AGMA - a UNITED UNION Unity, Like Democracy, Is a Beautiful but Highly Abusec! with Producers
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Vol. I, No.5 PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS, Inc., A. F. of L. November, 1947 OFFICERS OFFICES LAWRENCE TIBBETT New York 19 President 276 West 43rd Street NORMAN CORDON Telephone: LOngacre 5-7508, 9, 10 1st Vice-President • JULIUS HUEHN Los Angeles 2nd Vice-President 1. R. KORNBLUM EDWARD HARRIS 6331 Hollywood Boulevard 3rd Vice-President Telephone: Hillside 5121 CONRAD THIBAUT • 4th Vice-President San Franscisco J ASCHA HEIFETZ THEODORE HALE 5th Vice-President 216 Pine Street Telephone: Sutter 0855 ELIZABETH HOEPPEL Recording Secretary • FREDERICK JAGEL Philadelphia Treasurer G. GILBERT MASON 207 Walnut Place HYMAN R. F AINE Telephone: Lombard 1187 Executive Secretary • BELMONT KINDLER Assistant to Executive Secretary Chicago 1 BEN MEYERS BERNARD W. ZUEBERT 188 W. Randolph Street Financial Secretary Telephone: State 0855 • • JAFFE & JAFFE BELMONT KINDLER Counsel Editor AGMA - A UNITED UNION Unity, like democracy, is a beautiful but highly abusec! with producers. The numerous provisions in our Basic Agree word. Most people would welcome it, but too few of us exert ment with opera, ballet and concert revue companies relat sufficient enthusiasm in its behalf. Like democracy, unity ing to transportation, rehearsals, signing of contracts, and does not represent a static organism, but on the contrary, security deposit all benefit solo artists. in order to attain its fullest realization, must be constantly We realize the time that artists consume preparing for developed and nurtured. and giving auditions, visiting impressarii and managers, Governments call for its application. Our political parties studying to perfect their art, and in many cases rehearsing realize its desirability. Each of us, I suspect, would like to for performances. We are also painfully aware of the inten:;., see unity exist within our own homes. Why, then, with all desire on the part of our members to succeed in a field where this, should AGMA remain an exception? supply far out-balances demand, and where opportunity is Not A "Singer's Union" rationed. We recognize that after years of study and sacrifice, First of all, contrary to popular opinion, and there are single-mindedness of purpose becomes a necessity to artists who realize their capacities. some people who should know better, AGMA is not a "singer's union," but rather a union composed of solo in This is precisely where AGMA can be of assistance, be strumentalists, solo singers, choristers, solo dancers, corps cause with increased membership participation producing a de ballet dancers, and stage managers and stage directors. stronger union, AGMA can then expend some energy in aid· Frankness compels us to state, unfortunately, that of these six ing musical organizations in many small communities, which categories, choristers have been, in proportion to their num in turn will result in additional opportunities for all AGMA members. ber, far more active in AGMA's affairs than any other group. At the September 18th general membership meeting Identity of Interests fully 75% of those present were chorus members, and we Although each category of membership has its individual congratulate them upon their responsiveness and loyalty to problems, there exists, we believe, an identity of interests, a their union. But we wonder why principals and dancers, for common purpose sufficiently strong among us to place each example, are not more active within AGMA. Artists have such problem in its proper perspective. We feel that if in· readily conceded to us that the higher minimum rates which strumentalists understood chorus problems, and if dancers AGMA has secured also increased their fees in bargaining (Continued on page 7) CONVENTION PLANS FORGE AHEAD AGMA's first Constitutional Conven United States was divided into seven Delegates were to be nominated by tion, the purpose of which is to revise specific geographic areas, as follows: petition, on which the signatures of the present constitution, will be held in No. of any fifteen AGMA members in good New York City on January 8th, 9th ana Area Delegates standing could be secured. The signer 10th, 1948. New York City, New York State, of the petition had to reside within the Constitutional Committee New Jersey (vicinity of N. Y. same geographic area as the nominated This past May, in response to a resolu and Connecticut....................................... 46 candidate, and could sign as many nominating petitiol15 as he wished. tion passed at a membership meeting, New Jersey (vicinity of Phil.) and President Lawrence Tibbett appointed a Pennsylvania-........................................... _. 4 The Committee in recent weeks has Constitutional Committee which was re Massachusetts and Rhode Island.__ 1 reviewed and discussed the major por presentative of all categories and locali Delaware, Maryland, Washington, tion of our present Constitution, so that ties of AGMA's membership, and whose D. c., W. Virginia, Alabama, a draft would be available to the dele function it became to prepare the me N. Carolina, Kentucky, Florida, gates at the Convention. Although a let chanical details of the Convention such Tennessee, Texas, and Louisi- ter was sent to all AGMA members re ana....... _... _.. _...... _........... _................... _............ 