SING FOR HOPE Celebrates Black History With Four Weeks of Live Virtual Programming

Sing for Hope announced today that, in honor of Black History Month, it will present a month-long celebration of Black artists and culture on its Open Arts virtual platform. Interactive, live, and free of charge, Open Arts is a virtual extension of Sing for Hope's mission of "art for all," presenting the brightest stars of Broadway, opera, jazz, classical, pop, and the world's leading stages.

Launched one year ago today, Open Arts addresses the parallel pandemic of isolation that has accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for the elderly, the immunocompromised, and youth in need. Over the past year, Sing for Hope's Open Arts has also helped to put hundreds of artists back to work during a time of unprecedented unemployment and underemployment in the creative sector.

Sing for Hope's Open Arts Black History Month celebration kicks off on February 1st with Ella! A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, presented in collaboration with MusicTalks, led by Founder and Artistic Director Elad Kabilio. The concert marks Ella Fitzgerald's centennial, with special selections performed by MusicTalks Jazz Quartet and award-winning jazz vocalist and composer Vanisha Gould, tracing Fitzgerald's journey from her debut performance at the Apollo Theater's Amateur Night to her role as the most celebrated jazz vocalist of the 20th century. On February 3rd, Gould returns with a special concert entitled The Life and Music of Nina Simone, celebrating the life, activism, and unforgettable musical contributions of the legendary singer-songwriter-activist.

On February 10th, Ethiopian born-Israeli singer Gili Yalo and his four-piece ensemble explore Ethiopian music's special rhythms, soul, and spirit. On February 17th, Marian Anderson Award-winning Mezzo-Soprano J'Nai Bridges illuminates themes of equity and courage in the work of great Broadway duo Rodgers and Hammerstein, with selections from The Sound of Music, The King and I, South Pacific, Show Boat, and more. Other acclaimed artists and ensembles to be featured include Drama League-nominated Broadway star Danyel Fulyton, playwright and lyricist Amara Brady, filmmaker and poet Kearah Armonie, dancer Indigo Sparks, New World Suite centering the first integrated symphony orchestra in America, and more.

J'Nai Bridges, internationally acclaimed for her performances at the world's leading opera houses, says, "We're all familiar with the many powerful ways in which Sing for Hope brings the arts to communities in need. Now more than ever, it means a great deal for me to be able to share my art as part of Sing for Hope's Open Arts Black History Month celebration, reaching so many of our most vulnerable neighbors in our partnering hospitals, elder care facilities, or even just isolated at home. I'm excited to share some of my favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein classics in a concert that highlights themes of diversity and equality, along with the unique message that love is the solution to humanity's most complicated problems."

Says Sing for Hope Co-Founder Monica Yunus, "We are beyond honored to present these stellar artists to our broader community via Open Arts. They are dazzling! And being able to celebrate Black History Month with them means the world to us and to the communities we serve." Continues Co-Founder Camille Zamora, "Our healthcare partner audiences may not be able to go to concert halls and theaters right now, but they can connect with these great artists in meaningful ways through Open Arts. Access to creative inspiration is something we all need, and it's an honor to make it possible in this way."

Sing for Hope's Open Arts programs premiere live Monday through Friday at 4PM Eastern/1PM Pacific at singforhope.org/openarts/, where programs are also available on-demand for the month thereafter. With partners including NYC Department for the Aging, Maimonides Hospital, and more, Sing for Hope's Open Arts programs are enjoyed every day in schools, community centers, healthcare facilities, and homes across the country. Programming is always free and open to all.