Sing For Your Seniors Launches New Partnership with the Metropolitan Opera Chorus Artists

Sing For Your Seniors (SFYS), the nonprofit known for bringing the joy of live performance to older adults across New York City, has announced a major new collaboration with members of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus Artists. This exciting partnership will unite Broadway and opera voices in intimate concerts designed to foster community, connection, and joy among seniors.

The partnership debuted earlier this year with an inaugural performance that brought members of the Met Chorus Artists together with SFYS musicians for an afternoon of powerful, interactive song. These ongoing performances will reach veterans, LGBTQ+ elders, and individuals living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, expanding SFYS’s reach and deepening its commitment to inclusive arts engagement.

“This partnership lets us expand beyond our Broadway roots and bring elders the richness of opera, performed at the highest level,” said Traci Bair, Executive Director of Sing For Your Seniors. “Collaborating with such an esteemed New York institution as the Metropolitan Opera Chorus is a tremendous honor, and we're thrilled to share their artistry with the communities we serve.”

The announcement coincides with SFYS’s 21st anniversary season—a milestone marked by leadership transitions and renewed artistic energy. Jackie Vanderbeck, the organization’s founder, has joined the Board of Directors, while Traci Bair now leads the organization as Executive Director, guiding a new era focused on intergenerational connection and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

“On the vast Met stage, we often do not directly see how our music affects and moves our audience,” said Rachele Schmiege, a full-time chorister with the Metropolitan Opera. “Encouraging a sing-along, singing someone’s favorite song… there are so many rewarding and beautiful moments when we Sing For Our Seniors.”

Over the past two decades, Sing For Your Seniors has grown from a small volunteer initiative into a vital part of New York’s performing arts community, now presenting more than 85 sessions annually across over a dozen senior communities. The organization has been featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show and continues to attract Broadway artists, music professionals, and volunteers united by a passion for connection through song.

With this new partnership, SFYS looks ahead to its next 20 years of music-making—bringing opera, Broadway, and heartfelt storytelling directly to those who need it most.

For more information or to get involved, visit www.singforyourseniors.org.