Dr. Frederick Tims, principal investigator for the Music-Making and Wellness Research Project and professor and chair of Music Therapy at Michigan State University says, “We feel strongly that abundant health benefits can be achieved by older adults who learn to make music in a supportive, socially enjoyable setting. In addition, we are just beginning to understand the positive effects of making music on our bodies and our physical health.” Tims is an advocate of encouraging others that this is something worth looking into for anyone thinking about learning to play an instrument and making their own music.

Researchers believe this to be the case because over and above the sheer pleasure and enjoyment of learning to make music, participating in supportive, socially enjoyable music classes provides the opportunity for social interaction in a totally non-threatening environment. And they have found that sharing music-making often leads to people sharing personal concerns and issues that are a part of life’s experiences. For example, people who make music together in their community often travel together to and from lessons. As their interests grow, many also attend musical events with one another and continue to socialize after their classes or attending a musical event. As their knowledge and appreciation of one another grow, they may share things about their personal lives and in the process of opening up, discover meaningful new and lasting friendships. However, people who are not as comfortable sharing on a personal level focus their discussions on music and music-making topics. In such a setting, sharing the music provides the basis and the reason for social interaction.

It’s “Never Too Late” for Music
Ideally, people learn to make music in their early years, often in elementary school. Unfortunately, if they don’t have the inclination or opportunity to begin at that level they are, too often, unlikely to do so later in their lives—primarily, because they are under the mistaken belief that they are “too old.”

However, writing in MuSICA, Research Notes, Dr. Norman M. Weinberger, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory, University of California at Irvine, is quick to point out that it is “never too late” for music. He goes on to say, “It is an established fact that the adult brain is perfectly capable of learning and remembering music throughout [one’s] life span.”

The fact is that the capacity to learn music remains viable throughout life, and research indicates clearly that older adults retain their musical abilities. Furthermore, these abilities of ten remain strong through the seventh, eighth and ninth decades. Today, science is just beginning to prove what has been known since ancient times— that music can contribute greatly to life quality. The benefits of making music are remarkable, and the opportunities to use it to contribute to health and wellness are available to virtually everyone. Clearly, music-making and wellness is an idea whose time has come, and as Dr. Weinberger points out, it is “never too late” for music.

Dr. Alicia Ann Clair is Director of Music Therapy, University of Kansas. Karl Bruhn serves as presidential advisor to the American Music Therapy Association.