The Lived Experiences of Chinese Older Adults in an Invented String Instrumental Classroom

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 11:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Troubling Histories and Complicating Identities

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to describe the lived experiences of Chinese older adults learning an invented Chinese four string instrument--Li Yue Xian Ge Qin. Participants were 10 Chinese older adults who have been taking part into the music lessons for more than two semesters. Data sources included individual semi-structured interviews (n=10), and a focus group interview with the teachers (n=2), field notes from an observer (n=1) and some artifacts including photos, videos, and WeChat history. Phenomenological data analysis followed Moustakas’s approach which generated four hallmarks including diverse musical contents, psychological satisfaction, social influence, and cognitive and physical effects to explain “what” experiences that the participants acquired through participating instrumental lessons. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Author

• Cancan Cui, Guangzhou University