“It’s All about Confidence and How You Perceive Yourself”: Musical Perceptions of Older Adults Involved in an Intergenerational Singing Program

This study explores and identifies the perceptions of older adults involved in an intergenerational singing curriculum that brought a group of 20 seniors together with a Grade 2 class of children in one small Ontario community. During six, one-hour sessions, the seniors and children experienced a carefully-designed curriculum that explored songs across various themes that served as a vehicle in fostering dialogue, musical discourse and shared learning among the participants. At the conclusion of the program, interviews were conducted, and seniors, children, and administrators were encouraged to share their personal musical narratives and background, in addition to their experiences from and about this program. There is little research that details the benefits of intergenerational singing, however observational and narrative data from this study, revealed a prevalent theme pertaining to the seniors' perception of lack of confidence, concerns about perceptions of themselves by the children, and musical inadequacy. In an effort to enhance singing education programs for every generation, these findings may provide the groundwork for social and musical considerations as program designers and leaders establish intergenerational music programs that facilitate optimal music engagement across the generations.