. We 

also offer advertising in our electronic 

newsletter! 


n Marketplace | to advertise in allegro, e-mail allegro@local802afm.org or call (646) 765-9663 

services for musicians 

hand facings for clarinet and saxOPHONE 

by Wolfe Taninbaum, creator of the Otto Link 

WT facing. See www.FocusedFacings.com or 

contact Wolfe Taninbaum, 4280 Galt Ocean 

Drive, Apt. 18-L, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308, tel. 

(954) 561-7804, e-mail Velfka@gmail.com. 

I BUY RECORDS. Large or small collections, fair 

prices offered. Matt Rubendall, (917) 575-0268. 

RecordMaven@verizon.net 

VIOLINIST IN PAIN? Have you been to physicians, 

chiropractors, acupuncturists, etc. without 

really being helped? Many people claim 

they can alleviate the pain. I offer a free first 

lesson to demonstrate that pain can be eliminated 

quickly, and that you can still play without 

pain – even if you have been injured. My 

approach is based on a combination of Alexander 

Technique and the playing principles of 

D.C. Dounis. Contact Larry Johnston at (212) 

874-5350 or cljermany@yahoo.com 

lessons available 

Do you want to LEARN the correct mechanics 

of playing a wind instrument? Have you always 

The New York 

Conducting Studio 

offering private instruction in 

Score Reading & Preparation 

Baton Technique l Orchestration & 

Composition l Audition Preparation 

Each course of study is tailored to your 

individual needs. For brochure and 

information, contact: 

The New York Conducting Studio 

Gary S. Fagin, director 

Paul Gavert Studio, 853 Seventh Avenue, 7B 


(917) 592-0796 l GaryFagin@earthlink.net 

GaryFagin.com 

wanted to learn how to do circular breathing? 

Frank Pedulla (M.M., Juilliard) is now accepting 

students. Learn range expansion/air stream 

control; embouchure/endurance; posture/relaxed 

approach; breathing/circular breathing; 

phrasing/technique; musicianship. (718) 706- 

7085. www.BonePlayer.com. 

FOR SALE 

violin made by sergio PERESSON. Warm 

and robust sound. Certificate of authenticity 

signed by Sergio Peresson in 1972 with 

complete detailed description of instrument 

including wood, varnish and dimensions. in 

pristine condition. For details, contact Cecilia 

at CeciliaAngell@gmail.com. 

STEINWAY apartment (medium) grand piano 

(5’7” in length), serial number M404817, in 

good shape, needs some work. Mahogany/ 

black finish. Best offer accepted. For info, 

e-mail Sheri at Skeri305@optonline.net 

UPRIGHT BASSES cheap. Violin $60, cello 

cheap, trumpet $80, flute $95, clarinet $70, 

baby bass, five pc drums $265, Gibson S.G. 

guitar $95, trmbn $95, sax $275, bass $65, 

amp $75, five ch PA $195. (516) 377-7907. 

DOUBLE BASSES FOR SALE. New Stock! Vintage 

Italian $85K, French $35K & $12.5K, German 

Classical Chinese 

Acupuncture 

Margaret Steele, M.S., L.Ac 

Offices in Manhattan 

& Peekskill, NY 

classical-acupuncture.com 

(914) 739-0546 

Discount for 

local 802 members 

$22K, American $15K, Czech $8K. New basses 

built to order starting at $2K: (860) 535-9355 

UptonBass.com 

REAL ESTATE 

For SALE. Newly remodeled manufactured 

house in Bradenton, Florida mobile park. Park 

has pool, clubhouse, close to shops, amenities, 

and entertainment. Low monthly lot fee. 

3 bedrooms, 2 baths, patio and carport, fully 

furnished. Call (941) 565-2445 for more information. 

Is there 

money 

waiting 

for you? 

Go to Local802afm. 

org. From the top menu 

bar, select Links, then 

Unclaimed Checks 

VINTAGE JAZZ 

BOOKS 

I have more than 2,000 books in 

stock. History, biography, criticism 

and ephemera. Send for my latest 

catalogue. 

David Stimpson 

Books on Jazz and Blues 

164 Hillsdale Ave. East 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4S 1T5 

(416) 484-8296 

fax: (416) 484-0602 

e-mail: dcstimpson@yahoo.com 

LEHMAN COLLEGE 

The City university of New york 

250 bedford park boulevard west 

bronx, ny 10468 

Earn a degree in performance or composition with low or no 

tuition. Designed for Local 802 members. 

Also: Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Music 

Call Dr. Bernard Shockett at (718) 960-8247 


n LIVES & Stories 

The Band Room 

Ed Berger posted on the internet a 

part of an interview he did with trumpeter 

Joe Wilder. They were talking 

about his travels through the South 

with Lucky Millinder’s band, which was integrated 

at the time. 

Joe said, “One time, we went with Lucky’s 

band, which had five white musicians at the 

time, to Charleston. We were there about 

five hours early, and were waiting for the 

ballroom to open. Up comes the sheriff’s car 

with the sheriff and his deputy. The sheriff 

gets out and says, ‘Who’s in charge here?’ 

Lucky says, ‘I am.’ ‘Well, I’m tellin’ you, boy, 

there ain’t gonna be no mixed bands down 

here in Charleston, South Carolina!’ And 

Lucky says, ‘Well, this isn’t a mixed band.’ 

The sheriff looks around and says, ‘You 

mean to tell me those aren’t white musicians 

over there?’ ‘No,’ says Lucky. 

