Orchestra Musicians Face the Music

Published in the May 2009 issue of the Overture, official publication of Professional Musicians, Local 47.


Orchestra Musicians Face the Music

An astonishing number of orchestras across the nation have re-opened their contracts in reaction to the economy, subjecting players to salary and benefit reductions, cutbacks, and shortened seasons.

And those are the lucky ones.


By Linda Rapka, Overture Managing Editor


Symphony orchestras across the nation are downsizing, negotiating salary cuts, cutting rehearsals and performances, and in some cases shutting down altogether. In the face of shrinking endowments and dwindling ticket sales, orchestras are asking for unprecedented concessions from their musicians. And they're getting them.

"Nearly every orchestra from ICSOM and ROPA has had some discussion either about its regular contract expiration or some modification to an existing agreement," said Chris Durham, newly appointed director of the AFM Symphonic Services Division and former violinist and orchestra committee chair with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. "It's a large number."

About one-third of orchestras within the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians, which represents 51 orchestras across the nation, have agreed to re-open contracts in the past year. So have many within the Regional Orchestra Players Association, which includes more than 70 orchestras.

Though re-opening contracts is undesirable for musicians and their local unions, when the only other option is bankruptcy, there isn't much choice.

"In my career as a musician, I've never heard of this many major orchestras re-opening their existing agreements," said Peter Rofé, LA Philharmonic bassist and longtime negotiator for Philharmonic musicians and member of the AFM Symphonic Audio/Visual Agreement committee.

Even the mighty "Big Five" weren't immune — the Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra and Boston Symphony all re-opened their contracts in recent months, accepting concessions and givebacks.

"In general, when the economy suffers, orchestras have a tough time," said Meredith Snow, LA Philharmonic violist and ICSOM delegate. "I don't know that there are any orchestras out there right now that aren't struggling with management."

Urban, rural, big and small, orchestras of all sizes and varieties are feeling the pressure. Concessions, cutbacks and compromises are being made by management, musicians and unions alike.

"In the symphony world, ticket sales surprisingly are doing pretty well," said Durham. "The main area of decline is loss of revenue generated by endowments because they've gone the way of everything else in the stock market. In some cases, an orchestra's endowment is down 25 to 30 percent."

Feeling the Pain

In recent months, the Baltimore Opera Company has filed for bankruptcy; the Santa Clarita Symphony canceled their 2009 season; Honolulu Symphony musicians are struggling to get paid; and the Pasadena Symphony Association announced a recovery plan that cuts season programming, switches venues and slashes ticket prices.

Orchestra musicians in Cincinnati, Virginia, Grand Rapids, Atlanta, New Mexico, Utah and Buffalo have also taken recent hits, including pay cuts of up to 11 percent, slashed benefits, reduced number of services, and unpaid furloughs.

"We have had 43 requests for negotiating help from all conferences (ICSOM, ROPA, etc.), unaffiliated orchestras, and five theaters — the most ever," Durham said.

Musicians who have seen their paychecks slashed are increasingly taking to other methods of survival. Some are taking "day jobs," finding career paths unrelated to music, or turning toward teaching.

Scrambling to Survive

Before a request from management to re-open an existing contract can be acted upon, it must be approved by the local union and by a majority vote of the orchestra players. Generally, approval is granted only when management has done everything in their power, including laying off administrative personnel, taking pay cuts, and/or doing extra work for no additional pay, to deal with their financial problems before asking concessions of musicians.

"Before re-opening a contract, musicians have to look at the orchestra's finances to make sure they aren't being given a song and dance from management," said clarinetist Paul Castillo, former ROPA delegate, Local 353 Secretary/Treasurer and Local 47 Trustee.

Once a contract is re-opened, management often looks toward concessionary bargaining, where musicians are asked to accept cutbacks to the existing terms of employment. Common requests include deferred or skipped payrolls, fewer number of services performed, pay cuts, and reduced health care and other benefits.

"Concessions from musicians have to be looked at as a loan," Durham said. "Part of the problem is that management can't go to get money because the bank won't give it to them. At some point there should be a recovery plan to restore that. But musicians probably take up 30 percent of budget. They shouldn't be responsible to fix 100 percent of the problem."

Another recent trend is for orchestras to extend their existing agreements.

