Musicians in Rio de Janeiro and the Formalized Labor Market in the 1970s

Abstract

This text presents the initial explorations of the research project “The formalized musical labor market in Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s,” which aims to map musicians, repertoires, and cultural venues through the analysis of work contracts and other documents belonging to the Documentary Collection of the Musicians’ Union of the State of Rio de Janeiro. In this early stage, the study seeks to understand how the music labor market functioned in the city during the 1970s, outlining the profiles of musicians who joined the union and identifying their declared places of professional activity. The primary source for this survey is the Admission Proposals to the Musicians’ Union of the State of Guanabara, the name of the union until mid-1975, when it became known as the Musicians’ Union of the State of Rio de Janeiro. These forms record information such as name, parentage, date of birth, musical instrument, and the place of declared professional activity. Preliminary analysis of these documents reveals a predominance of male musicians among the affiliates, most without formal employment contracts, and mainly working in live music venues and orchestras. In an apparently active labor market with many opportunities in the capital, the 1970s saw a significant increase in union memberships, with the union playing a central role in regulating the organization and remuneration of musical labor.