Toward a Sustainable Musical Lifecourse Framework in Later-Life Music Education

Abstract

This article proposes the Sustainable Musical Lifecourse framework as a theoretical orientation for addressing the challenges that lifelong music education faces in rapidly aging societies. Situated within the broader interconnections of lifelong learning and music education, the article builds on policy reflections from two distinct national contexts: Finland and China. By reframing the concept of later-life and examining current music learning opportunities for older adults, the study reveals that existing policy structures are often shaped by economic demands and the discourse of successful aging. These structures overlook the deeper pedagogical and existential possibilities of later-life music education. To address these limitations, the Sustainable Musical Lifecourse framework integrates four interrelated conceptual dimensions – lifecourse theory, transformative learning, sustainable aging, and gerotranscendence – to expand and envision personal transformation and social sustainability through music education in later life. This article contributes to developing practical approaches to lifelong music education by advancing a forward-looking perspective for envisioning alternative futures and more sustainable ways of living and learning through music in later life.

Keywords

later-life music education older adults lifecourse transformative learning sustainable aging gerotranscendence

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Biesta

(2021). World-centred education: A view for the present. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003098331

Biesta

Tedder

(2007). Agency and learning in the lifecourse: Towards an ecological perspective. Studies in the Education of Adults, 39(2), 132–149. https://doi.org/10.1080/02660830.2007.11661545

Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, & State Council of PRC [CCP & State Council]. (2023). 党中央国务院印发《党和国家机构改革方案》[Plan for reforming Party and state institutions]. Xinhua News. http://www.news.cn/politics/zywj/2023-03/16/c_1129437368.htm

Chen

(2016). 中国老年大学发展研究 [Study on the development of China’s universities for the elderly]. Nanjing Normal University Press.

Creech

Hallam

Varvarigou

McQueen

(2014). Active ageing with music: Supporting wellbeing in the third and fourth ages. Institute of Education, University of London.

Davidson

J. B.

(1980). Music and gerontology: A young endeavor. Music Educators Journal, 66(9), 27–31. https://doi.org/10.2307/3395839

Elliott

Gardner

(2018). The role of music in the lives of older adults with dementia ageing in place: A scoping review. Dementia, 17(2), 199–213. https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301216639424

Eurydice. (2022). Adult education and training. https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/finland/adult-education-and-training

Feng

Y. L.

(2017). 中国哲学简史(中英双语版) [A short history of Chinese philosophy (Bilingual edition)] ( Zhao

, Trans.). Yilin Press.

10.

Findsen

Formosa

(Eds.). (2011). Lifelong learning in later life: A handbook on older adult learning. Sense Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6091-651-9

11.

Finnish National Agency for Education. (n.d.). Liberal adult education. https://www.oph.fi/en/education-system/liberal-adult-education

12.

Finnish National Agency for Education. (2019). Education in Finland. https://www.educationfinland.fi/sites/default/files/2019-11/finfo_education_in_finland_en.pdf

13.

Fung

(2018). A way of music education (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190234461.001.0001

14.

Galinha

I. C.

García-Martín

M. Á.

Lima

M. L.

(2022). Sing4Health: Randomised controlled trial of the effects of a singing group program on the subjective and social well-being of older adults. Applied Psychology. Health and Well-Being, 14(1), 176–195. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12297

15.

General Office of the State Council of PRC. (2016). 关于印发老年教育发展规划（2016—2020年）的通知 [Notice on printing and distributing the elderly education development plan (2016–2020)]. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2016-10/19/content_5121344.htm

16.

General Office of the State Council of PRC. (2024). 国务院办公厅关于发展银发经济增进老年人福祉的意见 [Opinions on developing the silver economy to enhance the well-being of older adults]. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/202401/content_6926087.htm

17.

Gilleard

Higgs

(2002). The third age: Class, cohort or generation? Ageing & Society, 22(3), 369–382. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X0200870X

18.

