•


feelings of empowerment (Fung & Lehmberg, 2016)


• brighter moods (Hays & Michiello, 2005) • enhanced cognitive functioning (Coffman & Adamek, 1999)


• enjoyment of making music (Roulston, Jutras & Kim, 2015)


• improved overall health (Gembris, 2008) • improvement of musical skills (Coffman & Adamek, 1999)


• • •


increased energy (Gembris, 2008)


increased self-esteem (Cliſt & Hancox, 2010) increased sense of wellbeing (Coffman, 1996)


• more meaningful life (Fung & Lehmberg, 2016) •


reduced stress (Lehmberg & Fung, 2010)


Likewise, positive social impacts mentioned frequently in research include (but are not limited to) the following:


• decreased feelings of isolation (Hays & Minchiel- lo,2005)


•


feeling needed as a part of a group (Cliſt & Han- cox, 2010)


• having the social support of the group in times of adversity (Gembris, 2008)


• opportunity to make friends and bond with others (Coffman, 1996)


Te few reported negative impacts of music participation tend to be on a more superficial level, such as having nega- tive 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/ 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 par- ticipation. Taking into account what research tells us about how senior citizens choose to participate in music, music educators might consider expanding school music curric- ula 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 (includ- ing both performance based and non-performance-based


11


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/Suggested Reading List


Cliſt, S., & Hancox, G. (2010). Te 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 Instrumen- tal Music Education, 20(1), 25-34.


Coffman, D. D., & Adamek, M. S. (1999). Perceived social support of New Horizons band members. Contribu- tions to Music Education, 28(1), 27-4-0.


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. Daub- ney, E. Longhi, A. Lamont, & D. Hargreaves (Eds.) Musical development and learning (pp. 103-108). Hull, Germany: GK Publishing.


Hays, T., & Minchiello, V. (2005). Te 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 par- ticipation 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.


________________________________________ Tis article is reprinted with permission from the October/ November 2016 of Ala Breve, published by the Alabama Music Educators Association.


Dr. Lisa J. Lehmberg, lehmberg@umass.edu, is an Associate Professor/Coordinator of Music Education and Innovative Teaching Fellow at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.


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