"Because the local situations are so different in every community, some places are simply inserting an extra year in the contract," said Bruce Ridge, ICSOM chairman and double bassist in the North Carolina Symphony. By extending a contract, an agreement previously expected to be renegotiated (usually synonymous with increased wages and benefits) instead retains its existing terms. This effectively amounts to a wage freeze, a term of contract fervently frowned upon by ICSOM bargaining committees.

"In 2008, there was much following the rules of concessionary bargaining. Now, we're really in a crunch," Castillo said. "We're now grasping for wage freezes, which is not a good precedent to set."

Before Taking That Cutback...

While there is no doubt we are suffering one of the worst recessions in history, musicians and Locals should not simply take it for granted that cutbacks are, in fact, necessary.

"The American Symphony League has this apocalyptic 'new economic reality' view where they're saying all orchestras across the board need to take cutbacks," Snow said. "But this isn't necessarily the case. Places like Detroit are hurting more than L.A., which has a stronger economy."

"It's very unfortunate the League is doing it this way," Durham said. "Some employers look at this as a financial opportunity and ride on the surf of the orchestras having problems. In some cases it's simply not true. I've been involved in situations where employers have requested re-openers and we've refused."

"You can't take it on blind faith," Snow said. "Everybody's hurting, so chances are it's true, but management may be asking for more than they need."

Panic Attack

Orchestras are cautioned to be careful not to get caught up in the panic of the global economic meltdown.

"We are seeing an attempt by orchestras to change the rhetoric of the industry in what some managers are calling the 'new economic reality,'" Ridge said. "Our response is, What's so new about it? Recessions occur. And we are responding. Our heads aren't in the sand. But we cannot allow the permanent reduction of an operating budget by, say, a third, with the idea that it will continue like that in the future. We have to continue pushing for growth."

"We don't need to make radical changes and long-term shifts," said Durham. "We need to make changes one step at a time, and only when it's verified that there's a problem. It's too easy to give up hard won gains because of a short-term problem."

Gains Against the Grain

Bleak as the outlook is for some, not all orchestras are in dire straits.

"There are several orchestras that are having great success," Durham said. "Certainly Los Angeles has a strong orchestra, and San Francisco just reached a very positive agreement. In the theater world, most for-profits are bargaining raises."

In February, the San Francisco Symphony ratified a new four-year contract providing for wage increases and significant gains in local media provisions. Last month the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra reached a new three-year agreement that includes significant advances in salary and benefits.

"There's a tendency to look at the situation as a one-size-fits-all problem, with a one-size-fits-all solution, when really the problems are localized," Ridge said. "It's not as if you can label the economy as the overriding situation; it's how it has affected each individual institution."

Ridge advises musicians to investigate all options before making any drastic changes.

"Question everything," he said. "For every gloom and doom report released, there is an equally compelling story of success and positive change."

The Silver Lining

"The arts are good business," Ridge said. "In times of recession, all organizations need to look at managing their debt. In a recession, you can't be concerned with balancing the budget; you have to manage your debt. If we allow management to fundamentally alter the organization, then we will be ill-equipped to take advantage of recovery that lies ahead."

Before the recession, America saw a great resurgence of classical music in America, which the LA Times in 2006 called a new "Golden Age." Classical concert attendance was up, and opera attendance has risen 40 percent since 1990.

"We feel that after this recession ends, this trend will continue," Ridge said. "We see this as a temporary cyclical economic downturn. It is important that we don't lose the message of growth and advocacy. The recovery is going to come, and the arts are going to play a big part in that."

Ridge has no doubt that musicians will weather this crisis and urges them to keep hope intact.

"I have been inspired by the unity we have demonstrated. Soon there will be even more opportunities for activism, within our communities, and within our union," he said. "I know we will all respond."

Battle of the Airwaves

Published in the March 2009 issue of the Overture, official publication of Professional Musicians, Local 47.


Battle of the Airwaves

Performers, advocates and lawmakers renew their fight to close the radio-play loophole denying royalties to performing artists with the Performance Rights Act

by Linda Rapka, Overture Managing Editor

Whenever a song is broadcast over radio, royalties are paid to nearly everyone involved with the recording – except the people who actually performed on the record.

