Lovers of classical music have two things to celebrate. First the soloists they love to listen to will be around for a long, long time. And second, if they themselves play they have a good chance of not getting dementia. Science has just discovered that if you start playing in your 60s, it’s still a good protection..
By contrast, the rock star lifestyle is not a guarantor of longevity. We might have that perception anyway but a statistician has actually done the math. And the evidence is undeniable. An analysis of 1,042 deceased musicians by Professor Les Mayhew showed that 83% died before reaching the age of 70, where just 20% of the overall male population in the UK fail to make this milestone.
Motorhead frontman Lemmy died shortly after Christmas 2015 following an adult lifetime of excessive alcohol and drug consumption. He had only recently turned 70. David Bowie and Alan Rickman passed away in January 2016, both at the age of 69. Bowie spent most of the 1970s indulging in monumental feats of cocaine consumption, and remained a heavy smoker up until his mid 50s, when he suffered a near fatal heart attack. Also in January, Glenn Frey of the American rock band The Eagles died following a long history of health problems linked with alcohol and drug abuse in his past. He was 67.
The Classical Advantage
The numbers are staggering. Maurizio Pollini at 75 delivered performances critics described as “playing like a deity.” Vladimir Horowitz gave masterly performances at 83. Arthur Rubenstein performed publicly for 85 of his 95 years. Arturo Toscanini conducted complete Beethoven cycles in his late 80s. Pablo Casals was composing at 94 and conducting at 96. These aren’t isolated cases – they’re the norm in classical music.
What drives this extraordinary longevity? Casals himself provided the answer. At 93, he reflected with characteristic insight: “Age is a relative matter. If you continue to work and to absorb the beauty in the world about you, you find that age does not necessarily mean getting old. At least, not in the ordinary sense. I feel many things more intensely than ever before, and for me life grows more fascinating.”
When he learned of an orchestra in the Caucasus composed entirely of musicians over 100, Casals wasn’t surprised. Their secret, he believed, lay in their attitude: “In spite of their age, those musicians have not lost their zest for life. I believe that their ability to work is due in no small measure to the fact that they do work. Work helps prevent one from getting old. I, for one, cannot dream of retiring. Not now or ever.”
His philosophy was uncompromising: “Retire? The word is alien and the idea inconceivable to me. The man who works and is never bored is never old. Work and interest in worthwhile things are the best remedy for age. Each day I am reborn. Each day I must begin again.”
The contrast with popular music couldn’t be starker. Where the rock industry serves up a toxic cocktail of irregular hours, substance abuse, and relentless touring stress, classical musicians feast on structure, discipline, and the pure joy of musical expression.
The result? Careers that span decades, not years. And that’s as true of today as yesteryear.
In April of this year the Argentinean pianist, martha Argerich who won the Chopin International competition in 1965, gave a performance in Switzerland which has been her second home for decades. Regarded by some as the greatest pianist currently alive she is still giving extraordinary performances. Her stamina is staggering – she gave 80 performances in 2024 alone.
Certainly until now there has been no signs of her fingers slowing down.( Some would have said even if they did slow down she would merely return to a state that most musicians’ fingers are at the start of their career!
Conductors, seemingly, seem to endure for even longer. Charles Dutoit ( as it happens’ Martha’s Argerich’s ex husband is still very much demand across Europe. Even so he is a mere stripling as my old tutor would have said by comparison with Blomstedt, San Francisco Symphony’s conductor laureate who is now 97. Astonishingly he was still the 10th busiest conductor in the world in 2023.
The Brain Revolution
There’s been much speculation about why musicians live so long – and scientists now have the means to move from speculation to evidence .
Conducting is good aerobic exercise; it keeps the mind active. Music bathes the brain in alpha waves and in addition is a social activity. Being part of an orchestra, playing an instrument, being in a choir brings people together as almost no other activity can.
But here’s where it gets really exciting. Recent research reveals that playing an instrument throughout life is linked to improved memory and executive function, with piano players showing the strongest cognitive benefits. The brain scans don’t lie – music activates some of the broadest and most diverse networks in the brain, engaging everything from motor systems to memory regions.
What’s truly revolutionary is this: people over 60 who only began learning piano and continued for just six months showed improved working memory, motor skills, and perceptual speed compared to controls. Before people thought these benefits were only granted to life-long musicians. Well now it seems you can get in on the party later than we thought.
The 60-Plus Phenomenon: The Dramatic Boost to your Brain.
Studies show that musical training in late adulthood produces similar cognitive enhancements to those seen in lifelong musicians. The research is unequivocal: engaging in music at any time in your life is associated with better brain health in older age.
When we learn new musical skills, we create neural pathways that become stronger and more efficient over time, with neuroimaging studies showing increased reward activation in the memory part of our brains and enhanced white matter plasticity. The activation is wide-reaching. The networks include in executive functions, memory, and language processing.
The Practice Prescription
The implications are staggering. While gyms focus on physical fitness and brain training apps promise cognitive enhancement, music delivers both – plus joy, creativity, and social connection.
Whether you’re 60, 70, or 80, whether you’ve never touched an instrument or played decades ago, the message from science is clear: it’s time to make music. Your brain will thank you, your social life will flourish, and who knows? You might just discover you have your own inner virtuoso waiting to emerge.
You don’t need to become the next Horowitz. Most study participants had played for five years or less, practicing just 2-3 hours weekly during their active musical years. That’s less time than many people spend watching television.
The question isn’t whether you’re too old to start. The question is: what are you waiting for?
