Fall 2012 Volume 66, Number 2
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AGMAZINEAGMAZINE Official Publication of the American Guild of Musical Artists A Branch of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America • Affiliated with the AFL-CIO Fall 2012 Volume 66, Number 2 AGMA members use social media and new technology to keep up with their lives and careers in today’s increasingly media- and technology-driven society. Page 2 AGMAzine Fall 2012 AGMAzine Focuses on Social Media and Technology The American Guild of Musical Artists By Sara Stewart Schumann, 3rd Vice President and Membership and Member Relations 1430 Broadway, 14th Floor New York, New York 10018-3308 Committee Chair (212) 265-3687 Fax: (212) 262-9088 AGMA members everywhere are communicating more and www.MusicalArtists.org more through social media usage. As a result, AGMA, too, uses Lawrence Tibbett, Founding President various forms of social media to communicate with its mem- Jascha Heifetz, Founding Vice President bers. As new technologies continue to develop and evolve, James Odom, President AGMA is sure to use the available means to communicate with John Coleman, 1st Vice President its membership. Gregory Stapp, 2nd Vice President Sara Stewart Schumann, 3rd Vice President Maren Montalbano, 4th Vice President How AGMA currently communicates with its members through technology. J Austin Bitner, 5th Vice President Keith Miller, Treasurer Louis Perry, Recording Secretary *AGMA’s website provides members and visitors alike with audition notices, Area Meeting details, photos of Area members, and links to resources for career services Alan S. Gordon, National Executive Director and healthcare support. Gerry Angel, Director of Operations *AGMA’s website now has pages that only members can sign onto where you can General Counsel Bruce Simon update your contact information, download collective bargaining agreements, and find Cohen, Weiss, & Simon (212) 563-4100 copies of AGMAzine as well as a variety of useful discounts. Chicago Counsel Barbara J. Hillman Cornfield and Feldman **AGMA has a Facebook page featuring many photos and useful links. (312) 236-7800 **AGMA sends out timely announcements via email. Special Counsel Gail Lopez-Henriquez Freedman & Lorry (215) 925-8400 **AGMA sends out invoices for the yearly Basic Dues via email. Associate Executive Deborah J. Allton-Maher Director [email protected] AGMA is constantly making information available and utilizing technology to better (800) 543-2462 serve its membership. And, AGMA wants to hear from you, too! So, please use the Western Counsel John C. Russum suggestion box on the Members Only page to give AGMA your website suggestions, [email protected] or contact [email protected]. E-mail your articles with photos for (310) 215-9554 AGMAzine to [email protected]. New York Area James Fayette Dance Executive [email protected] (800) 543-2462 Thanks to the Membership and Member Relations Committee for all of the hard work involved in developing this issue of AGMAzine! Area Representation Mid-Atlantic Eleni Kallas National Director of Organizing and Training [email protected] (301) 869-8266 San Francisco Nora Heiber National Dance Executive [email protected] (415) 552-2800 ON THE COVER: upper left-hand photo: Lyric Opera of Chicago choristers Ken Donovan and John Concepcion- Wall; upper right-hand photo: left to right, Los Angeles Opera choristers: Francis Lucaric, Jamie Chamberlin, Omar Editor Denise Baker Crook, Sara Campbell and Rebecca Tomlinson; center photo: Metropolitan Opera chorister Tim Breese; lower left- hand photo, Ballet Hispanico Company dancers left to right, front row: Melissa Fernandez, Jessica Alejandra Wyatt, Lauren Alzamora. Jamal Rashann Callender; second row: Min-Tzu Li, Joshua Peter Winzeler, Kimberly Van Woesik, Major Nesby; standing: Roberto Lara, Martina Calcagno, Mario Ismael Espinoza and Donald Borror; lower right- hand photo: Lyric Opera of Chicago choristers AGMA Governor Yvette Smith, Marie Sokolova and Janet Menson- Reynolds. Photo above: Los Angeles Opera choristers, left to right, standing: Rob Hovencamp, George Sterne, Leslie Dennis, Sara Campbell; seated: Tim Smith, Francis Lucaric, Melissa Treinkman, Jamie Chamberlin, Bonnie Schindler, Omar Crook, Rebecca Tomlinson and Aleta Braxton AGMAzine Fall 2012 Page 3 CONTENTS NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT AGMA and Technology.......................................................4 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE REPORT #@PrezJimmy (Like) (Share)..................................................6 FEATURED ARTICLES p. 9 Social Media’s Murky Waters ................................................7 Members’ Use of Social Networking Media...........................8 AGMA’s Leaders Gather at Annual Leaderhsip Conference.....15 ©Quinn Wharton AGMA Members Awarded Union Plus Scholarships.............21 AREA NEWS New York ...........................................................................10 San Francisco .....................................................................11 Southern California............................................................12 Chicago/Midwest ...............................................................13 p. 11 Washington/Baltimore .......................................................14 Northwest...........................................................................15 ©Gene Schaivone ADAY IN THE LIFE OF... A Corps de Ballerina..........................................................16 A Tenured Opera Dancer: The Gift that Keeps on Giving ......17 An Opera Choreographer...................................................19 DEPARTMENTS p. 17 p. 18 In Memoriam......................................................................20 AGMA Relief Fund Annual Holiday Drive ......................22 AGMA Audited Financial Statements...............................24 AGMA Relief Fund Audited Financial Statements...........25 WHO INSPIRED YOU? Marianne Cornetti, Soloist.................................................27 Tiffany Carmel Lake, Chorister..........................................27 p. 22 p. 19 Page 4 AGMAzine Fall 2012 National Executive Director’s Report By Alan S. Gordon, National Executive Director Thomas Edison wrote: adjust, despite their divergence from traditionally desirable tenets of unionism. Third, AGMA’s relationship with other “We shall have no better conditions in unions may need to change in fundamental ways as tech- the future if we are satisfied with all those nology alters the employment patterns of AGMA members which we have at present.” and those of other unions’ memberships. Thomas Edison Obviously, in making some of these comments the staff is This issue of AGMAzine highlights aware that my assignment to them was focused on what technology (broadly defined as “the AGMA can do, not on what employers must first or also do. application of scientific knowledge Thus, our comments do not include the associated observa- for practical purposes” or “a capability given by the prac- tion that it is the fundamental responsibility of the employ- tical application of knowledge”) and its impact upon our ers to accept the notion that their unionized employees members. have an equal role in assuring acceptable uses of future capabilities. The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes is the future. Anticipating the future is, inherently, a job for the The most immediate technology issues, for both opera and staff of any entity, and AGMA’s professional staff performs that ballet companies and the AGMA members they employ, function on an on-going basis. Now that AGMA operates on a involve the potential use of virtual performers, the uncontrol- thoroughly efficient and effective basis, we need to redouble lable release of members’ work products on YouTube, Vimeo, efforts to foresee the future because of the danger of otherwise Hulu and Pitchfork, and the impact of technological advances becoming complacent. on the employment of unionized performing artists. Towards that end, some months ago I asked the professional Never heard of Pitchfork? Welcome to the club. Highlighting staff to give me a formal analysis of their thoughts about the the underlying problem that today’s technology is antiquated future, particularly about the ways in which AGMA can tomorrow, Pitchfork didn’t exist until recently, and now is a remain a meaningful and effective union, within whatever major site of work product release. vision they each had of the future of the opera and dance busi- ness. Over the past month, I have given both the Executive The staff believes that the use of virtual performers, Council and the Board of Governors lengthy and detailed i.e. virtual chorus or orchestra, to enhance the background reports about the staff’s vision of AGMA’s future. It’s obvi- of both opera and dance must be anticipated, but that the ously impossible, given the space limitations of AGMAzine, essential live aspect of performances will continue to be the to include the full text of those reports here, but since this central draw that creates ticket buyers and patron contribu- issue is devoted to the role of ever-advancing technology, I tions. Given the inevitability of such virtual performers, we can summarize those that relate to the opportunities and pos- recognize that some provisions in our current contracts and sibilities created by scientific advances. some of our policies seem to effectively limit innovation in that area. Given the diversity of our membership, consisting of both singers and dancers; full-time, part-time and sporadic Likewise, we believe