Principal Investigator: Tuulikki Laes
Project period: 1.9.2019-31.8.2022

Funder: Academy of Finland 

Project description:
 

This project challenges the dominant ideas of lifelong music education in the rapidly ageing society. It aims to shift the focus from health benefits of music for older adults to the music learning and performing by older adults. The data will be generated within three multigenerational music learning communities in Finland by interviewing the older adult participants. In addition, ready quantitative data about the current musical learning and participation possibilities of retired adults in Finland will be utilized in parallel with the qualitative data through a mixed method approach to illustrate the need for a systemic change in music education to better cater for older adults. The project presents a new, sustainable vision of lifelong music education by connecting the societal, institutional and individual dimensions and showing how music can be part of rethinking the societal position of ageing and older adults.

Main publications of the project:

Laes, T. & Creech, A. 2023. Re-conceptualizing music education in the older adult lifecourse: A qualitative meta-synthesis. International Journal of Population Studies. DOI: 10.36922/ijps.383

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Laes, T. & Kiuru, L. 2023. Identiteettityöskentely aikuisbändissä: Myöhäisiän oppimisen kamppailu ja esiintymisen tarjoumat. Aikuiskasvatus 43(1-2):55-69. DOI: 0.33336/aik.127920

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Laes, T. & Rautiainen, P. 2022. Eläkkeelle siirtyneiden taidetoimijuus. Gerontologia 36(2): 172–188. DOI: 10.23989/gerontologia.111894

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Laes, T. & Schmidt. P. 2021. Promoting a musical lifecourse towards sustainable ageing: A call for policy congruence. International Journal of Community Music 14(1): 103–119. DOI: 10.1386/ijcm_00040_1 /

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