An investigation of social support in adult recreational music ensembles

This study examined social support as perceived and experienced by participants in adult recreational music ensembles. Members of New Horizons (NH) Bands (N=1152) from 63 cities across the United States and Canada participated in the study. A web-based questionnaire identified participant perception of available support within their ensembles. From the sample, eighteen randomly selected volunteers participated in additional phone interviews. Results indicate that the majority of survey participants perceive support to be available 'most' or 'all of the time' in the categories of Instrumental/Tangible Support (35.7%), Companionship Support (38.1%) and Emotional/Informational Support (41.1%). Open-ended responses demonstrated specific examples of support being offered and received among participants. The results of this study indicate that in addition to being a musical outlet for adult learners, group music-making organizations such as NH may be a viable way to increase and maintain social bonds across the lifespan.