Every time you hear Aretha belting out her powerful version of "Respect" on the AM/FM dial, you might think that, as the performing artist, she's receiving some sort of compensation. But you'd be wrong. The estate of the late Otis Redding, who composed the tune, receives a check from BMI, as does the song's publisher, Irving Music Inc. But Aretha doesn't see a dime.

Where's the R-E-S-P-E-C-T for performers?

Consider that when this same tune is played on satellite radio, a cable music station, or a webcast – even a webcast of the above-mentioned terrestrial station – checks are sent to the Redding estate, the publisher, and to Miss Franklin.

If this sounds peculiar, it is. Besides the United States, only a few countries do not provide a terrestrial broadcast performance right on radio, including Iran, North Korea and China. At least 75 nations, including most European Union member states, do have a performance right for radio.

Traditional-Radio Loophole

Why does U.S. radio get the golden exemption? Since the advent of commercial broadcasting in the 1950s, broadcasters have contended that airplay increases album sales, thereby serving as adequate compensation. Because labels were content with receiving this "free advertising," for decades broadcasters have been able to convince Congress that they should be exempt from paying the public performance royalty for sound recordings.

But not everyone sees this as a win-win. At a Grammy Town Hall meeting last month, Supremes singer Mary Wilson countered the argument that radio airplay is solely a promotional tool that drives sales and touring for artists and thus serves as fair compensation. Anyone who wanted to buy the Supremes' music has likely long since done so, she argued. Many such artists are no longer touring or producing new albums, but radio continues to reap benefits from their decades-old songs.

Performance Rights Act

Lawmakers are seeking to close the "corporate radio loophole" with the Performance Rights Act. First introduced in December 2007, the bipartisan bill was resubmitted to Congress last month as H.R. 848 and S. 379 by its sponsors, Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT). Supporters claim the bill would have minimal affect on most radio operators in the United States, with over 75 percent capped at a $5,000 blanket license as long as they stay under revenue benchmarks. Non-profits would be capped at $1,000.

Performing artists and advocates including the AFM, AFTRA, recording artists, the U.S. Copyright Office, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and members of Congress from both parties and houses support the bill, which would require terrestrial stations to pay performance royalties to artists, musicians and master recording owners.

The AFM has actively urged Congress to pass the legislation since it was first introduced. In June 2008, Local 47 Vice President (then Vice President) Vince Trombetta joined other AFM members and performers in an effort organized by the AFM and the Music FIRST Coalition urging Congress to support the expansion of the public performance royalty. They lobbied members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees and other key members of Congress such as Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA), Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), and AFM President Tom Lee and recording artist Nancy Sinatra testified before a House Subcommittee hearing about the importance of fair performance rights on radio.

Importance of Royalties

The RIAA maintains that it is "fundamentally unfair that publishers and songwriters receive royalties from terrestrial radio broadcasts while labels and performing artists do not." Royalties are generated when a copyrighted song is publicly performed – whether on a radio station, at a sports event, or on a jukebox. In the U.S., these royalties are collected by ASCAP, BMI and SESAC and distributed to the member songwriters and publishers. And we're not talking chump change: in 2007 ASCAP distributed more than $741 million; BMI paid out $786 million last year; and by the end of 2007, SoundExchange, which collects royalties for digital music transmissions, had collected royalties of over $248 million, so far having distributed more than $150 million to artists.

Brief History of Residuals

The residual system started in U.S. network radio. Live radio programs with nationwide audiences were usually performed multiple times to account for different time zones between the coasts. The performers were paid for each performance. Audio "transcription disc" technology became available in the late 1930s and was used by radio networks for time-delaying the west coast broadcast, eventually eliminating the need for multiple performances. The performers were kept on standby and paid for a second performance in case there were technical problems with the recording. This established the precedent for residual payments from recorded performances.

Digital Media: A Wrench in the Works

When digital streaming technology came along, it upset the happily symbiotic relationship between radio broadcasters and labels. Americans began spending less time flipping the AM/FM dials, opting instead for newer technologies such as Internet and satellite radio, and iPods. The new availability of "on demand" media was seen as a threat to album sales, which led to the passage of the Digital Public Performance Right in Sound Recordings Act of 1995, giving artists and labels a right to collect royalties when their sound recordings are performed via digital media. Traditional radio remained exempt from this new performance right act, however, as it only applied to new media.

