Why We Joined the MU

We asked three musicians why they joined the Musicians' Union and why they treasure their membership.

Alexander Bone

Alexander Bone is a saxophonist, composer and producer based in London.

Steve Bone

“For me, the biggest benefit of being an MU member is knowing that, should I ever need advice or have a music-related problem, there’s a specialised team I can contact. This kind of tailored support is invaluable, especially with the array of situations that musicians can find themselves in, and the MU staff are always incredibly helpful and friendly. The other member benefits are very useful too, including public liability insurance and instrument insurance. I would especially urge any music students to take advantage of student membership – it’s been fantastic for me while studying at music conservatoire.”

Alexander Bone is a saxophonist, composer and producer based in London. The inaugural 2014 winner of the BBC Young Musician Jazz Award, he has worked with artists including Nile Rodgers, Rudimental, Cory Wong (Vulfpeck), Kylie Minogue, Gwilym Simcock and Liane Carroll. This year, Alexander finishes his jazz studies at the Royal Academy of Music. His own band, Said Skeleton, recently won the Drake YolanDa Award, and are set to release their debut EP later this year. Bone is a Yanagisawa Saxophones and D’Addario Woodwinds artist. For more information, visit alexanderbone.com

Camilla Mathias

Camilla Mathias fuses classical and contemporary genres and has performed in more languages than she has fingers in over 22 countries.

MCH Photography / Martin Tsachev

“I joined the MU as soon as my acting career started to involve more music. I have always believed in the power of unions, having been a union member outside the UK. The MU is in a class of its own. I will forever be grateful for the emergency and rehabilitation support it gave me when I couldn’t work due to injury and post-op recovery. I was referred to Help Musicians UK and BAPAM, who I wouldn’t have known existed. I have also relied on the MU for last-minute advice on contracts, deals and issues, and I’m a fan of the developmental and networking events it runs. The insurance alone is a no-brainer!”

A polyglot polymath, Mathias has performed for BBC Radio 6 Music, recorded with film composer Yann McCullough (Spectre), provided classical guitar for C4’s Unreported World, and had her Romanian-language track Sunt Româncă feature on MITRA Music For Nepal, produced by Anni Hogan (Marc Almond). She fuses classical and contemporary genres and has performed in more languages than she has fingers in over 22 countries. If you check out one thing, make it Mathias’s award-winning new music video Don’t, her anthem to technology and admin stress. Find out more at camillamathias.com

The Motion

The Motion is the musical project of non-binary songwriter, engineer and producer Penny Churchill.

Barbora Mrazkova

“As a self-releasing artist, producer, engineer, co-writer and session player, I joined the MU because it provides a handful of fundamental support systems wrapped up in one simple option, from learning about Fair Play gigs and venues to using the Contract Advisory Service to review distribution deals. As a selfemployed gigging musician, knowing that I am protected by instrument cover has given me total peace of mind. Through taking part in online webinars, such as Finances for Freelancers, I have been able to meet other professionals and manage my jobs and finances more effectively.”

The Motion is the musical project of non-binary songwriter, engineer and producer Penny Churchill. Born and raised on the Isle of Wight but now based in south London, Churchill draws on deeply personal experiences and offers an emotionally driven, raw and dream-like presence. New single Sleep Talk follows The Motion’s warmly received debut Hollow, which picked up online praise as well as airtime on BBC Music Introducing: Solent. Exploring themes of isolation and insomnia, Sleep Talk is described as a sonic representation of entrapment versus freedom.