Q: Why Join AGMA?
A: It's good for you, it's good for the chorus, and it's good for the company.

Prior to 1995, the Arizona Opera chorus was not affiliated with or represented by AGMA. At that time, choristers were mostly veterans of the volunteer group that had founded the company, and received little recognition or reward for their work. Choristers were paid a stipend of about $200-$250 per production, and were frequently treated in a less-than-professional way by company management.

We affiliated with AGMA in 1995 to gain both better compensation (including rehearsal pay and per diem for out-of-town work), and to establish a formal working relationship with the company covering working conditions, expectations of choristers and management, and a defined process for addressing employment, grievances (in both directions), and other important issues. The original agreement has been renewed and updated twice, with the current version subject to renewal in 2004.

Choristers now receive about $1500 per production, depending on the number of performances and rehearsal hours -- a considerable improvement on prior years! An immediate effect of the higher compensation was the turnout of more and better singers who wanted to join the chorus, and could now afford to do so. The quality of the chorus has improved markedly over the last several years, as has the professional relationship between management, local AGMA-AZ leadership, and the chorus as a whole. We expect the improved situation to continue, but see the presence of AGMA as a key element in keeping things going well.

Another benefit, primarily to AZ Opera, is the increase in its status as a fully professional, up-and-coming regional company due to its being "an AGMA company." Because of this, we have gotten some well known singers and directors to come to Arizona who otherwise would not have done so.

AGMA membership may be imperative for singers who will be working outside of Arizona, either as principals, comprimarios, or choristers, at companies that require membership as a condition of engagement.

But there are many benefits to AGMA members in Arizona as well:

• You are eligible for AGMA-related benefits, important to many performers or others who may not have them through a full-time corporate "day job" (see the Union Plus Web site).
• Your membership in AGMA serves as qualification for joining other professional performing organizations, such as Actors Equity, SAG, and AFTRA. (I'm also a member of AFTRA.)
• You have the national AGMA organization behind you as you deal with problems or issues at Arizona Opera or any other opera company that has an AGMA agreement in place.
• You are entitled to provide input to, or be a member of, the negotiating committee when the new AGMA-AZ Opera agreement is defined at the end of the upcoming season. Non-members will not be invited to negotiation planning sessions.
• Your local AGMA-AZ leadership has put together a series of professional development activities and gotten AZ Opera management to sponsor them on behalf of all choristers. AGMA members will have a say in what future activities are offered; some will be open only to AGMA members or will be priced higher to non-members.

It's true that you can join the AZ Opera chorus without joining AGMA, and receive the same treatment under the AZ Opera-AGMA agreement as members do, but most incumbent choristers are members. Membership is an important statement of unity with your fellow choristers, as well as to company management, saying that you support the progress that has been made in so many areas over the last several years and expect it to continue.