Final Note: Ray Acton

Ray ActonLife Member. French Horn
(8/8/1921 – 12/7/2014)

by the Acton family

Raymond Denny Acton, an accomplished French horn player and manufacturing engineer has passed away at 93. Ray was born in Roundup, Montana and was the youngest of four children. Ray was very passionate about music and developed a love for the French horn at a very young age playing in his elementary school band in Phoenix. After moving to Hollywood, he continued playing the French horn at Fairfax High School. Continue reading

Final Note: Robert Clay Searles

Note TreeLife Member. Vibraphone
5/16/1916 – 7/13/2014

By Jim Bigsby, nephew

Bob was born in Everett, WA, and grew up in Tacoma, WA, where he often had the lead role in Stadium High School’s musicals. In the summer of 1936 he drove his little Austin 1,500 miles south carrying his vibes on its back in wooden cases built by his father. Continue reading

AB 1199 passes unanimously through Arts & Entertainment Committee

Sign our online petition to support AB 1199 to  improve the CA Film & TV Tax Credit Program for Musicians!

IsupportAB1199

Sign our online petition to support AB 1199 to  improve the CA Film & TV Tax Credit Program for Musicians!

On April 28, in Sacramento, AB 1199 was heard before the Committee on Arts & Entertainment. Local 47 Vice President Rick Baptist and rank-and-file member Clifford Tasner presented all of your letters of support and testified before the committee in support of the bill. We are pleased to report it passed unanimously!

JOIN US AT THE STATE CAPITOL ON MAY 18

AB 1199 now moves on to its next hearing before the Committee on Tax& Revenue on Monday, May 18. For this hearing, we are coordinating a media event to take in Area 22 (Capital Park, next to pond), complete with a live musical performance. We will meet at the above location at 12:30 p.m. We hope to see as many of our supporters possible there. Please contact our Communications Director at linda.rapka@promusic47.org for further information.

We thank you for your continued support!

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Disneyland Band Audition Notice from Orange County Local 7

If you are auditioning for a position as a musical performer at Disneyland in Anaheim, please see this important message from Orange County Musicians’ Association Local 7:

FROM: Orange County Musicians’ Association, Local 7, AFM
TO: Musicians auditioning for the Disneyland Band
DATE: April 9, 2015
SUBJECT: Disneyland Band Auditions

After 59 years of continuous service, the Disneyland Band was given an “end of run” notice on March 31, 2015 and was told that auditions for a new Disneyland Band would commence April 15; Local 7 was informed the same day. While this does present an opportunity for employment, musicians auditioning for this job need to be aware. Continue reading

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Photos by Linda A. Rapka

Photos by Linda A. Rapka

Dodger organist Nancy Bea Hefley talks about her three decades with LA’s Boys in Blue

Named by some fans as their “favorite Dodger” of all time, stadium organist Nancy Bea Hefley has livened up the ballpark with her signature playing since 1988.

Though the last few years have seen her playtime steadily dwindle, public outcry has been strong enough to see her contract renew for the next baseball season.

And she couldn’t be happier. Continue reading

April 2015 Overture Online: LA Philharmonic

April 2015 Overture Online
Overture Online: April 2015

NEW ISSUE OUT NOW – Read the Overture Online on your smartphone or tablet available from the App Store or Google Play.

itunes    google play

While Overture Online is optimized for reading via the app versions, readers may also access the new issue on your web browser (must have flash enabled).

Continue reading

A message from President Acosta on film/TV tax credits

A Message from AFM Local 47
Dear Local 47 Members:

For those Local 47 members unfamiliar with him, Richard Kraft is an agent who represents composers. He believes film/TV tax credits don’t work for musicians, and has in fact supported and promoted a slick campaign, complete with a big-money, Fox-News style video, against them. The thrust of his campaign is that we musicians should not try to seek jobs, or follow the lead of actors, writers, engineers, electricians, directors, grips and others in legislating tax credits to support our employment. This is a response to some of his many misinformed statements. Continue reading