PROSPECTUS: TRIANGLE PROJECT - Portrait of a Partnership

The effect of participation in an intergenerational choir on teenagers, seniors and college students with regard to cross-age attitudes.

Contact: Christian Werner, Postfach 4823, 38038 Braunschweig
info@triangel-partnerschaften.de

 

Abstract

I would like to present to you a brief outline of what musical partnerships are and how I intend to use them. In our particular case there will be three partners forming a triangle: a senior citizen home, a high school and a university.

I have used an original idea found in America whereby partnerships were formed between a university math teaching course and high school students or between the members of a senior citizen choir and a university choir. The aim is to bring the two groups together to perform and share experiences with one another.

Through these partnerships much can be achieved. Studies from America show us that all parties gained a great deal on an educational and personal level. From the student perspective they got to be in contact and work with senior citizens. And from the other side the senior citizens got the opportunity to show or revive latent abilities and a chance to impart valuable life long experiences.

In Germany we are now trying to establish a similar partnership between a high school music workgroup, some singers from a senior citizens' home and students from the musical education department of the Music College in Hannover.

 

Benefits for senior citizens

The project can help them to improve concentration abilities by singing songs they used to sing when they were younger. They could recall learned abilities and discover a talent or learn a new skill: for example playing an instrument. By coming together with younger people they get the opportunity to escape their own problems and give a new meaning to their life. The senior citizens feel better and the senior citizens' home must spend less on health care and nursing.

 

Benefits for the high school

Those pupils interested in music get another chance to perform outside the school. By entering the senior citizen home pupils come into contact with real life and get a feeling for this type of work. They also learn social responsibilities and other transferable skills.

 

Benefits for the university

The university gets the chance for a new focus for it's studies. The students gain work experience in the area of forming a musical partnership and musical therapy. They learn to work with a new kind of music work group.