Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Heiner Gembris
Making Music and Ageing An overview
Symposium Music and the Elderly
June 16, 2012, Puddingfabriek, Groningen
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
1. Introduction: The general
framework of music and ageing:
psychological and physiological
aspects
2. Benefits of making music in the
third age
3. Conclusions / Future
perspectives
Overview
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
1. Introduction:
The general framework of music and ageing:
psychological and physiological aspects
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Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
1. Lifelong duration of musical development and learning
2. Development as a dynamic of gains, losses and stability
3. Multi-dimensionality - multi-directionality of development
4. Plasticity of development - reserve capacity
5. Interindividual differences of development
6. Cultural embeddedness - generation-specific imprinting
of musical development
(adapted from Baltes 1990)
General principles of lifespan psychology in music
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
1. Lifelong duration of musical development
• The human development
is a life-long process
• This applies also to
musical abilities, music
making, music listening
etc.
• Musical learning is
possible at almost any
time of the life
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
2. Development as a dynamic of stability, gains and losses
Gains
Losses
Birth Death
Stability
After Baltes 1990
Rela
tive
exte
nt
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
3. Multi-dimensionality – multi-directionality of development
• Musical talent has different dimensions (e.g. performing an
instrument, musical understanding, composing, improvising, singing,
creativity and imagination, emotional experience, musical knowledge
etc.) (= multi-dimensionality)
• The development of different dimensions of musical talent follows
different directions or developmental trajectories across the lifespan
(= multi-directionality)
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
ca. 25 ca. 40 ca. 50 ca. 60 Ca. 70 +
Peak performance on an instrument
Musical experience / knowlegde
Hypothetical development of different dimensions of musical abilities:
Professional musicians
Pe
rform
an
ce
low
high
3. Multi-dimensionality – multi-directionality of development
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
ca. 25 ca. 40 ca. 50 ca. 60 Ca. 70 +
Performance on an instrument
Musical experience / knowlegde
Hypothetical development of different dimensions of musical abilities:
Amateur musicians
Pe
rform
an
ce
low
high
3. Multi-dimensionality – multi-directionality of development
Practice
Start
Stop
Restart
Stop
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
4. Plasticity of development and musical reserve capacity
• Like intelligence, musical talent is malleable by practice / training
(= plasticity)
• There exist more or less musical potential and latent, unused
abilities in most people, which can be activated and developed
by practice (= reserve capacity)
• This plasticity and reserve capacity are important resources for
lifelong learning
4. The concept of individual musical reserve capacity
Perfo
rman
ce
low
high Individual potential
Performance
Performance
Reserve
capacity
Practice
Reserve
capacity
Gembris 2012 Time
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
5. Differentiation and individual differences
Within the same age group, there may be greater differences in physical
and mental performance, perceptual abilities, health status, etc. than
between different age groups
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Accumulated practice as a function of age
Differences in the
amount of practice,
performance skills, and
in musical experiences
accumulate over the
decades and lead to
great differences
between subjects
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
6. Cultural embeddedness - generation-specific socialization
Musical development is
embedded in the surrounding
musical culture / historical
context.
Development is shaped by socialization within a
specific socio-cultural environment.
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
6. Cultural embeddedness - generation-specific socialization
Generation-specific / historical factors
form musical development and
preferences
Different generations – different
preferences
The music of the youth is often the preferred
music of old age, but musical preferences can
develop still in old age
DJ Ruth Flowers
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
„Menopause“ from the album
„Lookin‘ good! Who‘s Your Embalmer?“ (1992)
Punk, HipHop etc. –
the new music culture
of the elderly!?
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Age-related impairments and compensation
The Zimmers on the famous Abbey Road Crossing (Quelle: www.myspace.com)
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Hearing losses especially
with high frequencies
(presbyacusis). High
frequencies may be
experienced as stentorian
or painful.
The heart becomes weaker, blood vessels become
thicker; constriction of blood vessels
The brain looses 10-15 % of
its weight. Number of neurons
and their interconnectedness
declines. Performance of fluid
intelligence and some parts of
memory decline.
Contrast and photosensitivity of the
eyes decline. Colour perception gets a
yellow tint. Processing of visual stimuli
on the retina and in the brain slows
down.
Reaction time
increases because
of decelerated
neural conductivity
and muscular
impairment,
especially with
untrained tasks
Muscle mass and muscular
strength decrease
Age related impairments
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Arthur Rubinstein
1887 - 1982
• Compensation strategies of age related impairments:
– Selection
– Optimisation
– Compensation
• SOC applied to music: more practice (optimisation) for less
pieces (selection), ritardandi before fast sections make the
following appear faster (compensation)
The SOC – principle ( e.g. Baltes & Baltes, 1990)
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
– Very limited or no possibilities for selection and compensation for
professional (orchestra) musicians: The conductor decides what is to
be played and how this should be done
– In most cases very limited occasions to insert ritardandos before fast
sections, some pieces have to be played fast and/or loud…
– Musical memory: Increased training cannot generally compensate
for increased age (Halpern & Bartlett, 2002, p. 23)
Limitations of the SOC-principle in music
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
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2 Music, ag(e)ing, and health among amateur
musicians
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Aspects of
amateur music
making /singing
Health –
wellbeing
benefits Social
benefits
Personal
benefits
Contribution to
cultural life in the
community
Musical
performance:
Restrictions -
capacities
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Benefits of playing an instrument in late adulthood
• Many studies confirm positive effects of playing an instrument, e.g.
