Senior students attend a drum class at the Dongda Tribe Music Studio in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, in August 2025. Photo: Courtesy of Li Yonghua

Every morning at 10 am, the sound of drums fills the Dongda Tribe Music Studio in Kunming's Xishan district, Southwest China's Yunnan Province. There are no sheet music stands, no musical jargon - just a group of retirees sustaining the rhythm under the guidance of their teachers.

The students range in age from 52 to 83, with an average age of 67. Many have never touched a drum before. Some come from Kunming, while others travel from provinces including Liaoning, Anhui, and Zhejiang, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The studio's founder, Li Yonghua, told the Global Times that the studio now has more than 500 students, with retirees making up more than 90 percent of the enrollment.

Considering most students are on fixed incomes, each drum lesson costs just 28 yuan ($3.94), a price that has attracted even more seniors to join, said Li.

"Retirement doesn't mean stopping life or putting time on hold," Li Hongying, a teacher at the studio, told the Global Times. "It's a new beginning, a chance to make your later years happier." 

In recent years, China's silver-haired generation has gone beyond basic care and support in old age to explore more diverse lifestyles while seeking self-fulfillment and greater spiritual satisfaction, according to the China News Service. They are increasingly embracing physical and recreational activities. Senior cycling and hiking groups are growing in popularity, and even weightlifting in gyms is no longer exclusive to younger people.

"This trend reflects a positive shift in how the silver-haired generation lives while moving toward active living. By joining hobby classes and exercising, they strengthen their bodies and slow aging; through artistic pursuits, they express creativity and realize personal value," Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

In his view, older adults are engaging with society more actively, improving their quality of life while bringing new energy to the community, which is also a striking example of "successful aging" being put into practice.

Breaking age barriers 

Although these retired students now play the drums with strong, confident rhythms, most started with no musical experience and the learning process was not easy.

The music studio has tailored its teaching methods to the needs of older learners. Li Yonghua said he developed a way that does not rely on musical theory but emphasizes intuitive understanding.

"I simplify drum melodies, create catchy phrases to help students remember the beats, and let them play along while voicing the rhythm," he said. "We focus on enjoying the process rather than preparing for exams. That helps these older students realize their musical dreams and experience emotional fulfillment."

Li Hongying said students often practice at home using makeshift drum setups made from pillows and cushions. "In other words, the students who learn fastest are the ones who practice diligently at home."

For 76-year-old Li Shiqi, learning the drums has been transformative. Diagnosed with cancer, she initially struggled to even hold drumsticks. At home, she used chopsticks and sofa cushions to practice. Now, once the rhythm starts, she forgets about her illness.