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Evergreen Symphony Orchestra Expands Community Outreach with Music & Care Workshop

  • 2026-10-05
Taiwan- and U.S.-certified music therapist Yvonne Kuo led the workshop, sharing practical perspectives on music, aging, and community engagement.
Taiwan- and U.S.-certified music therapist Yvonne Kuo led the workshop, sharing practical perspectives on music, aging, and community engagement.

Taipei, October 6, 2026.             The Evergreen Symphony Orchestra (ESO) brought together musicians, a certified music therapist, senior-care professionals and community members for “Music & Care: Senior Wellness Workshop” at the Chang Yung-fa Foundation on October 6. Led by Taiwan- and U.S.-certified music therapist Yvonne Kuo, the workshop was designed to strengthen ESO’s community programs by exploring how music can better respond to the needs of older adults and support their well-being.

Workshop participants, including ESO musicians, daycare center staff, and music therapist Yvonne Kuo, gathered for a group photo following the session.
Workshop participants, including ESO musicians, daycare center staff, and music therapist Yvonne Kuo, gathered for a group photo following the session.

The workshop introduced practical approaches from music therapy, covering program flow, the use of instruments, communication with older adults and on-site facilitation. Musicians also learned how to observe participants’ responses and adjust the pace and structure of activities in senior-care settings. Drawing on perspectives from both music therapy and frontline senior care, the session emphasized clear professional roles between musicians and care providers while exploring ways to encourage participation, interaction and shared experiences through music.

Yvonne Kuo introduced foundational concepts of music-based support, focusing on participant-centered approaches to musical interaction and activity design.
Yvonne Kuo introduced foundational concepts of music-based support, focusing on participant-centered approaches to musical interaction and activity design.

According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) and National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), an estimated 350,000 people aged 65 and above in Taiwan were living with dementia in 2024, and the number is expected to continue rising. As Taiwan becomes a super-aged society, creating more opportunities for older adults to remain socially engaged, connected and involved in daily life has become an increasingly important issue.

For ESO, community outreach means more than simply adapting an existing concert to a smaller venue. Programs also need to respond to the people taking part. Through professional training such as this workshop, the orchestra hopes to give musicians involved in its outreach programs a better understanding of how to observe and engage with different groups, helping each performance create more meaningful interaction.

Participants engaged in hands-on simulations to explore how music can encourage engagement, interaction, and meaningful community participation among older adults.
Participants engaged in hands-on simulations to explore how music can encourage engagement, interaction, and meaningful community participation among older adults.

ESO will continue to combine community performances with professional training and apply what its musicians learn through the workshop to future outreach programs. By building experience across different social welfare settings, the orchestra hopes to develop a more thoughtful and structured approach to community performance, allowing music to become not only something to be heard, but also a way for people to participate, connect and share.