NYSS is currently in pre-launch phase and will be launching in January 2026.

NYSS is a community for people who are passionate about classical vocal music but don’t do it for a living. Our Performing Members are actively involved in making music. We exist to help them develop their skills and achieve their highest potential through coaching workshops and performance. All of us have stories to tell. We help our members communicate those stories to create successful and enjoyable performances.

We plan to offer regular coaching sessions in NYC, in a seminar format with an experienced professional and produce 2 – 3 concerts annually where members perform and invite family and friends. From time to time, we will host masterclasses with eminent musicians.

Secondarily, we aim to support the art form of classical singing and foster a community of enthusiasts. We will organize group trips to Carnegie Hall, the Met Opera and other local venues, operate a noticeboard and mailing list for upcoming events and host occasional social events for members.

Our smallest contribution to the art is that we pay solid fees to all the professional musicians who perform services for NYSS.

We are a sister organization of New York Piano Society.

Membership

Within our membership, we offer two levels:

Performing Members are invited to sing in our coaching sessions, masterclasses and concerts. Requirements for becoming a performing member are as follows:

• You have a regular singing teacher. (If you don’t, we can help you find one)

• You can prepare a 2 – 3 minute song or opera aria ahead of a coaching session so that you can perform it in its original language with the correct notes at the correct times and comprehensible diction

• We do not require music to be memorized and we welcome singers at all stages of their vocal journey who can meet the requirements above and are ready to work on their skills

• We audition all prospective performing members

General Members are invited to attend all our events (including coaching sessions and masterclasses) as audience members.

Fees

NYSS aims to keep fees as low as possible while ensuring the financial sustainability of the society. Fees will be charged for participants in coaching sessions, masterclasses and concerts. All members pay an annual membership fee, which provides free entrance as audience members for coachings and masterclasses and discounted rates for concert tickets as well as access to our community noticeboard and network.

Events

Our primary regular events are coaching sessions held in NYC on Sunday evenings from 7pm – 9pm. We operate during regular academic term times in the fall, winter and spring (but not summer). There will be up to 6 slots available for 20-minute coachings at each event. Sign-up for sessions will be available to performing members from the beginning of each semester. To ensure the best support from our coaches and accompanists, we require participants to specify their music choice (including key) no later than 1 week before the session.

Our coaches will all be musicians with professional experience working with classical singers, typically as repetiteurs, accompanists or conductors. The focus of the workshops will be on creating a performance with correct dictation and style, and not on vocal technique. Our accompanists may include advanced amateur pianists from our sister organization New York Piano Society.

Participation in masterclasses and concerts is by invitation. Typically, concert participants will have participated in 2 - 4 coaching sessions on their performance repertoire and will be asked to attend 1 or 2 concert rehearsals.

Social events will be posted to our mailing list and noticeboard.