William Green
Nearly everyone wants to know the ‘secret’ to longevity. Several years ago, on his 107th birthday, Jack Coe (at that time the oldest man in New Zealand) declared that the secret was ‘popcorn and beer’. Hastings centenarian Vi Cassin, born in 1924, gave her answer as ‘onions and beer’. I would like to meet her, not only to find out whether she consumes these two items separately or together, but also because she is a pianist. As a pianist myself, I regularly work with retirement village choirs and have become increasingly intrigued by centenarian musicians. Is part of the ‘secret’ to longevity contained in their musicianship?
Studies have shown that music stimulates parts of the brain responsible for memory, attention and problem-solving skills. I’ve certainly noticed that many musical centenarians I’ve met continue to be proficient in using Google, email and YouTube. Another important factor also seems to be that being musically active contributes to a sense of purpose, accomplishment and community belonging. [Read more…] about Encounters with Musical Centenarians