Gilleard

Higgs

(2014). Cultures of ageing: Self, citizen and the body. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315839530

19.

Grenier

Phillipson

Settersten

R. A

. (Eds.). (2020). Precarity and ageing: Understanding insecurity and risk in later life. Bristol University Press. https://doi.org/10.46692/9781447340874

20.

Haarni

Viljanen

Hansen

(2014). Ikääntyvä mieli. Mielen hyvinvointia vanhetessa [The aging mind. Mental well-being in aging]. Suomen Mielenterveysseura.

21.

Hays

(2006). Facilitating well-being through music for older people with special needs. Home Health Care Services Quarterly, 25(3–4), 55–73. https://doi.org/10.1300/J027v25n03_04

22.

Higgs

Gilleard

(2025). Rethinking the sociology of ageing: Towards a sociology of later life. Edward Elgar Publishing.

23.

Holman

Walker

(2021). Understanding unequal ageing: Towards a synthesis of intersectionality and life course analyses. European Journal of Ageing, 18(2), 239–255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-020-00582-7

24.

Hunt

S. J.

(2016). The life course: A sociological introduction (2nd ed.). Red Globe Press.

25.

Illeris

(2014). Transformative learning and identity. Journal of Transformative Education, 12(2), 148–163. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541344614548423

26.

Jarvis

(2013). Learning in later life: An introduction for educators and carers. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315042435

27.

Joseph

Southcott

(2015). Singing and companionship in the Hawthorn University of the Third-Age Choir, Australia. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 34(3), 334–347. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2014.991951

28.

Katz

Calasanti

(2015). Critical perspectives on successful aging: Does it “appeal more than it illuminates”? The Gerontologist, 55(1), 26–33. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnu027

29.

Kertz-Welzel

(2016). Daring to question: A philosophical critique of community music. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 24(2), 113–130. https://doi.org/10.2979/philmusieducrevi.24.2.01

30.

Koivisto

T.-A.

Laes

(2022). Music professionalism promoting gerotranscendence: An instrumental case study of healthcare musicians in an eldercare hospital. International Journal of Music Education, 40(4), 642–654. https://doi.org/10.1177/02557614221087340

31.

Komp-Leukkunen

(Ed.). (2021). Life-histories in Finland: First results from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Väestöliitto.

32.

Komp-Leukkunen

Formosa

(2024). Shifts in social policies for old age: Towards a life course approach of active ageing? In A research agenda for ageing and social policy. Elgar Research Agendas. https://www.elgaronline.com/edcollchap/book/9781802208139/book-part-9781802208139-15.xml

33.

Laes

(2015). Empowering later adulthood music education: A case study of a rock band for third-age learners. International Journal of Music Education, 33(1), 51–65. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761413515815

34.

Laes

(2023). Rethinking, re-storying, and reclaiming narratives of aging in music education research. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education, 22(3), 227–251. https://doi.org/10.22176/act22.3.227

35.

Laes

Creech

(2023). Re-conceptualizing music education in the older adult life course: A qualitative meta-synthesis. International Journal of Population Studies, 9(3), 383. https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.383

36.

Laes

Kiuru

(2023). Identiteettityöskentely aikuisbändissä: Myöhäisiän oppimisen kamppailu ja esiintymisen tarjoumat [Identity work in an adult band: The struggle of late learning and the opportunities of performing ]. Aikuiskasvatus, 43(1–2), 55–69. https://doi.org/10.33336/aik.127920

37.

Laes

Rautiainen

(2018). Osallistuminen taiteeseen ja kulttuuriin: Elinikäinen oikeus vai velvollisuus? [Participation in arts and culture: A lifelong right or an obligation]. Aikuiskasvatus, 38(2), 130–139. https://doi.org/10.33336/aik.88334

38.

Laes

Schmidt

(2021). Promoting a musical lifecourse towards sustainable ageing: A call for policy congruence. International Journal of Community Music, 14(1), 103–119. https://doi.org/10.1386/ijcm_00040_1

39.