1 questing suggested changes in AGMA's as the nomination and election of dele Constitution, the response was inadequate, gates, the basis for representation, and Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and the Committee consequently is pro a draft of Constitutional changes to be Michigan, Missouri and ceeding with suggestions formulated at suggested to the Convention. Those ac Kansas............................................................... 6 its weekly meetings. cepting appointment were: California (vicinity of San Franc- cisco) and Washington.......... -. .. -.... 5 Counting of Ballots 1. Ruthanna Boris California (vicinity of Los An- After nominating petitions were re 2. Lucy Brown geles) .................................................................. 6 3. Frank Chapman ceived at the AGMA office from each 4. Norman Cordon TotaL.................................................... 69 geographic area, ballots were mailed 5. Donald Dame Each of the seven was divided into to every AGMA member, who was re 6. Edward Harris six separate craft categories-solo vo quested to return his ballot in a sealed 7. Winifred Heidt calists, instrumentalists, solo dancers, envelope in preparation for a secret 8. J ascha Heifetz choristers, and stage managers and stage vote. Ballots are still being returned to 9. Peale Hober directors. the AGMA office. After November 22nd, 10. Elizabeth Hoeppel The elected delegate from an area the deadline for the receipt of ballots, 11. Edith House could be chosen from any craft category. they will be tabulated, and AGMA mem 12. Julius Huehn However, in order to insure democratic bers will be informed of the results. 13. Frederick J agel representation, it was decided that Those members of the Constitutional 14. Edward Kane among the delegates at the Convention, Committee who, in spite of other duties, 15. Maurice Kostroff there should be a minimum of two from have graciously offered their time and 16. Ray Lev each craft category. If the minimum energy to assure the success of AGMA's 17. Anthony Marlowe of two from each craft was not elected, First Constitutional Convention, are to 18. May M~Dermott then the person in that craft holding be congratulated upon their interest and 19. James Melton the next highest number of votes, re enthusiasm. We hope that in the con 20. Elissa Minet gardless of area, would be accepted as cluding few weeks, we may enlist the 21. Lillian Nichols an additional delegate to the Conven support of those members who have 22. James Pease tion. been unable to attend meetings thus far. 23. Leopold Sachse 24. May Savage 25. Margaret Speaks 26. Frederick White ··Seel~ and Ye Shall Find" Out of town repre~entatives were: Every now and then, an impressario such singers as Miss Spence and Miss 27. Galliano Daneluz-SanFrancisco approaches us and confides in a rather Morris should prove the pertinence of 28. Joaquin Felsch-San Francisco sheepish manner that, "I hold auditions that old adjuration, 'Seek and ye shall 29. Desire Ligeti-San Francisco every year for three or four hundred find.' " 30. Foster Grundy-Los Angeles singers, but you know, it is next to im And from the "Herald Tribune" of the 31. Hilda Romain-Los Angeles possible to find any worth while talent same date: "There is surely no cause 32. John Shafer-Los Angeles among American singers." Well, we are for despair about the future of opera 33. Gilbert Mason-Philadelphia essentially good-natured, and smile right in the United States with such gifted 34. Gerald Finerman-Illinois back, but our searching eye found the fresh talents entering the field as the 35. Angela Kitches-Illinois proper retort in a "New York Times" Misses Morris and Spence." 36. George Tozzi-Illinois music review of "Ariadne auf Naxos," AGMA is certain there are additional 37. Arthur Winteler-New Orleans which was presented at the New York American artists, who, if offered the This Committee has met weekly since City Center last month. June, and after considerable discussion, I quote from the "Times" of October opportunity, would also display a high approved an organizational procedure 10: "If there has been any doubt that degree of talent. We wonder what our leading to the Convention. this country has an abundance of talent, impressario friends will say when they AGMA's membership throughout the the introduction in one opera of two next approach us? let stranded and on strike in Cuba and the fiasco that was. Since that time AGMA AND DANCERS dancers leaving the country are pro Feel that lucky Union Card, Dancer-It's tough to be without one tected by requiring managements to de posit two weeks salary. Arrangements In the October issue of the magazine own way. Rehearsal hours were un are made that dancers be paid in U.s. "Dance," there appeared an article by limited and often were scheduled after money so that exchange rates will not Ann Barzel entitled "State of the Un the last ballet at night.