Local 161-710

Metropolitan Washington D.C. Federation of Musicians

Scholarships

Scholarships

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 Local 161-710 announces our 2026 Scholarship Program for Band and Orchestral Musicians, ages 12-18.

All applications must be submitted or postmarked by March 27, 2026

Applicants will be judged on all aspects of their application, including their financial statement.  Funds are meant to assist with costs associated with private lessons or music camps.  Scholarship amounts may vary based on the number of selected applicants

CONTACT PATTY HURD FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

pattyhurd222@gmail.com

Application Packet

Once completed, the application forms can be mailed to the Local, or uploaded using the Google forms below:

Online application packet submission

Upload the application, the student statement, and the parent financial statement here.

Upload the teacher statement here.

National Symphony Orchestra Musicians Unanimously Authorize Strike: September 23, 2024

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 23, 2024

Press Contact:
Edgardo Malaga

President

DC Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710, American Federation of Musicians

(240) 731-3613

malaga@musiciansdc.org

National Symphony Orchestra Musicians Unanimously Authorize Strike 

A strike could be called as early as Tuesday evening.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The DC Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710, American Federation of Musicians announced today that the musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) have unanimously voted to authorize a strike against their employer, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The union (acting through the musicians’ negotiating committee) and the Kennedy Center have been in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement since May but remain far apart on wages and other material issues. The prior agreement expired in early September. The musicians going on strike this week would affect the three scheduled concerts featuring Sara Bareilles and this Saturday’s Season Opening Gala Concert.

The NSO has cemented its reputation as one of the premier orchestras in the United States. Its classical and pops concerts have been critically acclaimed and have consistently played to packed houses, both at the Kennedy Center and around the world.

Yet, the base wages of NSO musicians have declined by roughly 15 percent (adjusting for inflation) since the beginning of their last collective bargaining agreement more than five years ago. 

Several peer orchestras to the NSO recently agreed to contracts with substantial raises. Just last week, the New York Philharmonic agreed to increase its musicians’ salaries by an average of 11 percent per year over three years, with a 15 percent increase in the first year alone. New York Philharmonic executive Deborah Borda hailed the agreement as a “restorative settlement” in an interview with the New York Times and described management’s “full confidence” in meeting its financial and fundraising goals. The Boston Symphony agreed to similar increases last year.

As of today, the NSO musicians are making substantially less than are the musicians in the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and San Franciso Symphony. That pay disparity combined with the high cost of living in the D.C. area make it harder for the NSO to attract and retain talent commensurate with the reputation of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Kennedy Center itself as a premier performance venue.

The union has proposed reasonable wage increases averaging 6.25 percent per year over the next four years. This proposal would keep the NSO in parity with its peers. It also would recognize the substantial give-backs the musicians voluntarily provided the Kennedy Center during the pandemic (which amounted to each musician forfeiting a minimum of $60,000).  

In contrast, the Kennedy Center has proposed wage increases for the NSO musicians that average only 3 percent annually over the next four years. That proposal would lock in a nearly decade-long decline in real wages of musicians in the orchestra. 

“As our national center for the performing arts, the Kennedy Center should be a leader among arts institutions in fairly compensating its artists,” said Ed Malaga, President of the DC Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710, American Federation of Musicians. “Instead, the Kennedy Center has made proposals that are far out of step with other orchestras throughout the country. It is disheartening to see that the Kennedy Center is unwilling to recognize the value of the world-class orchestra these musicians have built and to compensate them in the manner they deserve.”

The lack of constructive engagement by Kennedy Center management regrettably continues past practice, which accounts for the unanimity of the musicians’ strike vote and their solidarity. In March 2020, Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter unilaterally announced mandatory unpaid furloughs for the entire orchestra, despite the fact that Congress only hours before had provided the Kennedy Center with a special pandemic-relief appropriation of $25 million. The attempted furlough violated the parties’ collective bargaining agreement and required the union to take legal action, leading to a reversal of the announced furloughs. The parsimony of the Kennedy Center’s current offer likewise impelled the musicians to authorize a strike now.

About the Metropolitan Washington, DC Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710, American Federation of Musicians

The DC Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710, American Federation of Musicians has been serving Washington-area musicians since 1901 and continues to be an effective advocate for musicians’ rights in the workplace, be that a nightclub, symphony stage, opera pit, recording studio or on tour.

