At the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, we are carrying out a variety of social inclusion initiatives aiming to provide opportunities for all people to participate in music appreciation and experience creating music, irrespective of age, disability, or social handicap, and to create an environment in which many people can engage proactively with the creation of new culture. In recent years, we have held music workshops emphasizing “creativity”, “cooperativeness” and “inclusivity” in facilities for senior citizens, social welfare facilities, and so on within Tokyo. As the need for music workshops for senior citizens has grown in recent years, we have been examining the concrete methods related to the program creation and the uniqueness of the program in order to provide more fulfilling workshops.

The validation of the year 2018’s music workshops for senior citizens was carried out together with Nahoko Kusaka (Professor, Faculty of Contemporary Social Studies, Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts), a researcher specializing in geriatric psychology.

In the validation, ten workshops were held at two facilities for senior citizens within Tokyo, from December 2018 through February 2019. The validation of the following points was carried out with the aim of obtaining hints for ongoing program development, at the same time as striving to derive new knowledge:

1. Communication through the activities of music workshops for senior citizens

2. Program design for music workshops in which senior citizens become creative agents

Season 2018 Validation Report

Japanese (PDF)

English (PDF)

Photographic Recording

Project aims and overview report

“Sound Sandpit” music workshop method (Jun Suzuki)

Keynote speech “Art and Aging”, and observations (Nahoko Kusaka)

Discussion between workshop practitioners and personnel of facilities for senior citizens

Validation team:

Nahoko Kusaka (Professor, Faculty of Contemporary Social Studies, Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts)

Music workshop supervisor/Trainer:

Jun Suzuki (Piano, melodica, keyboard; part-time lecturer, Kyoto Women’s University)

Personnel of facilities for senior citizens:

Yutaka Oosuga (Nursing Care Section Head, Taito Ward Municipal Senior Citizens’ Home Services Center “Asakusa”)

Sumiyo Oosawa (Counselor, Taito Ward Municipal Senior Citizens’ Home Services Center “Asakusa”)

Kenjiro Nozaki (Manager, Head Office, Adachi Houeikai Social Welfare Corporation)

Yoko Kojima (Leader of Nursing Care, Private Residential Home with Nursing Care “Live-In Sakura”)

Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Workshop Leaders:

Emi Isono

Natsuki Sakamoto

Ayako Noguchi

Chieko Matsui

Nobutaka Yoshizawa

Moderator:

Yukiyo Sugiyama (Production Section, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan)

Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Production Section +81-3-3828-2111

Organizers: Tokyo Metropolitan Government/Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, Arts Council Tokyo

Supported by: Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan/Japan Foundation for Regional Art-Activities

Research partner: Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts

Workshop partners: Adachi Houeikai Social Welfare Corporation, Taito Ward Municipal Senior Citizens’ Home Services Center “Asakusa”