Sinha and fellow LA Opera teaching artist Michelle Patzakis were tapped by Stacy Brightman, Vice President of LA Opera Connects, and music educator Rondi Charleston to help provide weekly opera classes via video conference for patients who had suffered severe COVID and needed to learn how to breathe all over again.
Both Sinha and Patzakis are also experienced voice teachers - "We have a very sympathetic pedagogical approach," Sinha said.
Working in concert with UCLA medical doctor Nida Qadir, Sinha and Patzakis developed a functional and therapeutic treatment, based on patients' medical needs, teaching breathing exercises in conjunction with relaxation therapy and some singing. They teach about 10 patients for six weeks, then take a week off and start another six-week pod. A UCLA staff person is present for each session.