When Grown-Ups Learn Musical Instruments

Guest: Sam Tsugawa, PhD, Professor of Music Education, Director of the New Horizons Orchestra, BYU Think of the people you know who play a musical instrument? Chances are, most – if not all – of them started learning it when they were in grade school. In American culture there’s a window of opportunity to learn a music instrument that seems to close at around junior high. It doesn’t have to close, of course. A program called New Horizons Music just marked 25 years of helping adults – particularly senior citizens – pick up a musical instrument. There are now New Horizons Bands and Orchestras all across the country that welcome people of all musical skill levels – even complete beginners.