Opera musicians

The musicians of the Arizona Opera Orchestra add musical thrills, excitement and drama to the critically-acclaimed productions at Arizona Opera. This is our mission.

Reaching out

Embarking on outreach efforts has created a ripple effect of other opportunities.

AZOOMA is committed to participating in the “Backstage” concert each year with the opera chorus and making the “Out of the Pit” concert series an annual event.

History

Arizona Opera made a strong artistic commitment to the cultural life of Phoenix & Tucson. In 1998, it established a dedicated orchestra and principal conductor for the opera.

Since the arrival of Maestro Joel Revzen in 2003, the company and the orchestra has continued to grow and thrive.

Questions?

In 2007 we surveyed the opera musicians to find out answers to the top 13 questions people ask about us.

This survey was organized into a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

Contract Negotiations

AZOOMA, the Arizona Opera and American Federation of Musicians Local 586 engage in contract negotiations every 3  years.

These negotiations determine working conditions and wages, among other things.

Other places to start:

Articles...

High Hopes in "Play and Talk"

In 2000 a vital document between the Arizona Opera and American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 586 was adopted. Through “collective bargaining,” we ratified a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), insuring a fair and acceptable work environment for everyone. Collective bargaining is a tried-and-true method for labor unions and management to work out issues through...

There’s No Place Like Home

There’s No Place Like Home

The second in a series of articles featuring AZOOMA musicians. Many Opera musicians pursue other work to supplement their opera income to make a complete living in music. It takes some creativity and planning...

Keeping it Fresh

Keeping it Fresh

Audition information for open positions has been recently added to the main web site. Under the terms of our master agreement, these positions have been advertised internationally in the American Federation of Musicians‘ publication,...

What do you do for a living?

What do you do for a living?

Many people in the general public are honestly surprised that musicians get paid money to perform. Some even get downright insulted when musicians insist on getting paid to play. Holly Mulcahy at the Partial...

Reflections

The AZOOMA.org site has been online for over two months now, and as is the tradition this time of year, a review — of where we are, what has been accomplished and where we...