“So now, the sheriff walks up to each 

white musician and asks, ‘You colored?’ And 

each guy said ‘yes.’ He looked at the deputy 

in disbelief. He gets to Porky (Solomon) 

Cohen, our first trombone player, and says, 

‘Now, you gonna tell me that you’re colored, 

too?’ And Porky, who had a pronounced 

lisp, answers emphatically, ‘Why, thertainly!’ 

We were almost doubled over, laughing. 

“Finally, he turned to the deputy and 

said, ‘Well, if they all say they colored, ain’t 

nothin’ we can do about it.’ And they got in 

the car and drove off. 

“Many years later, I’d run into Porky in 

New York in the middle of the theater district, 

and ask him, ‘Are you?’ And he’d say, 

‘Why, thertainly!’” 

l l l 

Bcrow@Local802afm.org 

www.BillCrowBass.com 

In 1969, Howard Danziger’s wife Lori 

was booked for a week at the Caribbean 

Hotel in Aruba, followed by a week at the 

Intercontinental Hotel in Curacao. At the 

first hotel, Howard, her conductor, noticed 

that the lead trumpet player was writing 

feverishly on his part for the opening 

number. When he asked him about it, the 

trumpet player said, “Senor, the writing 

helps me to play the music better.” Not 

being able to read Spanish, Howard didn’t 

argue, and the gig went well. But at the 

hotel in Curacao, Howard asked the trumpet 

player there to explain the writing on 

his part. The man said, “Amigo, it’s a letter 

from my brother, Hernando. He’s too 

cheap to buy a stamp and an envelope.” 

l l l 

Bill 

crow 

Ian Royle has a son, Tony, a trumpet 

player like his father. Tony recently sent 

Ian the following message: 

“I did a gig with ‘Scratch the Cat’ on 

Saturday night at a golf and country 

club in Norwich. It was a good crowd. 

However, rather too much alcohol 

was consumed, and a guest kept trying 

to grab my trumpet, and was doing 

the usual fingers in the ears in front 

of my bell. I kept my cool. In a break 

from playing, I went into the audience 

to check the levels, and this same guy 

came staggering up. He said I was very 

noisy, and by the way, what was my 

name? I said, ‘They call me golf ball.’ 

He asked me why. I said, ‘Like a golf 

ball, you can push me around and play 

games with me, but if I hit you, it will 

really hurt!’ He stood open-mouthed as 

I smiled and excused myself. It worked 

perfectly… he gave me a wide berth for 

the rest of the night.” 

l l l 

Herb Gardner tells me that, when he 

is leading the Stan Rubin band, he likes 

to keep the guys happy by not playing 

the same songs every week. He often 

asks for their input on charts that they 

like. During one break, he asked lead 

trumpeter John Eckert, “Is there anything 

special you would like to play on 

the next set?” John thought for a minute 

and then said, “Trumpet?” 

l l l 

Ronny Whyte dropped by the 55 Bar 

one evening to hear the music. On their 

break, the musicians were speaking to 

some of their friends and fans in the 

house, many of whom were also musicians. 

Some of them were asking each 

other what instruments they played. An 

attractive young lady joined the group, 

and someone asked, “Are you a musician?” 

“No,” she replied, “I’m a singer.” 

l l l 

Jimmy Wisner told me about a wedding 

he once played in Philadelphia 

with a violinist leader who decided to 

serenade the bride and groom at their 

table during dinner. He went and stood 

beside them, near a small table that 

bore the wedding cake. The newlyweds 

responded to his music with delight, 

and the leader became more energetic 

in his efforts. He finished, after a dramatic 

high note, with a sweeping low 

note that carried his bow hand right 

into the wedding cake, causing great 

damage and embarrassment. Jimmy regrets 

that no video was being made at 

the time. 

l l l 

Mike Melvoin sent me this scenario: A 

guy calls the musicians’ union to get a 

quote on a six-piece band for a wedding. 

The rep says, “Off the top of my head, 

I’d say about $2,000.” The guy says, 

“Are you kidding… for music?” The 

rep responds, “Let me suggest that you 

call the plumbers’ union and ask for six 

plumbers to work from six to midnight 

on a Saturday night. Whatever they 

charge you, we’ll work for half!” 

Ô 

roberto’s 

winds 

michiko 

Rehearsal studios 

New VIbraphone & 

ÔXylophone 

Acoustic rehearsal / Teaching 

149 West 46th St 

(212) 302-4011 

Taxes for performers.com 

Specializing in Musicians & Performers 

Michael Chapin 

(212) 989-4385 / 166 West 22nd Street #3-B 

www.TaxesForPerformers.com 


Allegro 

Published by AFM Local 802, 

Associated Musicians of Greater New York, 322 

West 48th Street, New York, NY 10036 

Return service requested 

photo by ptaxa 

HELP THE 

HUNGRY! 

Giving the gift of food is one of the most loving things 

you can do. And during a recession, your help is 

desperately needed. Local 802 will be collecting food 

for City Harvest from May 8 to June 19. There will be a 

box set up in the club room for all donations. For more 

information, contact Kimeo Lee at Klee@Local802afm. 

org or (212) 245-4802, ext. 142. 

june 2011 

Membership Meeting 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2011 • 5 p.m. 

Save the Date 

The meeting takes place here at Local 802: 

322 West 48th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. 

Admission to meeting by paid-up membership card only

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