Today, music consumption continues to move further away from CD sales and toward digital media. Physical album sales fell 20 percent to 362.6 million in 2008, from 450.5 million in 2007. Meanwhile, sales of digital music continued to soar with more than 1 billion songs downloaded last year, a 27 percent increase from 2007. These figures indicate that the likelihood of performers being compensated based on traditional CD retail sales will only continue to decline as digital media gains popularity.

Radio's 'Unfair Free Ride'

With new media platforms have to make royalty payouts to songwriters, publishers and performers, traditional radio's performance right exemption is more and more being seen as unfair. Broadcasters of digital performances – digital cable and satellite television, Internet and satellite stations like XM and Sirius, and webcasts – have to obtain licenses from ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, which compensate the songwriters and publishers, and must also pay royalties to the performers. Terrestrial radio which remains the only medium which broadcasts music but does not compensate artists or labels for the performance.

Opponents of the Performance Rights Act

A major opponent to the Performance Rights Act is the Free Radio Alliance, a coalition of individual terrestrial radio stations and other organizations such as the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). They argue that while a performance right sounds good, most of the money would not, in fact, trickle down to the artists; a full 50 percent of the fee would not go to performers, but rather the owners of the recorded works (i.e. the record labels). They add that the money wouldn't even be going to American-based companies – three out of the four major record labels (EMI, Sony BMG and Universal) are foreign-owned and headquartered outside the United States.

Calling it a "tax" that would cripple broadcast radio, opponents say the bill would cause more stations to turn to talk and news programming, resulting in less exposure for musicians which fuels their concert and record sales. At a hearing on the controversial bill last June, Charles Warfield, on behalf of the NAB, said that a performance fee would "take money out of the pockets of local radio stations and put it in the hands of record companies and a few top-grossing performers," arguing that a performance fee "would not alleviate any economic concerns if the artists themselves continue to lack bargaining power in their relationships with the record labels." Opponents say the bill would create a slippery slope, fearing that over time institutions other than radio would be included, such as restaurants, bars, gyms and even offices.

Performance Rights' Effect on Radio

If performance right fees are levied on local radio, some fear that stations would be forced to increase advertisement to compensate for the additional expenditure – meaning less time for music, news, sports, weather and public service or community service programming. Many smaller, community or specialty radio stations unable to afford the fees would be forced to shut down, and even those larger stations which could sustain the fees would have a smaller revenue pool to provide local news and information.

Those against the bill argue that although as currently written it would give favorable treatment to smaller stations (nonprofits capped at $1,000 and the majority of stations capped at $5,000), there exists the threat that the fees would expand, as has been the case with Internet radio. In 2007, the Copyright Royalty Board ruled that the fee to play a music recording on web radio should increase from 8/100 of a cent per song, per listener in 2006 to 19/100 of a cent in 2010.

Opponents see the PRA as disastrous for the very recording artists and record companies who are pushing for its enactment, arguing that the revenues many artists and labels seek in exchange for performance of their copyrighted recordings would be reduced, while the essentially free broadcast advertising of concerts (and related merchandise) that has existed for years would dwindle, leaving everybody involved worse off than before.

Supporters of the legislation maintain these claims are largely overrated. They argue that land-based radio has enjoyed margins of up to 75 percent on some music formats, such as smooth jazz or classic rock. And because terrestrial stations here don't compensate American or foreign performers, foreign stations don't pay U.S. performers when their songs are played abroad. Between 40 and 50 percent of all music played by foreign broadcasters is American, and estimates range from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars as far as how much money for U.S. performers, musicians and master owners is kept abroad because of the lack of a performance right here in the States.

Fighting for Fairness

Proponents of the Performance Rights Act are stepping up efforts to get the legislation approved by Congress. A Grammy Town Hall meeting Feb. 6, 2009, aimed to re-stimulate the grassroots movement in support of the bill. The two Judiciary Committee chairs, Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and John Conyers (D-MI), with an assist from a bipartisan posse of U.S. Representatives, have joined with the AFM and the musicFirst Coalition in a "nationwide push" to extract performance royalties from radio stations.

