“Jazz music is the power of now. There is no script. It’s conversation. The emotion is given to you by musicians as they make split-second decisions to fulfill what they feel the moment requires.”
Wynton Marsalis
Apply here to be part of Jazz Appreciation Month
April 2023 Open to all members
With the launch of its second season, Sounds of
Peace, Music on Union is echoing poet Kahlil
Gibran—”Music… opens the secret of life bringing
peace’.
At 12:10p.m. on August 12, 2022, long-time
crowd-pleaser, vocalist Ralph Kuster,
accompanied by pianist Tim Hallman, kicks off
the season of eight, weekly, 40-minute concerts
at St. James Anglican Church, 10 Union Street.
“Last year our series, Sounds of Hope, looked to
our emergence from the bleakness of COVID.
Now war and social conflicts are hitting our
headlines, so our goal this year is to help bring
peace into the hearts, souls and daily living of
our audiences,” said Michael Capon, Music
Director at St. James’ Anglican Church.
In addition to harnessing the power of music for
peace, the organizers are also intent on
honouring Jesus’maxim that “the labourer is
worthy of his hire”.
“It’s great that there are now more and more
opportunities for musicians to perform,”
commented Sue Moore, Secretary-Treasurer of
the Union of Professional Musicians AFM Local
518 (serving eastern Ontario).
Capon and Moore were happy to be able to
include vocal and wind performances in their
eclectic 2022 line-up.
The first four concerts feature: Kuster’s
extensive repertoire of Broadway hits, country
music and crooner classics; jazz, baroque and
contemporary clarinet pieces played by Carina
Canonico and David Gazaille; the Bach to the
Beatles repertoire of clarinet and cello trio Two
Thirds Down Under; and the jazzy tones of
singer Chantal Thompson. Thompson affirms
the power of music to be a medium for peace.
“Music is a spiritual consciousness that brings
us together”, she said, “and I’m thrilled to be
offering a gift of meditation for the listeners in a
venue redolent with such beauty and history.”
Subsequent concerts showcase: Amber &
Zebulun on cello and guitar performing the likes
of Mancini, Bacharach and Cohen; traditional
Iranian and contemporary pieces from santurist
Sadaf Amini; and songs and dances for four
hands performed by piano duo Peletsis-
Dardykina.
“The final concert falls on Orange Shirt Day,”
noted Capon, “and it is exciting that Lynn Brant,
a Mohawk who sits with the Bear Clan, has
agreed to perform some of her original
compositions to close out our Sounds of Peace
series.”
Moore and Capon hope to repeat the success of
the 2021 season. “We had lots of positive
feedback from last year’s performers and
audiences about the heightened acoustics and
aesthetics of St. James,” said Moore. “With this
venue and a strong program for the 2022
season we expect capacity audiences again this
year.”
The series also aims to promote
the wellness benefits of music for the nearby
hospital and university communities.
Media contact:
Sue Moore
kingstonmusicians@gmail.com
613-484-3554
The Kingston Musicians’ Union in its December and January general meetings adopted a new name for the Local. This has been long overdue and it is hoped that the name will serve our community of musicians far more appropriately.
“Our Local is more than our Kingston base. Our jurisdiction reaches far beyond Dorset in Haliburton county and extends to Gananoque in the thousand Islands just east of Kingston, many of our members live in areas other than Kingston and the reference to the city makes no sense to them.” -Mark Wilkins president
A survey was distributed throughout the local in 2021 for suggestions and a short list drawn up. The new name adopted is:
Friday August 6th, Kingston Musicians Union co-hosted with St James Anglican Church, Kingston’s first live concert. This concert series has been made possible by the sponsorship from the Music Performance Trust Fund. The idea for the concert series has been in the works since July 2020 when the Local was looking for venues to host the streamed concerts that they initialized and were fully funded by MPTF, however the church was unavailable for use so streaming was exclusively performed at the Royal Theatre in Gananque.
