NON-FORMAL MUSIC EDUCATION IN RURAL COMMUNITY CONTEXTS: A CASE STUDY ON REMINISCENCE, HERITAGE, AND ACTIVE AGING IN THE SENIOR POPULATION

Abstract

This article aims to discuss the role of non-formal music education in promoting active aging, enhancing personal and social skills, and preserving intangible heritage among senior populations in rural settings. Based on the case study of the socio-musical intervention project Old Music, developed at the X Day Center in the rural village Y, within the Applied Music Studies Degree (Music in Special Contexts branch) at the Polytechnic University of Coimbra, School of Education, we examine the use of music as an intentional tool for community intervention. Framed within the Service-Learning (SL) approach of the SeCApS Project, this research adopts a qualitative methodology inspired by action-research, using participant observation, diagnostic assessment, and content analysis. The results reveal substantial impacts on cognitive stimulation, biographical reminiscence, community and intergenerational cohesion, as well as the development of reflective, ethical, and operational skills in the student author. The work demonstrates that non-formal music education and Service-Learning transform technical knowledge into practical wisdom, ethical care, and active citizenship.