Joseph Messina – President
Joseph Messina has been a member of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra bass section since 1975. He has served as the President of Local 400 since 1997. Joe has had a long career of advocacy outside of his work with Local 400 both as Vice President of the Greater Hartford Labor Council and as a member of the West Hartford Democratic Town Committee. As an educator, Joe has had many students over the years and currently is Adjunct Instructor of Double Bass at Choate Rosemary Hall.
Christine Melson – Vice President
Christine Melson has been teaching and performing in CT for over twenty years. She holds a B.S. degree from Lebanon Valley College and M.M. degree from the Hartt School. Her performance credentials include many years playing at the Bushnell, Oakdale, and Schubert Theaters for touring Broadway musicals. Since 1999 she has been active in the music department at Trinity College; accompanying and teaching. She has served as music director for several area theaters, including the Ivoryton Playhouse. Christine also has functioned as choir director/organist for several area churches. Christine Melson has served as the Vice President of Local 400 since 1993.
Candace Lammers – Secretary–Treasurer
Candace Lammers has been a distinguished presence in Connecticut’s music community for nearly five decades. She joined the Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s second violin section in 1976, where she has built a celebrated career. She has also served on its Orchestra Committee for many terms, including four years as its chair. Beyond her work with the Hartford Symphony, Candace served as both Assistant Concertmaster and Principal Second Violin of the New Britain Symphony and a member of the Waterbury Symphony. She was also a member of the Connecticut Opera Orchestra and the Arioso Chamber Ensemble.
For nearly 30 years, Candace has been a tireless advocate for musicians as a union officer. Since being elected Secretary-Treasurer of Local 400 in 1995, she has worked diligently to promote musicians’ rights and interests. Her leadership has extended to the national level, serving as First Delegate to the American Federation of Musicians’ National Convention since 1995. She was the inaugural President of the Eastern Conference and has served as Secretary-Treasurer of the New England Conference for a decade. She has served on the AFM’s Tempo Committee since 1997 and now has chaired the committee for over a decade, leading initiatives that support political advocacy for musicians. Candace has also been deeply involved in labor advocacy. Her work with Local 400 includes organizing demonstrations, coordinating with law enforcement and union allies, and championing musicians’ causes. She has been called an absolutely indispensable and invaluable resource in Hartford Symphony negotiations for the past 20 years with her depth of institutional knowledge of the organization and its collective bargaining history being virtually unparalleled. She has additionally played a key role in the most recent New Haven Symphony negotiationsCandace resides in Hartford, Connecticut, with her husband, bassist Mark Zechel, and continues to devote her time and expertise to both the music and labor communities.
Members of the Executive Board
- Tom Hudson
- Katie Kennedy
- Doug Perry
- Matthew Russo
- Roy Wiseman