Intergenerational Music Making: A Phenomenological Study of Three Older Australians Making Music With Children

Three older Australians' active engagement in music making with children was examined in this phenomenological study. Intergenerational music engagement was explored, focusing on the perspectives of the older Australians engaged in these musical interactions and, in particular, perceived benefits in being part of these musical interactions. Data were gathered through a series of open-ended, one-on-one interviews. Analysis of the data revealed five key themes about intergenerational (IG) music engagement: (1) IG music experiences promoted social engagement; (2) IG music experiences fostered the development of positive attitudes about young people; (3) choice in music making was valued in the IG music experiences; (4) involvement in IG music experiences resulted in the older Australians feeling valued and respected; and (5) there was the perception of reciprocity in the learning that occurred in the IG music experiences. Implications of intergenerational music engagement for music education are discussed.