Lives interconnected through music: A case study of community music in Central Victoria, Australia.

In 2023 a case study of community music participation of older people was carried out in a southeast region of Australia, one of four case studies within a large-scale project titled “Creative ageing through transformative engagement with music”. The region studied was north of Melbourne (Naarm), ranging from the settled town of Maryborough in the Central Goldfields eastwards to Kyneton in the Macedon Ranges, located on the unceded traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples. The case study encompassed participants from a women’s choir in Bendigo, a gamelan ensemble in Eppalock, a big band in Maryborough, and a street band in Kyneton. We took a praxis-based participatory approach, drawing on an accessibility framework, social network theory, and theories of meaning through creativity, in relation to positive and adaptive ageing. Methods used were observation, group discussions, and interviews. In this paper, discussion focuses on the ripple effect of music, gifts and positive, adaptive ageing.