Lai

(2017). An introduction to Chinese philosophy. Cambridge University Press.

40.

Liang

Luo

(2012). Toward a discourse shift in social gerontology: From successful aging to harmonious aging. Journal of Aging Studies, 26(3), 327–334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2012.03.001

41.

Mantie

Dubé

Barbeau

A. K.

(2021). Generating meaningfulness through lifelong and life-wide leisure engagement with music. International Journal of Community Music, 14(1), 41–59. https://doi.org/10.1386/ijcm_00037_1

42.

Mantie

Tucker

(2008). Closing the gap: Does music-making have to stop upon graduation? International Journal of Community Music, 1(2), 217–227. https://doi.org/10.1386/ijcm.1.2.217_1

43.

Maury

Rickard

(2022). The benefits of participation in a choir and an exercise group on older adults’ wellbeing in a naturalistic setting. Musicae Scientiae, 26(1), 144–171. https://doi.org/10.1177/1029864920932633

44.

McPherson

G. E.

Welch

G. F.

(Eds.). (2018). Special needs, community music, and adult learning: An Oxford handbook of music education (Vol. 4). Oxford University Press.

45.

Mezirow

(1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning (1st ed.). Jossey-Bass.

46.

Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. (2024). 关于进一步促进养老服务消费提升老年人生活品质的若干措施 [Measures to further promote elderly care service consumption and enhance the quality of life for older adults]. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202411/content_6985707.htm

47.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. (2023). National programme on ageing to 2030. Publications of the Finnish Government. https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-383-593-1

48.

Myers

Bowles

Dabback

(2013). Music learning as a lifespan endeavor. In Veblen

K. K.

Elliott

D. J.

Messenger

S. J.

Silverman

(Eds.), Community music today (pp. 133–150). Rowman & Littlefield.

49.

National Health Commission & National Working Commission on Aging. (2020). Notice on the creation of model national age-friendly communities. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2020-12/14/content_5569385.htm

50.

Official Statistics of Finland. (2025). Population structure. Statistics Finland. https://stat.fi/en/statistics/vaerak

51.

O’Neill

(2012). Becoming a music learner: A theory of transformative music engagement. In McPherson

Welch

(Eds.), The Oxford handbook of music education (Vol. 1, pp. 163–186). Oxford University Press.

52.

O’Neill

(2014). Mind the gap: Transforming music engagement through learner-centred informal music learning. The Recorder: Journal of the Ontario Music Educators’ Association, 56(2), 18–22.

53.

O’Neill

(2015). Transformative music engagement and musical flourishing. In McPherson

(Ed.), The child as musician: A handbook of musical development (pp. 606–625). Oxford University Press.

54.

OPH. (n.d.). Liberal adult education. Finnish Agency for Education. https://www.oph.fi/en/education-system/liberal-adult-education

55.

Peterson

D. A.

(1976). Educational gerontology: The state of the art. Educational Gerontology, 1(1), 61–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.1976.12049517

56.

Phillipson

(2013). Ageing. John Wiley.

57.

Philpott

(2025). The justification for music in the curriculum. In Philpott

Spruce

(Eds.), Debates in music teaching (2nd ed., pp. 48–63). Routledge.

58.

Priestley

Biesta

Robinson

(2015). Teacher agency: An ecological approach. Bloomsbury Publishing.

59.

Rikandi

(Ed.). (2010). Mapping the common ground: Philosophical perspectives on Finnish music education. BTJ Finland Oy.

60.

Rinne

(2021). Kohdattuja kokemuksia: Keski-ikäisten äijien harrastusbändien mahdollisia maailmoja [Encountered experiences: Possible worlds of middle-aged men’s hobby bands]. Acta electronica Universitatis Lapponiensis. https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-337-281-8

61.