The AFM, AFTRA and ASCAP have urged Congress to pass the bill "as quickly as possible." National Music Publishers' Association President and CEO David Israelite issued a statement in support of the bill, proposing the concept of "One Music" urging the entire music community to "be supportive of each other regarding the value of music."

"Recording artists fuel the business that sustains radio in the U.S.," said AFTRA National Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth. "The federal government now has an opportunity to correct this area of inequity by creating a performance right for all recording artists to receive fair compensation for the value they bring to the American airwaves, and our culture as a whole."

"The Performance Rights Act will ensure that musicians get fair compensation when corporate AM/FM radio stations broadcast their recorded work," Local 47 President Trombetta said. "May the radio Gods shine upon us."

Amalgamation to Inauguration: A history of Local 767, Local 47 and our nation's new President

Published in the February 2009 issue of the Overture, official publication of Professional Musicians, Local 47.


Amalgamation to Inauguration
A history of Local 767, Local 47 and our nation's new President

by Linda Rapka, Overture Managing Editor

Having just elected our first black President, our nation has come further than ever before in erasing the color line of inequality. But it wasn't all that long ago when segregation was in full force, a time when it was accepted as a given that blacks should be separated from whites in society.

Our very union was among the many and varied institutions in the nation enforcing racial segregation. During this time, the AFM had more segregated Locals than any other international or national union. Up until the early 1950s, Los Angeles musicians belonged to one of two Locals: the all-white Local 47, or the all-black Local 767.

"Segregation was a way of life," explained Marl Young, recently retired from the Local 47 Board of Directors and who was instrumental in the amalgamation of the two Los Angeles musicians unions. "Nobody thought too much about it at the time. It was taken for granted as just being the way things were."

Under union segregation, black musicians received some protection. The Federation ruled that its black members came under the jurisdiction of the black Local, no matter what type of engagement they played. For example, if black musicians performed in a white club, the black Local had to enforce the wage and working conditions of the white Local, a rule meant to ensure equal pay. The Federation also ruled that if a black musician were denied admission to a Local, he or she could join the nearest Local that would accept the musician and should receive all the privileges of membership of that Local.

Segregation continued in the AFM for 51 years until a group of L.A. musicians decided that having two separate unions for one group of musicians just didn't make sense. The Bylaws of each Local stated that the purpose of each organization was to unite all the professional musicians of the Los Angeles area. They maintained that "all" should be inclusive of black and white musicians.

Starting around early 1950, prominent black musicians including Buddy Collette, Ernie Freeman, Bill Douglass, Percy McDavid, John Ewing, Gerald Wiggins, Jimmy Cheatham, John Anderson, Red Callender, Gerald Wilson, Marl Young and Bobby Short, joined by white musicians including George Kast, Gail Robinson, Seymour Sheklow, Roger Segure, Joe Eger, Henry and Esther Roth, Erica Keen, and Emma Hardy Hill, with the support of Josephine Baker, began making concerted efforts to arouse public interest in the fight for equality within the musicians union.

After years of dedication and hard work, the first merger of black and white Locals took place in 1953 in Los Angeles when Local 767 amalgamated with Local 47. In the pre-civil rights era of the early 1950s, this was an extraordinary feat. Marl Young wrote the amalgamation proposal that took effect April 1, 1953, forever eradicating racial segregation from the musicians union of Los Angeles. This historic merger set the precedent for other Locals throughout the nation to follow suit and end segregation within the entire AFM.

Now, five decades later, the equal rights movement has come further than ever before in creating equality in our society. The nation watched as Barack Obama was sworn in on Jan. 20, 2009 as our 44th President. Without the steadfast dedicated efforts of our brothers and sisters fighting in the equal rights movement, this vision could not have been realized.

Go Green - Musicians can do their part to maintain a healthy planet

Published in the October 2008 issue of the Overture, official publication of Professional Musicians, Local 47.


Go Green

Musicians can do their part to maintain a healthy planet

by Linda Rapka, Overture Managing Editor


Environmental awareness is no longer reserved for those with an affinity for hemp clothing, Birkenstocks and granola. Participation in recycling programs, usage of reusable bags at grocery stores, conversions to renewable energy options in households, and the number of energy-efficient cars on the road have spiked in recent years, signaling that "going green" isn't just for neo-hippies.

