The national convention of the American Federation of Teachers was right here in Boston this year! To give the proceedings some flavor, members of the Berklee Faculty Union (AFT 4412) were engaged to provide music and entertainment for the attendees.

The main event of every day was a mass session which began with some songs to get everyone feeling good. Over three days, singers Andrea Cappozzoli, Nichelle Mungo, David Thorne Scott, and Tom Baskett performed alongside pianists Amy Bellamy, Tim Ray and Ana Petrova.

Then came the big welcome party to announce the new partnership between two powerful higher education unions, the AFT and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). For this, they wanted a band that would unite both organizations under one groove! So they called on the musical talents of BFU members Eric Byers (guitar and musical director), John Arcaro (piano), Austin McMahon (drums), Skip Smith (bass), Gail MacArthur (sax), Adrian Sicam (vocals), and Lydia Harrell (vocals). Overheard at the event: "I've never had so much fun at a union event before!"