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Recent News & Events

SoundCheck: Interior Freelancer Symposium

Posted March 01, 2023 by

Presented by the Vancouver Musicians' Association in partnership with Heritage Canada, the Symposium is free and open to all musicians and those interested in learning more about the music industry.All events will take place at the Royal Anne Hotel in Kelowna, BC. Schedule: Day One - T...

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Eleanor Collins

Posted February 28, 2022 by

In her 103rd year, our Vancouver music community’s legendary Eleanor Collins has been honored with a Canada Post stamp commemorating her lifetime of musical and personal achievements. Previously, on her 95th birthday, Ms. Collins was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada. Artist David Bell...

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Member Focus - Malcolm Armstrong

Posted November 11, 2021 by

We recently interviewed VMA member Malcolm Armstrong about climate change and his involvement in the Fairy Creek Logging Protests.   Malcolm Armstrong joined the VSO in June of 2019. Prior to his arrival in Vancouver he served for 3 years as principal bass of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra. A na...

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A Message From Our President

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Welcome to the Vancouver Musician’s Association (VMA) web site. We acknowledge we are located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded Coast Salish Territory of the Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.

 

We are an affiliated charter local (Local 145) of the Canadian Federation of Musicians (CFM) and the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) whose combined membership totals over 67,000 professional musicians in North America. The VMA is the largest musicians’ association in Western Canada and the third largest in Canada.

Our 1900 plus members perform with the Vancouver Symphony, Vancouver Opera Orchestra, Okanagan Symphony, Prince George Symphony, Richmond Gateway Theatre, The Arts Club Theatre, and other local and travelling musical theatre productions. Our large number of freelance musicians perform in all genres and play on recorded electronic media, film and television productions, commercials, and live broadcasts.

Since 1901, our mission is to represent the interests and the well being of professional musicians throughout mainland British Columbia by:

  • establishing professional fees, pension rates, and working conditions for freelance musicians
  • negotiating and administering collective agreements for symphonies, theatre productions, etc
  • facilitating musicians’ contract payouts and remittance of pension contributions directly to the Musician’s Pension Fund of Canada through our inhouse payroll service
  • lobbying civic, regional, and provincial governments for policies to sustain a BC music industry and improve the social and economic conditions for all musicians.
  • advocating with industry associations, music, film and television, and post production, to increase work opportunities for musicians.

With rising inequality, globalization, pressures to play for free, it is crucial for musicians to be unified with a collective voice. Being a part of the VMA will give you just that.

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