Kyle Viverito grew up with the IBEW, and it's afforded him a lot of opportunities. But one that he couldn't have anticipated was getting the chance to sing at the new UBS Arena, home of the NHL's New York Islanders.

"It's like my whole life has been leading up to this point. I keep telling people I've never felt so in the zone and prepared for a moment like this. It's like the Kelly Clarkson song when she won American Idol. To me, it's the same feeling," Viverito told NHL.com, referencing Clarkson's song, "A Moment Like This."

The New York Local 3 member is a classically-trained tenor who has performed throughout the New York area as well as abroad. He's sung at the Dicapo Opera Theatre in New York, Regina Opera Brooklyn, the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company of Long Island, the New York City Opera, and the Anhaltisches Theater Dessau in Germany. But it was his singing while on the job at the new home to the Islanders that got him discovered by the arena's talent scouts.

Viverito had only been on the job for a few days, doing lighting in the suites and then the Islanders team store, when his coworkers, upon hearing that he'd once auditioned to sing at Islanders games, challenged him to prove his musical mettle. So, he did and sang part of "Arabian Nights." Unbeknownst to him, Richard Browne, a managing partner of Sterling Project Development, a partner of UBS, overheard and approached him. Browne asked for another song so Viverito broke into "O'er the land of the free," belting it out in classic opera style.

Despite the excitement of the moment, Viverito says he was skeptical. This wasn't the first time someone had heard him sing and then promised something only to eventually drop the ball.

"I took it with a grain of salt," said the New York native. "I've learned that these things don't always pan out."

But this one did. A second person followed up and even recorded him. Then the entertainment team reached out with an offer for him to sing at an upcoming game. What's more, Viverito remembered some of the talent coordinators from two years earlier when he auditioned to sing the national anthem.

"It was like coming full circle," said the Islanders fan.

Initially, Viverito was asked to sing for the second game in an upcoming series, but ended up adding a couple more gigs, including a test game, which is essentially a dress rehearsal for a hockey game.

"I was working 12-hour shifts, so I said why not? I'll be here anyway," said the journeyman wireman.

That also made him the first person to sing the U.S. and Canadian national anthems in the new space, which is located at Belmont Park, home to horse-racing's Belmont Stakes. It's an experience he's not likely to forget anytime soon.

"Singing means everything to me, especially seeing how it affects others," Viverito said.

Next, the team offered him a chance to open up for the band Chicago at its charity fundraiser, which kicked off the opening to the brand new arena.

"That was an experience in itself," Viverito said. "They replaced the ice with a concert stage and standing on that stage in front of thousands of people was an absolute dream come true."

Viverito performed the national anthem there and "Perfect Symphony," a duet originally sung by Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli. He did both parts.

"I had a ton of family and friends there, and it was one of the best experiences of my life — until the next one," he said.

His third gig was singing "New York, New York," during the second intermission of the Islanders-Toronto Maple Leafs game. Viverito noted that it's a Belmont tradition dating back decades. The entertainment staff even made a video of him at work to accompany his performance.

"That moment was incredible. They had footage of me working, doing things like pulling wire, and singing on the giant screen in the middle of the arena while the announcer said, 'Please welcome Local 3 electrician Kyle Viverito.' It was so awesome I can't even put it into words. I literally jumped up and down."

Viverito's love of singing isn't limited to hockey arenas and opera houses. He also loves the spontaneous songs that he and his coworkers will sometimes break into while working.

"If it's a job that we've all been on for a while and the right song comes on the radio, other members will sometimes sing along," Viverito said. "It's almost like it's contagious. And it can get pretty intense. It's great."

Viverito, who is still working at UBS as a traveler with Long Island Local 25, has also performed at a number of Local 3 events, from rallies to holiday parties.

"My coworkers as a whole generally love my singing," he said. "Ninety-nine percent of the time it's well received."

Viverito started singing around age 14 and eventually went to school at the University of Rhode Island for music performance. During summers he'd work as a helper with Local 3. After graduation he went to Germany for a stint, then returned stateside and started his IBEW apprenticeship.

"I had it in my head at the time to only be a singer, but in my very first year as a summer helper I realized the massive opportunity I would have as a Local 3 journeymen and how it would provide a stable life for my future," he said. "I've come to realize that I really can't have one without the other."

In part, there's the practical issue of what pays the bills, but it's also more than that, says the second-generation IBEW brother.

"The IBEW and Local 3 have been a part of my life for literally as long as I can remember. It's a community to me. They've carried my life through some difficult times and I know every day that I would not have any of this opportunity if it wasn't for the financial stability that Local 3 provides," he said. "The benefits maintain my health, including my vocal health. And the money helps me continue my singing lessons and of course all the other financial aspects of my life, including student loans. I'll always be grateful to the IBEW for everything it's given me."