DW Drums / Don Lombardi Room 3 Dedication Ceremony

In recognition of DW Drums founder Don Lombardi’s generous instrument donation to our rehearsal rooms, please join us in welcoming Don at a special plaque unveiling ceremony naming Room 3 in his honor.

Where: AFM Local 47 Rehearsal Room Artists’ Lounge

When: Tuesday, October 2, 10 a.m.

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Building Bridges

Students of the pilot Local 47 Career Pathways Program visit the Streisand Scoring Stage at Sony Pictures in Culver City. [photo by Tiffany Israel]

AFM Local 47 Career Pathways Pilot Program Strikes a Chord With Students

The Local 47 Career Pathways Program recently concluded its pilot session, and by all accounts was a resounding success.

With funding completely secured by the Verdugo Workforce Development Board from federal, state, and local sources, the program teamed up with the union to connect younger generation high schoolers with professionals working in the music industry.

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Welcome, Theater Musicians Association!

AFM Secretary/Treasurer Gary Lasley (far left) joins the newly sworn-in TMA Officers for a group photo. [by Tom Mendel]

AFM Local 47 was proud to host the 23rd Annual International Conference of the Theatre Musicians Association Aug. 20-21.

Theater musicians from across the United States and Canada joined together with the mission of continuing to build the organization that is our voice within the American Federation of Musicians.  Continue reading →

Final Note: Jack Costanzo

Life Member. Bongos
9/24/1919 – 8/18/2018

Born in Sept. 24, 1919 in Chicago, Illinois, Jack Costanzo universally gets credit for introducing the bongo drums to American jazz. As a teenager, he witnessed a Puerto Rican dance group whose leader played bongos, and there was no looking back. With no one to help, Costanzo had to teach himself to play. He fashioned a pair of bongos out of wooden butter tubs and began his long percussion quest. Continue reading →

Gloria Cheng wins L.A. Area Emmy for Independent Programming

Grammy-winning pianist Gloria Cheng, a professor of music in the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, has won an Emmy for independent programming at the 70th annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards for her short music documentary, “MONTAGE: Great film composers and the piano.”

The 2018 awards ceremony took place July 28.

The LA Area Emmy Awards are given to Los Angeles television stations and cable television for broadcast achievements for Local News, Programming, and Sports within the Los Angeles market.