Robine

J. M.

(2021). Ageing populations: We are living longer lives, but are we healthier?. United Nations. http://desapublications.un.org/working-papers/ageing-populations-we-are-living-longer-lives-are-we-healthier

62.

Saloheimo

(Ed.). (2016). Maahanmuuttajat ja maahanmuuttajakoulutus vapaan sivistystyön oppilaitoksissa [Immigrants and immigrant education in liberal adult education institutions]. Finnish National Agency for Education. https://www.oph.fi/julkaisut

63.

Schmidt

(2023). Policy practice as citizenship building: From duty to care to solidarity in music education. In Hendricks

K. S.

(Ed.), The Oxford handbook of care in music education (pp. 580–592). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197611654.013.51

64.

Sitra. (2021). Millä suosituksilla? – Kohti elinikäisen oppimisen Suomea [With what recommendations? Towards a lifelong learning Finland]. https://www.sitra.fi

65.

Skiadas

C. H.

Skiadas

(2018). Demography and health issues: Population aging, mortality and data analysis (1st ed.). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76002-5

66.

Southcott

J. E.

(2009). And as I go, I love to sing: The Happy Wanderers, music and positive aging. International Journal of Community Music, 2(2), 143–156. https://doi.org/10.1386/ijcm.2.2-3.143_1

67.

State Council of PRC. (2021). “十四五”国家老龄事业发展和养老服务体系规划 [14th five-year plan for the development of the aging cause and elderly care service system]. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2022-02/21/content_5674844.htm

68.

Tornstam

(2005). Gerotranscendence: A developmental theory of positive aging (1st ed.). Springer.

69.

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (n.d.). The benefits of lifelong learning for older adults: Thematic studies. https://www.uil.unesco.org/en/thematic-studies-benefits-lifelong-learning-older-adults

70.

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (2022a). 5th global report on adult learning and education: Citizenship education: Empowering adults for change; Executive summary. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381669?posInSet=3&queryId=656129b1-426f-41c7-9bbe-dcfab03a9705

71.

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (2022b). Lifelong learning opportunities for all: Medium-term strategy 2022–2029. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000380778

72.

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. (2022c). Making lifelong learning a reality: A handbook. UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf000038185

73.

UNESCO World Conference on Culture and Arts Education. (2024). UNESCO framework for culture and arts education. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000390135?posInSet=1&queryId=5935a9d8-fde6-4467-bb43-0eabeeb3fd4d

74.

United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable Development. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

75.

United Nations. (2017). Ageing, older persons and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. United Nations Development Programme.

76.

United Nations. (2019). Government policies to address population ageing.

77.

United Nations Population Division. (2024). World population prospects: The 2024 revision. https://population.un.org/wpp/

78.

Varvarigou

Creech

(2021). Transformational models of music learning. In Creech

Hodges

D. A.

Hallam

(Eds.), Routledge international handbook of music psychology in education and the community (pp. 169–184). Routledge.

79.

Veblen

Olsson

(2002). Community music: Toward an international overview. In Colwell

Richardson

(Eds.), The new handbook of research on music teaching and learning: A project of the Music Educators National Conference (pp. 730–753). Oxford University Press.

80.

Viola

Martorana

Airoldi

Meini

Ceriotti

De Vito

De Ambrosi

Faggiano

(2023). The role of music in promoting health and wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Public Health, 33(4), 738–745. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckad063

81.

Westerblad

(2022). Deweyan conceptual engineering: Reconstruction, concepts, and philosophical inquiry. Inquiry, 67(3), 985–1008. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020174X.2022.2118163

82.

Young

(2021). Towards a music education for maturing, never arriving. In Wright

Johansen

Kanellopoulos

P. A.

Schmidt

(Ed.), The Routledge handbook to sociology of music education (pp. 393–405). Routledge.

83.

Zhang

(2023). 人口负增长时代积极应对老龄化的政策体系 [Policy system for actively dealing with aging in the era of negative population growth]. Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 37(3), 1–11.