The Long Beach Symphony Association and the Long Beach Camerata Singers have formed an artistic partnership that will combine choral and orchestral components, the symphony announced yesterday.

The Long Beach Symphony is celebrating its 80th season this year and the Camerata Singers are approaching their 50th anniversary—a time ripe for a “propitious” partnership, according to symphony officials.

“It’s a partnership that’s long overdue and we’re ecstatic about it,” said Long Beach Symphony Executive Director Kelly Ruggirello in a statement. “It will allow us to offer more to our audiences.”

According to a release issued Thursday, the partnership echoes similar collaborations made throughout the world, with examples that in Southern California include the Los Angeles Philharmonic and LA Master Chorale and the Pacific Symphony and Pacific Chorale.

October 17 marks the first collaborative performance, where the Camerata Singers will perform in the symphony’s “Halloween Symphony Spooktacular,” the opening concert of the symphony’s 2015-16 POPS! season.

The collaboration also arranges for the Camerata Singers’ Artistic Director Dr. Rob Istad to guest conduct the Symphony Concerts for Young People in February 2016, an event that brings thousands of fourth and fifth graders to the Terrace Theater for live music, the release said. High school students will join the choir and orchestra for the events.

“I believe this represents exciting artistic progress for our city,” said Istad in a statement.