Coming together, playing together: A mixed methods investigation of older adults’ experiences with virtual band instruction

Recent studies have shown an increase in virtual music instruction for adult learners, several examples of which grew from efforts to continue music instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, many music educators created virtual learning opportunities that challenged assumptions about access, participation, and instructional practices. Notably, some older adults embraced virtual music offerings and experienced positive social and musical outcomes. Given the increasing global population of older adults and the continued use of virtual music learning opportunities, greater understandings of benefits and challenges associated with online instruction with older learners are also needed. This mixed-methods study aimed to investigate older adults’ experiences in virtual rehearsals reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. Questionnaire results showed that participants experienced and highly valued benefits related to music skills, feelings of common purpose, enjoyment, break from routine, sense of belonging, and meaningful engagement. Results of subsequent semi-structured interview analysis included themes that highlight the importance participants placed on feeling connected to other members, satisfaction found in meaningful engagement, and provided their perspectives of challenges and limitations of the virtual rehearsals. Integration of the two data sets illustrated the importance of musical and social factors in all benefits experienced and offered explanations regarding connections between important benefits and aspects of the virtual rehearsals. These findings suggest that supporting benefits and mitigating challenges of virtual group instruction with older adults requires intentional planning and strategy use. These findings enrich existing understandings of older adults’ experiences and perceptions of virtual music learning, which inform suggestions for practical applications. In addition, the participants’ enthusiasm for exploring this online learning opportunity and creative problem-solving offers a counter-narrative to stereotypes about age and technology and highlights the potential of virtual settings to provide enjoyable and beneficial music instruction for older learners.