The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is proud to announce a new partnership with Seniors First, a nonprofit in Orlando that provides essential services to seniors and those living in senior centers throughout Central Florida. Through this program, seniors can enjoy the beauty of live music from the comfort of their homes or through community held events.
The initiative began as part of a grant aimed at supporting seniors’ mental health and reducing feelings of isolation. Loneliness and social isolation are growing public health concerns, especially among older adults.
Research from JAMA Internal Medicine estimates that up to half of people over 60 are at risk, with nearly one in four adults 65 and older already experiencing isolation. Beyond emotional well-being, studies link loneliness to increased risks of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and premature death—effects comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. For seniors, the mental toll is significant, including a 50% higher risk of developing dementia.
In partnership with Seniors First’s Project Connect, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is able to help combat the loneliness epidemic through music. Each homebound senior receives a tablet that streams videos, interactive content, and now, Philharmonic performances.
“We wanted to find a way for seniors who couldn’t make it to our concerts to feel connected to the music and our musicians,” says Amy Conrod, Director of Education and Community at the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.
Over the 2026 calendar year, seniors will receive four virtual recordings including Young People’s Concerts and other livestream recordings from a variety of concerts.
In addition, a quartet from the Philharmonic will visit six senior lunches – three in the spring and three in the fall – where the quartets will perform 45-minute concerts and bring music directly into the community. In-person performances are tied into Seniors First’s Neighborhood Lunch Program where participants receive nutritional meals and social activities at donated sites throughout Orange County.
The program is supported by a generous Community Investment Grant from the City of Orlando, which funds virtual and in-person programming. Currently, Seniors First serves about 650 seniors, and the Philharmonic is exploring ways to expand access and provide full orchestra recordings in the future.
For many seniors, this program offers not just music, but connection to community, togetherness, and a sense of belonging.
“I know I was just sitting in my chair, but in my head, I was in a beautiful gown dancing in a ballroom,” says one senior who attended a live quartet performance at the Seniors First Neighborhood Lunch Program on March 19.
Surveys based on UCLA’s Loneliness Scale and the DeJong Gierveld Loneliness Scale are conducted before and after the performances. The survey results aim to measure how the concerts impact social engagement and emotional well-being.
“This program is about more than music – it’s about community, joy, and bringing a bit of the Philharmonic into every senior’s home,” Amy Conrod explains.
The mission of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is to unite and inspire Central Floridians through year-round, artistically excellent performances, education, and outreach that foster joy, connection, and a last love for music. Through this new partnership with Seniors First, this mission is furthered as music becomes more accessible by going directly into the homes of seniors while building connections across the community.