Conservation efforts aren't limited to individuals, either. Many companies and organizations are doing their part to go green, and Local 47 is no exception. Starting Oct. 27, members will be able to view and download paperless monthly dues statements online. Very soon, members will also be able to access new statements and pay dues online – all without producing one scrap of paper waste. (See sidebar on page 7 for more information).

If you're looking to jump on the enviro-friendly bandwagon, there are many ways by which musicians can conserve energy and reduce waste.


Out of Town Gig? Travel Smart

According to a 2007 Gallup poll, Americans spend an average of 46 minutes commuting to and from work each day. This equates to about 200 hours – almost eight full days– spent in traffic every year. A whopping 85 percent burn all this gas sitting by their lonesome in their car or SUV; only 6 percent carpool, and a scant 4 percent take mass transit.

For the traveling musician, these figures can be much higher. It is not uncommon for the typical freelancer to drive up to 100 miles to a single gig. Some musicians have reported driving up to 50,000 miles per year to and from gigs alone. Today, this would cost about $27,000 for a small car and $45,000 for a mid-size SUV annually in fuel costs.

To ease up on CO2 emissions (and on your wallet), take public transportation or buddy up with a musician headed to the same gig whenever possible. If driving your own auto is your only option, consider upgrading to an energy efficient vehicle such as an electric or biodiesel hybrid model. Additionally, simple things as avoiding sudden starts and stops, keeping your tires properly inflated and going easy on the A/C will increase fuel efficiency and lower the CO2 emissions of your vehicle.



Turn Your Studio Eco-Friendly

As musicians know, it takes a lot of energy to maintain a recording studio. Electricity is needed to power computers, equipment and instruments, for lighting, and for maintaining a nice, cool work space with air conditioning.

Energy-efficient lighting is good for the environment and for your electricity bill. CFL bulbs use 30 percent less energy as incandescent bulbs and last around 10,000 hours, saving you about $30 in electricity costs over the bulb's lifetime. LED bulbs can reduce energy consumption by up to 90 percent and last around 100,000 hours. Using ecofriendly lamps and light fixtures can also help reduce greenhouse waste.

Eco-friendly air conditioning is another great way to "greenify" your studio. A single air conditioning unit can omit 1.34 pounds of carbon dioxide every kilowatt hour. By replacing older air conditioning units, you could save several hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.

Another way to save energy is to add the green power option onto your electric utility bill, which utilizes renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. And, of course the simplest way to save energy is to turn off lights and equipment when not in use. Even electronics that sleep on a standby setting continue to pull a current, so be sure to completely shut down any equipment that won't be used for an extended period of time.


Don't Dump That E-Waste!

Has that old amp or keyboard finally gone kaput? Make sure electronic waste doesn't end up in the landfill; this socalled "e-waste" can contain hazardous components and non-recyclable material that is environmentally unsafe. The City of Los Angeles operates a number of facilities called "S.A.F.E." centers where the public can deposit their unwanted electronics free of charge every weekend. To find one near you visit the City of Los Angeles website at www.lacity.org and enter search keyword "e-waste."

Alternatively, if you have electronics that are still usable that you simply no longer want, post a free listing at LACoMAX, a countywide online materials exchange website, or donate them to charity – many will accept broken, but repairable, electronics as donations.


Green Tours

According to National Geographic's Green Guide, a typical stadium concert releases 500 to 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide – about 50 times more than the average American produces in an entire year. That number does not even take into account fans' transport, which amounts to over 80 percent of a concert's CO2 footprint – nor does it account for the immense amount of garbage produced at each show.

Some bands and concert organizers have taken strides to minimize touring's environmental impact. Festivals such as Lollapalooza and Britain's Glastonbury Festival have switched to biofuel-powered generators. The organizers of last summer's Osheaga Festival in Montreal hired Hydro Quebec to supply their main stage with emission-free geothermal energy.

Advocacy groups such as Reverb engage musicians and fans to promote environmentally responsible music tours. Reverb encourages organizers to offer reusable aluminum canteens rather than plastic water bottles, and to set up "Eco-Villages" with information on how fans can minimize their carbon footprints outside the concert venue. The group also advocates on-site recycling, waste reduction, green bus supplies and cleaners, biodegradable catering products, energy efficiency, a green contract rider, eco-friendly merchandise and green sponsorship. Local 47 musicians who have "greened" their tours with Reverb include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Maroon 5 and Sheryl Crow.