This current series, doors opened to the public for a noon hour concert that featured Spencer Evans and his son Oscar. Stringent Covid 19 protocols were in place to ensure that both the audience and performers had a safe place to enjoy this live concert and with limited seating the Local provided a polished stream of the performance. The series continues for the next seven weeks with a variety of performances from Jazz, Classical, and concept art forms. Tickets are available from Eventbrite stjameskingston.ca/tickets
Kingston Musicians’ Union, the Music Performance Trust Fund and St Jam
es Anglican Church present “Music on Union- Sounds of Hope” a series of free live indoor concerts every Friday from August 6th through 24 September at St James’ Church, 10 Union St in Kingston. A live audience of up to 50 people can be accommodated, with appropriate physical distancing. To reserve a seat visit stjameskingston.ca/concerts, or call 613-548-7254. The concert will also be live streamed via stjameskingston.ca/concerts. 
Music on Union Poster 1
August 6th 12;10-12;50 pm: Spencer and Oscar Evans will perform pieces from the Great American Songbook, through classic Jazz standards by Duke Ellington and Horace Silver, to original compositions by Spencer. These original works will be featured on Spencer’s upcoming debut self-titled release (currently available on Spotify and iTunes).
Did you know that the Kingston musicians Union pays their members when they host any sponsored streamed concerts? If you would like to know how to get paid to perform or how to become a member of the Musicians union contact our office.
kingstonmusicians@gmail.com
Members are invited to attend a zoom meeting to discuss the General business of Local 518 Kingston Musicians union
Date: Sunday 11th April 2021
Time: TBD
Place: Zoom meeting as per COVID 19 guidelines
Please check your email in boxes for the newsletter which will contain the details of this meeting and zoom invitation.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced more flexible rules for claiming the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB) in response to critics who pointed out the initial rules excluded too many people, including those working reduced hours.
Seasonal workers and those who have recently run out of employment insurance will now also be eligible for CERB. People who make less than $1,000 a month due to reduced work hours will also qualify.
Listen to a recent testimony before the Parliament Standing Committee on Finances – Friday April 3rd Our thanks to Luc Fortin for his outstanding effort.
Whether you are already an established artist or in the midst of completing your first creative project, the moment you consider recording or performing in public, you create a product that has value both now and in the future. When you become a member of an AFM Local within Canada you are automatically a member of both The American Federation of Musicians of US and Canada [parent organization], and its distinctly Canadian arm, The Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM). By joining, CFM collectively helps you to minimize the potential threats of exploitation and potential theft of your intellectual property.
During these uncertain times we have made efforts to ensure the financial well-being of all musicians. As part of the music community we need your help in what has become an urgent task. Musicians standing together in one voice sends a powerful message to those that are making decisions that affect our livelihood. As a member, the AFM and CFM will be your voice in the US and Canadian legislative process. We are proactive in legislative action and were instrumental in bringing about Federal and Provincial Status of the Artist, as well as Copyright reform and new payments to musicians from new tariffs such as Neighbouring Rights and the private copying levy. During the COVID-19 crisis we are urging our government to provide appropriate support for musicians that include a waiver of the one-week waiting period for EI benefits (in the case where the musicians are entitled), to expanding the benefit to include freelance workers who provide their services as self-employed contractors, to ensuring that compensation is made available for musicians who have had gigs or tours cancelled for both lost revenue and other expenses, such as the hundreds of dollars, or thousands paid to USCIS as petition fees for P2 visas for US entry. Consideration must be made as well for proper funding to help musicians and symphony/theatre organizations recover, as well as assistance to stimulate and revitalize the industry once the virus has been contained and/or eradicated.
By joining you become part of an illustrious membership that includes Canada’s finest professional musicians performing all styles of music in every type of venue. This legacy helped AFM Canada establish unrivaled working conditions for all members, which will be continued through CFM. From comprehensive instrument, health and liability insurance, to a world-class pension plan, contract protection with emergency travel assistance, free Internet referral postings, access to AFM/CFM-licensed booking agents to keep those gigs coming and more, we demonstrate that as a member-driven organization, we understand the critical benefits you need to further your career and to protect your future.
Specialized departments within CFM and the AFM International also offer members a host of vital services including assistance with immigration, media recordings, symphonic and theatrical matters, touring, freelance musicians and membership services, contract negotiations and administration, and management of royalty streams. In addition, we offer web referrals, as well as three additional sites that provide members with a domain and hosting service, a musical instrument/gear auction site and another for music lessons.
Over the next few months we are offering membership at a reduced cost of $16/month (184/yr).