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About Us

The Chicago Federation of Musicians is an organization of 2,000 professional musicians. We are local 10-208 of the American Federation of Musicians with 75,000 members nationwide. For more than 100 years, the CFM has been working to ensure fair pay and working conditions for musical artists.

Our members perform in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Opera Orchestra, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the orchestras for Chicago’s Broadway shows, and many, many other ensembles. We represent musicians performing all styles of music: rock, soul, pop, classical, jazz, hip-hop, alternative, country, world, reggae, and more. Our members are active in recording popular music, commercials, television, and radio programs. We also perform for private and corporate events both locally and throughout North America.

Chicago Federation of Musicians: A History

The Chicago Federation of Musicians was the first permanent trade union of Chicago musicians. Its origins date back to 1864 to the Chicago Musicians’ Protective Union founded by German-American band musicians. It was a member of Chicago General Trades Assembly and had a strong voice in working conditions for local musicians particularly in theaters and museums. That organization ended during a depression in 1877. In 1880, the Chicago Musical Society was formed, representing Chicago musicians but avoiding any affiliation with labor organizations. However, the Chicago Musical Society was helpful in starting the National League of Musicians (an early attempt to develop a national organization to represent musicians throughout the United States).

In 1891 the Chicago Musical Society joined the American Federation of Labor (AFL) whose president was Samuel Gompers.

In 1896, the Chicago Musical Society was a founding member of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM).During the ensuing years, jurisdictional disputes arose and in 1901 the Chicago Federation of Musicians, Local 10 was formed from a group of CMS musicians and other musicians unions. The Chicago Federation of Musicians Local 208 was formed one year later, for the excluded African-American musicians. This segregation continued until 1966 when Locals 10 and 208 finally merged.

Today, the Chicago Federation of Musicians works to give musicians a voice in their workplace through contracts and collective bargaining agreements negotiated both locally and nationally. The Chicago Federation of Musicians represents talented professionals seeking a fair wage and reasonable working conditions as they pursue both art and a living.

Past Presidents


1897, James Kibucek
1898, H. H. Thiele
1899-1902, A.D. Herrick
1903-1913, Joseph F. Winkler
1914-1916, Ernest Woollett
1917-1922, Joseph F. Winkler
1923-1961, James C. Petrillo
1963-1965, Bernhard F. Richards

1902-1904, Alexander Armand
1905-1907, J. B. Tucker
1908-1915, J. A. Smith
1916-1919, George A. Swann
1920-1921, Hugh Swift
1922-1923, George Smith
1924-1927, Dr. Robert Giles
1928-1929, Vernon Bigs
1930-1931, George Smith
1932-1938, Art Steward
1939-1965, Harry Gray

1966-1968, Bernard F. Richards
1969-1976, Daniel A. Garamoni
1977-1982, Nicholas G. Bliss
1983-1985, Harold Dessent
1986-1994, Charles A. Guse
1995-2004, Ed Ward
2005-2016, Gary Matts
2017- 2022, Terryl Jares
2023-present, BJ Levy

The musicians of the Chicago Federation of Musicians play classical music, jazz, rock, latin, reggae, hip-hop, and more. Within our membership, you can find musicians who will play any style of music and perform that music to the highest professional standards. We work in the region’s professional orchestras and theater pits accompanying Broadway productions. We work in clubs, at corporate and private events, at conventions...anywhere live music is needed. 

Address

656 West Randolph St.
Suite 2E Chicago, IL 60661

Contact Us

Open Monday thru Friday 9AM-5PM

Main office (312) 782-0063

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