Given emerging evidence that learning to play a musical instrument may lead to a number of cognitive benefits for older adults, it is important to clarify how these training programs can be delivered optimally and meaningfully. The effective acquisition of musical and domain-general skills by later-life learners may be influenced by social, cultural and individual factors within the learning environment. The current study examines the effects of a 10-week piano training program on healthy older adult novices’ cognitive and motor skills, in comparison to an inactive waitlisted control group. Fifteen participants completed piano training led by a music facilitator in small groups (max n = 4 per lesson class; two experimental, two waitlisted control groups). Data was collected using an explanatory sequential design: quantitative data from a battery of cognitive and motor tests was collected pre/post-test on all participants, with further post-test data from the waitlisted control group (n = 7). Qualitative data included weekly facilitator observations, participant practice diaries, and an individual, semi-structured, post-experiment interview. Bayesian modelling demonstrated moderate evidence of a strong positive impact of training on part A of the Trail Making test (TMT), indicating improved visuo-motor skills. Moderate evidence for negative impacts of training on part B of the Trail Making Test (and difference score delta) was also found, suggesting no benefit of cognitive switching. Qualitative results revealed that the group learning environment motivated participants to play in musical ensembles and to socialize. Motivation was optimal when all participants were happy with the chosen repertoire (participants reported they were motivated by learning to play familiar music) and when the facilitator observed that groups had formed cohesive bonds. Informed by these factors, exploratory analyses demonstrated strong evidence that a participant’s lesson class had an impact on post-test scores (TMT part A). These results not only demonstrate the extent of cognitive benefits of a short-term piano training intervention for older adults, but also the importance of considering the group dynamics in the learning environment.

Despite the idiosyncrasies present in bodily motion during musical performances, it is suggested that these movements are not incidental but instead contribute to the meaning of performed music. Nine pianists performing two Chopin Preludes are recorded using Vicon motion capture, in synchrony with audio and MIDI recordings. Using principal components analysis (PCA) on the recorded upper body motion, motion profiles for each pianist are formed from the weighted combinations of these components. This measure of global body movement produces a comparable measure across performers and pieces, whilst keeping the performers’ interpretative gestures in view of their whole concept of the piece intact. This study proposes that performers use these motions as a way of corporeally manifesting their interpretative choices. It is suggested that their overall body motion is underscored by such structures as interpreted from the written music. Results show evident underlying musical structure across performers’ motion profiles. These profiles are seen to be constructed from functions of harmonic and melodic relationships in the score. These findings hold significant implications for research into music perception, pedagogy and development of computational technologies for the analysis of music performance.

This study examines the relationship between age, self-efficacy and intellectual, emotional and social engagement in a group of orchestral players who are a mixture of professional and amateur musicians. Using a concurrent triangulation design, quantitative survey data from 23 orchestral players is cross-validated with qualitative interview data from three of these respondents. Results confirm that intellectual stimulation is high for these orchestral players and is a balance between perceived challenge, effort and reward of the musical tasks. In this particular orchestra, it appears that emotional engagement increases with age for amateur players, yet decreases with age for professionals, which may be due to increasing pressures. Although social engagement is high, with players reporting feeling connected as a group whilst making music, new personal connections may be difficult to forge.

The touch used to play the piano, representing aspects of body posture, hand posture, movement, speed, force and pressure on the key, has been addressed over the centuries by pedagogues, famous pianists and composers. Piano touch not only underpins basic technique in piano playing, but is also the route through which pianists can communicate their expressive intentions. This review pulls together literature concerning touch from piano pedagogy, engineering, performance analysis and biomechanics. Studies have advanced understanding in the actions behind a typical keypress motion, the influence of training by examining differences between novice and expert pianists, and the various joint contributions that discern a struck versus a pressed touch. Although individual differences are widely identified, the influence of hand anthropometry, choice of technique and difference in training between experts remains understudied. A trade-off between accuracy and ecological validity is also identified in the use of current measurement systems: to encourage wider participation and incorporation into instrumental lessons, there is a need for the development of un-intrusive measurement systems that can be used outside the laboratory environment without restrictions concerning the instrument. Implications include furthering understanding across the arts and sciences and aiding teachers and students looking to minimise the risk of injury.

For older adults living with mild cognitive impairment or dementia, creative arts-based activities can offer many benefits from enjoyment as leisure/recreation to an avenue to maintain cognitive, social and emotional wellbeing. With growing interest and recognition that technology could have potential to assist in delivering these activities in more accessible and personalised ways, a scoping review was undertaken to systematically examine the scientific literature for technology-assisted creative arts activities for older adults living with dementia. We searched PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, Scopus and ACM Digital Library databases using keywords centering on population with dementia, an intervention using technology, and a context of creative arts, with no restrictions on the type of outcome measured. We retrieved 3739 records, with an additional 22 from hand-searching. 51 full-text articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings of the review indicate technologies principally being designed for music activities (listening, and music-making), as well as storytelling and visual arts. The majority of devices were custom-made, with studies mainly reporting on validating the success of the device/intervention. This suggests most work in the field is currently at prototyping stage, although a few devices are now commercially available. Recommendations for future research includes involvement of participants reporting on their previous experiences in the arts and how this influences co-design choices, and inclusion of different severities of dementia in the participant/co-design group. Furthering device development past prototyping stage as well as collaboration between teams would enable comparisons to be made across different types of devices used for the same activity, and comparisons across arts-based activities that could lead to cross-disciplinary outcomes for the design of creative arts-based assistive technologies.

Research into audience engagement in the arts is a growing area of interest because of the need to build audiences and to provide convincing evidence of the value of arts programs to funding bodies. In addition, the way in which music works so as to touch the listener is of ongoing interest to music psychologists and is increasingly being considered in the context of live listening situations. This paper considers the phenomenon of emotional contagion, or the transference of emotion between audience members, and how this contributes to the audience experience. Audience members (N = 105) were surveyed at three concerts by a ‘pro-am’ orchestra – an orchestra made up of both professionals and amateurs – about their response to the concerts and factors that influenced that response. It was found that emotional contagion can enhance the emotional response of audience members at concerts, and that this is mediated by the sense of social bonding participants have with other people present. Social bonding is also associated with attendance at enhancement events such as pre-concert talks.