– Maintaining well-beeing and positive self-esteem
– Social contacts and feelings of connectedness
– Personal development and fulfillment
– Recreation
(e.g., Coffman, 2002; Hartogh, 2005; Hays & Minichiello, 2005)
• Compared with the general population, amateur musicians (aged 55+) showed – Better performance in global cognitive functioning and memory recall skills
– Better executive functioning and psychomotor functioning
– Were generally more satisfied with life
(Moser, 2003)
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Example: Making music in senior orchestras (Gembris 2008)
• Musical and social background
of musicians in senior
orchestras?
• Functions and meanings of
making music ?
• Age-related problems with
playing instruments?
• Coping strategies?
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
3 Method • 43 senior orchestras (Germany,
Austria, Switzerland)
• Ca. 550 questionnaires were sent out,
308 valid questionnaires were sent
back (rate of return: 56%)
• Female: 38 %, male: 62 %
• Age: 40 to 97, M =71 years (SD =
7,89)
Example : Making music in senior orchestras (Gembris 2008)
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Older amateur musician: early start, above average education
– 44% had a university
degree
– 13% had a general
university entrance
qualification („Abitur“)
– 43% had a lower school
leaving certificate
Gembris 2008
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
• Importance of music is
rather high already in
adolescence
• Importance of music in
the third age is higher
than in earlier periods
of life
Change of importance of music throughout life
(Evaluations "important" and "very important" in %)
0
20
40
60
80
100
10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80+
Age
Importance of music changes in different decades of life
(rated in retrospect)
Gembris 2008
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
61
62
62
62
63
26
28
33
30
32
11
8
3
7
3
58 32 8
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
give a sense of community
keep me fit
are a challenge
create contacts
make me happy
increase quality of life
give a zest for life
completely true rather true
less true not true
Function and meaning (1/3) : Music activities…
Benefits of making music
Gembris 2008
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
27
32
34
35
35
53
22
37
38
31
35
31
31
21
18
26
23
13
20
11
10
8
7
3
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
help to cope with life
show me my limits
keep me healthy
give a sense to life
are an expression of emotions
are relaxing
completely true rather true less true not true
Function and meaning (2/3) : Music activities…
Benefits of making music
Gembris 2008
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
13
20
23
24
24
24
18
21
25
17
18
26
40
32
32
30
32
33
29
27
20
29
26
17
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
frustrate me
distract from problems
help in difficult situations of life
make me less lonely
are a normal hobby
comfort me
completely true rather true less true not true
Function and meaning (3/3) : Music activities…
Benefits of making music
Gembris 2008
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Positive effects of singing
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Positive effects of singing
• Mood enhancing
• Creates a sense of group identity, social support and friedship
• Develops a sense of self-confidence, self-esteem, achievement
• Relieves stress and tension
• Improves voice quality, promotes good posture
• Increases quality of life and wellbeeing
• Distracts attention from personal worries
Clift 2012, p. 114ff
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Positive effects of singing
• Most evidence for positive effects of singing comes from qualitative /
interview studies
• Only few „experimental“ studies (e.g. comparison with effects of music
listening): small effect sizes
• Physiological studies (physical health, lung function): unclear results,
methodological problems
• Clinical studies (elderly people in care, dementia, Parkinson‘s
desease): positive effects on depression, only few studies,
methodological problems
Clift 2012, p. 114ff
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
• Accompanying symptoms of Alzheimer's disease may be influenced
positively through the use of music (listening to music, singing,
elementary music, dancing)
• Stimulation and improvement of social and emotional skills
• Improvement of cognitive functions (vigilance, memory)
• Behavioral changes (calming, improved sleep)
• Stimulation of physical movements
• Responses to music even in the final stages of Alzheimer's disease
Brotons, Koger & Pickett-Cooper 1999; Foster et al. 2001; Cevasco & Grant 2003
Effects of music on Alzheimer's associated symptoms
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Effects of music on Alzheimer's associated symptoms
• The benefits of music in the treatment of symptoms associated with
Alzheimer's disease seem to be obvious
• Appropriate approaches to the use of music are available
• But: only a few studies, some serious methodological weaknesses
limited validity
• (s. Vink, Birks, Bruinsma & Scholten 2003)
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
3 Conclusions / Future perspectives
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Psycho-social transfer effects of making music in the third age
• Every day life experience and scientific
studies show:
• musical activities (playing instruments,
singing, listening to music, etc.) of
older people can promote
– social connectedness, life
satisfaction, meaningful life,
wellbeing, happiness etc.
– They thus represent a contribution
to prevention and health
(e.g. Rümenapp 2005; Hartogh & Wickel 2004;
Wickel 2005; Clift 2012; Gembris 2012)
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Questions for future research
• Are there measurable protective
effects of playing an instrument (e.g.
reduced risk of Alzheimer‘s disease,
Verghese et al., 2003)?
• Do musical acitivities create more
social contacts compared with other
activities like sport, dancing etc.?
• Comparisons between playing an
instrument and singing
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
Interindividual
differences
Amateur Music
making in the
third age
Generation
specific musical
preferences
Multi-cultural
societies
Money Health –
wellbeeing
Growing
differences in
society
Growing new
fields for
music
education
Discussion: Important future issues
Qualityof life
Institute for Research on Music Ability
Heiner Gembris
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aandacht !