To go green on your next tour, visit www.ReverbRock.org.


Eco-Smart Fashion

When looking for that perfect outfit for that all-important performance, opt for eco-friendly clothing. Organic, sustainable clothing made of bamboo, recycled fabrics and biopolymers do little to no harm to the environment and are becoming more than just a fad, but a mainstay among designers. Veteran chic designers like Givenchy, Rogan, Bottega and Marc Jacobs all offer ecofriendly styles that make not just a fashion statement, but an environmental one as well.


Make Your Own Instrument

Using readily available materials to make music is commonplace around the world. In tropical climates people play music with gourds, coconuts and bamboo; in other parts of the world, washboards, jugs, spoons and bones are used as musical instruments. Here in the States, AFM percussionist and composer Donald Knaack, known as "the Junkman," exclusively composes for and performs on "junk" and recycled materials, having been introduced to the concept by renowned composer John Cage. New York-based Bash the Trash Environmental Arts raises environmental awareness through art by teaching people to create such homemade instruments as cardboard tube horns and trombones, percussive instruments made from cans, bobby pin finger pianos, and even "Styrocellos."


Recycle Used Guitar Strings

One musician's trash can be another's treasure. The Second String Project based in Connecticut sends minimally used guitar strings to musicians in third world countries who can't afford new ones. Canadian rockers Barenaked Ladies donate their used strings to jewelry company Dream World Designs, where they are recycled into trendy necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Try reusing them yourself in creative ways, such as to hang picture frames, plants or lights – even as a cheese slicer.

As an individual you can make a positive difference for the environment. If every person chooses to make changes in their lives that will benefit the earth, all those small changes will end up having a huge impact on preserving our planet.

ILCA 2008 Media Contest Awards

Just received a letter from the International Labor Communications Association informing me that I won a few awards in their 2008 media contest, one of which for a piece I wrote about New Orleans musicians when I attended the ILCA Media Contest in that fair city last year, which you can read here.

Though I didn't fare quite as well as last year, it's still nice to be recognized for my work! (Click on the links below the awards to see the winning entries.)


BEST NEWS STORY
THIRD AWARD
Linda Rapka
"New Orleans Musicians Weather the Storm"
Overture
Professional Musicians Local 47
sub-category: Local Unions

BEST DESIGN
THIRD AWARD
Linda Rapka
April 2007 "Jazz Appreciation Month"
Overture
Professional Musicians Local 47
sub-category: newspapers, Local Unions

BEST PHOTOGRAPH
HONORABLE MENTION
"Thousands Rally for WGA" - Linda Rapka
Overture
Professional Musicians Local 47
sub-category: Local Unions

(awards cited from ilcaonline.org)

Life for musicians in New Orleans two years after Katrina

In October 2007 I attended the International Labor Communications Association media convention in New Orleans to report on life for union musicians two years after Katrina. You can read my story as posted on the ILCA website at neworleanslabormedia.org, which was also published in the Professional Musicians, Local 47 Overture.

Accolades

Winning awards rules. Because the International Labor Communications Association has recognized some of my work in its 2007 media contest, my work just might fly me out to New Orleans for the convention in October.

woo hoo!


In case you're curious, here's what all I won*:


BEST NEWS STORY
FIRST AWARD
Linda Rapka
"Flight Fright: Airline Carry-On Policies Causing Concern over Instrument Safety"
Overture
Professional Musicians Local 47
sub-category: Local Unions


BEST DESIGN
FIRST AWARD
Linda Rapka
October 2006
Overture
Professional Musicians Local 47
sub-category: newspapers, Local Unions

GENERAL EXCELLENCE
THIRD AWARD
Serena Kay Williams; Linda Rapka
Overture
Professional Musicians Local 47
sub-category: Local Unions


Yeah that's right, General Excellence. Kiss my ass, JACC.

(* cited from ilcaonline.org)

Feelin' groovy

Apparently an article I wrote a couple months ago regarding the plight of traveling musicians forced to check their precious instruments and risk them getting damaged or destroyed is making its way around the nation. I have been receiving accolades and reprinting requests from Locals as far away as New York.

Sweetness.

Read it here if you are so inclined.