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COVID-19 Relief (Updated)

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The Metropolitan Washington D.C. Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710 Executive Board knows that many musicians are suffering financially because they have lost employment as a result of the COVID-19 emergency. We urge all members who are willing and able to help members in need, to make a special donation for this purpose. All donations will be placed in the Local’s We Care Fund and distributed to musicians in need and not used for administrative or any other purpose. Checks can be made payable to Local 161-710 with ‘We Care’ in the memo line and sent to the Local office at 4400 MacArthur Blvd., NW, Suite 306, Washington, D.C. 20007. Payments can also be made online at www.musiciansdc.org with payment designated for We Care – COVID-19 in the “notes” section. (Donations to We Care are not tax deductible).

Local 161-710 is offering emergency relief through the We Care Fund for members who have lost employment due to work stoppages resulting from the COVID-19 coronavirus emergency. In order to be eligible for this relief, all of the following requirements must be met:

  • The member must be in good standing.
  • The member must have lost work that would have been covered by a Local 161-710 contract.
  • The member may not be eligible for a relief fund specifically set up for their orchestra or by his or her employer, or for any compensation from the employer for the work that was cancelled.

(For musicians who do not meet the above criteria, please see the option at the bottom of this page)

For your reference, below is a non-exclusive list of cancelled employment that satisfies the second and third criteria above:

CBAs

  • National Philharmonic
  • Washington Ballet Orchestra
  • Olney Theatre
  • National Theatre
  • Wolf Trap
  • American Pops Orchestra
  • Post Classical Ensemble
  • Arena Stage
  • Ford’s Theatre
  • Shakespeare Theatre
  • Maryland Lyric Opera
  • Signature Theatre
  • National Symphony (only substitutes & extras who were hired but not paid as a result of performance cancellations)
  • Wolf Trap

L1 Contracts

  • Washington Master Chorale (April 15-19) – Contractor Stephen Duncan
  • Basilica Easter – Contractor Paul Schultz
  • Immaculate Conception Church Easter Mass – 1315 8th St. NW 20001

Members in need may submit an application for up to 4 weeks of lost income, in the amount of $148 per week (regardless of the number of gigs), for a maximum total of $592 for each application period. Local 161-710 is currently taking applications for work lost March 9 through May 31, for work lost June 1 through August 31 and also for work lost September 1 through November 30.

While it is the Local’s wish to help all of our members who are in immediate need as a result of job cancellations from signatory employers, we must emphasize that our resources are limited. We therefore urge only musicians who have no other source of income and are suffering hardship at this time to apply.

Musicians who are experiencing hardship at this time but have not lost work that falls under a Local 161-710 contract, can apply for a payment from the We Care Fund in an amount up to $140. (This amount can be applied for once during the March 9 – May 31 application period, a second time for the June 1 – August 31 application period, and a third time for the September 1 – November 30 application period).

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FOR MARCH THROUGH MAY HERE

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FOR JUNE THROUGH AUGUST HERE

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FOR SEPT THROUGH NOV HERE

KENNEDY CENTER UNILATERALLY CUTS OFF NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS’ PAY

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Press Statement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: ED MALAGA

METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON D.C. FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS, AFM LOCAL 161-710

240-731-3613

malaga@musiciansdc.org

KENNEDY CENTER UNILATERALLY CUTS OFF NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MUSICIANS’ PAY

Washington, D.C., March 28, 2020 –

Yesterday, on the same day that President Trump signed into law a stimulus package that specifically appropriated $25 million to the Kennedy Center to be used for operating expenses including employee compensation, Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter abruptly advised the musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra that they will not be paid after next week.

This decision, from an organization with an endowment of nearly $100 million, is not only outrageous – coming after the musicians had expressed their willingness to discuss ways to accommodate the Kennedy Center during this challenging time – it is also blatantly illegal under the parties’ collective bargaining agreement. That agreement specifically requires that the Center provide six weeks’ notice before it can stop paying musicians for economic reasons.

The Metropolitan Washington D.C. Federation of Musicians, which represents the National Symphony Orchestra musicians, has filed a grievance challenging the Kennedy Center’s illegal action. A copy of the grievance is attached to this email.

The Metropolitan Washington D.C. Federation of Musicians, American Federation of Musicians Local 161-710, has been serving Washington area musicians since 1901 and continues to be an effective advocate for musicians’ rights in the workplace, be that a nightclub, symphony stage, opera pit, recording studio or on tour.

Read the AFM Kennedy Center Grievance

Official Notification:2019 Membership Dues

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August 21, 2018

OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION

2019

MEMBERSHIP DUES

QUARTERLY 2019

1st quarter – January 1st – March 31st

 2nd quarter – April 1st – June 30th

3rd quarter – July 1st – September 30th

 4th quarter – October 1 – December 31st

Regular……………………………….$43.00

Life……………………………………$24.00

Inactive Life………………………….$22.50

YEARLY 2019

Regular……………………………….$172.00

Life……………………………………$  96.00

Inactive Life………………………….$  90.00