Mission and Vision
Musical Notes for Adults is a new innovative music education programme created to meet the unique needs of adult learners.
Research has proved that adult music learning develops cognitive, physical, creative, social and spiritual values. The volume of research supporting the importance of music in the lives of adults has increased considerably over the past twenty-five years, not only by the music education profession but also by psychologists, sociologists, psychiatrists, and physical health professionals and spiritual practitioners.
Listening to music can stimulate certain areas of the brain that relate to attention and working memory.
Studies show a link between music engagement and increased energy and physical exercise.
Music can lead to physical relaxation via its demonstrated ability to reduce stress or agitation, improve sleep or relieve pain.
Psychologically, music can give a sense of pleasure.
Increased social connectedness and altruism are related to musical listening. Music can improve social functioning.
Spiritually, music can serve as an anchor in religious practices or provide a sense of connection to the sacred.
(Kaufmann et al., 2017: 271).
About Marian
Marian McRory, PhD, M.Ed., B.A., H. Dip in Education, L.T.C.L, L.L.C.M, A.L.C.M.
Marian was a lecturer in TU Dublin Conservatory of Music and Drama for over thirty years, following a career of secondary school teaching of music and Irish. She lectured on the B.Mus. Degree, Masters Degree, supervised dissertations and thesis at undergraduate and masters levels. She taught musicianship to children and adults and also taught piano at the Conservatoire.
Earlier in her career she taught musicianship and piano to young people and adults at two outreach music school set up under the auspices of the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM). For many years she was an examiner for the RIAM local centre examinations and travelled throughout the country and has examined in TU Dublin (Technological University, Dublin).
Her doctoral research explored adults learning music. As part of this project she created new CPD music courses (Allegro for Adults) which she taught at TU Dublin for over a decade. In addition she set up two summer schools in 2011 and 2012 which formed links between TU Dublin, Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), The Joyce Centre and the National Concert Hall (NCH). The Music Summer Schools aimed to promote the value of the arts, particularly music, in lifelong learning. During the summer schools she held workshops in TU Conservatoire of Music and at IMMA and gave pre-concert talks at NCH.
She has published articles in Explore magazine (Aontas) and the Senior Times. She has lectured at conferences at the University of Victoria, Canada, TU Dublin and Maynooth University, Ireland.
Marian McRory’s thesis, Adult Music Education: Negotiating New Musical Learning Identities in Adulthood, investigates how adults engage with music education and how adult-orientated learning can develop musical skills, foster creativity and transform the learner’s self-concept. These values not only apply to music learning but can continue to enhance adult lives into the future.
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