Institute of Education London

Music for Life Project

Project Summary
This research will explore the role of music in older people's lives and how participation in making music, particularly in community settings can enhance their social, emotional and cognitive well-being. It will focus on the reciprocal processes by which personal attributes of participants in music making interact with contextual factors to impact upon the benefits that older people derive from music-making.  The research will comprise three case studies, the Sage Gateshead, the Connect Programme of the Guildhall School of Music, and Westminster Adult Education Service, which each offer a variety of musical activities to older people. In each case study a large sample of older people (up to 500) some of whom have recently begun musical activities (novices), others who are more experienced will be recruited to complete questionnaires and psychological needs scales related to autonomy, competence and relatedness before and after a substantial period of active engagement with music. Data collection will also include in depth interviews with a representative sample of participants, observations of musical activities and focus group interviews following the observations, and interviews with the musicians facilitating or teaching the activities.

Summary of activities
Background
Although there is evidence that music can provide a source of enhanced social cohesion, enjoyment, personal development and empowerment, there has been little research exploring the potential for music-making to make a significant contribution to the quality of life of older people. Studies to date have been limited in scope with investigations of musical participation involving very small samples that have not been representative of the ethnic and socio-cultural diversity found amongst the UK population of older people, and the research has been restricted to a few types of musical activities (e.g. choir). Little of the research has been directly concerned with the learning and teaching processes involved in the music-making nor has it investigated the potential impact the relationship between older music participants and their teachers or facilitators may have on outcomes.

Aims
The overall aim of this project is to investigate the role that participation in creative musical activities has in the lives of older people, the extent to which this may impact upon their social, emotional and cognitive well-being, and the particular processes through which this occurs. The specific research questions are:
• What is the role of music-making in the lives of older people?
• Does participation in musical activities enhance the well-being of older people? If so, what are the particular processes which facilitate this?
• Are there wider benefits to families and/or residential communities when older people engage in music-making?

Sub-questions:
• What individual factors (gender, age, musical background, educational history, ethnicity, socio-economic status) determine decisions to engage in musical activities and what are the obstacles to attendance? 
• What contextual factors impact on the quality and outcomes of active musical engagement (intergenerational participation, qualifications and experience of the musician teachers/facilitators, the nature and quality of the teaching/facilitating strategies adopted, nature of the interpersonal interactions)?
• What musical factors impact on the quality and outcomes of active musical engagement (genre, instrumental/vocal, creative/reproductive, small/large group, music technology/acoustic instruments, performance context)? 

Design
The research will adopt a multi-methods approach through three community case studies. Each will include repeated and between-groups designs with in-depth studies of the individual experiences of those participating. Observations of various types of musical activity will focus on the processes involved in these that generate change. Where possible, control groups will be set up of individuals involved in activities other than music making.

Case study sites:
1. The Sage Gateshead, where the weekly 'Silver Programme' actively involves 500 people over the age of 50 in an eclectic spread of music activities including singing of all kinds, steel pans, African drumming, guitars, recorder, folk ensemble, music theory, and samba.
http://www.thesagegateshead.org/l_and_p/joinin/silverprogramme.aspx

2. Connect project, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, which runs community music projects with people of all ages in East London. 'Connect' music projects are distinctive in that their focus is on activities where participants create and perform music together, linking story-telling and reminiscing to creative music-making.
http://www.gsmd.ac.uk/connect/

3. Music Department of the Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES) which offers a range of community music activities for older people. The WAES music programme caters for students at all levels of expertise. Courses in a range of musical genres are offered, specializing in singing, playing instruments, sound engineering and using sequencers, music theory and composing.
http://www.waes.ac.uk/home/departments/music/

Funders:
ESRC New Dynamics of Ageing Programme
http://www.newdynamics.group.shef.ac.uk/

Project team:
Principal Investigator:
Professor Susan Hallam

Co-Investigators:
Dr.Andrea Creech
Helena Gaunt
Anita Pincas

Researchers:
Hilary McQueen
Maria Varvarigou