l increased sense of wellbeing (Coffman, 1996) l more meaningful life (Fung & Lehmberg, 2016) l reduced stress (Lehmberg & Fung, 2010)
Likewise, positive social impacts mentioned frequently in research in- clude (but are not limited to) the following:
l decreased feelings of isolation (Hays & Minchiello, 2005) l feeling needed as a part of a group (Clift & Hancox, 2010)
l having the social support of the group in times of adversity (Gembris, 2008)
l opportunity to make friends and bond with others (Coffman, 1996)
Note: Although these findings are supported in multiple research studies, only one citation is provided for each in the interest of brevity)
The few reported negative impacts of music participation tend to be on a more superficial level, such as having negative feelings about carrying instruments, the capabilities of conductors, the cost of band membership, or individuals’ own personal progress (Coffman, 1996). For more in-depth information on research on these areas and senior citizens’ music participation in general, please see the References and Suggested Reading list at the end of this article.
So what do these findings mean for the profession of music education? Looking at how people access music in older adulthood can provide food for thought about the role of music throughout life and how the profession of music education might provide scaffolding for lifelong music participation. Taking into account what research tells us about how senior citizens choose to participate in music, music educators might consider expanding school music curricula to include more learning experiences based on popular music across different levels of schooling, so that music can be picked up at any time and carried through a lifetime. Considering what research shows about why senior citizens choose to participate in music, it is easy to see that music can and does have a profound effect on the quality of life of those who participate. Offering a broader palette of school music experiences that have fluid entry points (including both performance-based and non-performance-based musical opportunities) could encourage more individuals to participate in a variety of musical experiences earlier in life and perhaps continue independently for a lifetime; thus accessing the multiple benefits that come from taking music into one’s own hands.
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READING
Clift, S., & Hancox, G. (2010). The significance of choral singing for sustaining psychological wellbeing. Music and Health, 3(1), 79-96.
Coffman, D. D. (1996). Musical backgrounds and interests of active older band members. Dialogue in Instrumental Music Education, 20(1), 25-34.
Coffman, D. D., & Adamek, M. S. (1999). Perceived social support of New Horizons band members. Contributions to Music Education, 28(1), 27-40.
ala breve
Lisa J. Lehmberg is Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music Education at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her re- search interests include urban music education and senior citi- zens’ participation in music. She is a frequent presenter at state, national, and international conferences and recently co- authored the book Music for Life: Music Participation and Quality of Life of Senior Citizens (2016, Oxford Univer- sity Press).
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Fung, C. V., & Lehmberg, L. J. (2016). Music for life: Music participation and quality of life of senior citizens. New York: Oxford University Press.
Gembris, H. (2008). Musical activities in the third age: An empirical study with amateur musicians. In A. Daubney, E. Longhi, A. Lamont, & D. Hargreaves (Eds.) Musical development and learning (pp. 103-108). Hull, Germany: GK Publishing.
Hays, T., & Minchiello, V. (2005). The meaning of music in the lives of older people: A qualitative study. Aging & Society, 25, 261-278.
Lehmberg, L. J., & Fung, C. V. (2010). Benefits of music participation for senior citizens: A review of the literature. Music Education Research International, 4, 19-30.
Roulston, K., Jutras, P., & Kim, S. (2015). Adult perspectives of learning musical instruments. International Journal of Music Education, 33(3), 325-335.
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