On Values and Life’s Journey through Music: Reflections on the Eriksons’ Life Stages and Music Education

Abstract

The premise of this chapter is that the values that guide music education and the objectives and methods consistent with them should be tailored to people at each phase of life. Thinking of a theme, “Life’s journey through music,” I sketch different values that should guide music education throughout the adult phases of life proposed in Erik and Joan Erikson’s psychosocial state theory, namely, young adulthood, adulthood, old age, and gerotranscendence, respectively. Practical implications of the differing objectives and approaches commensurate with these values are suggested and a critique of the analysis is offered.