"Tell me about your relationship with music": researching with autobiographical narratives in Music Education

Abstract

This paper discusses the perspectives of (auto)biographical research in Music Education, highlighting its role in the investigation of memories, musical and professional formation paths, personal relations and significance with music. Initially, an overview of (auto)biographical research is presented from publications in academic journals in the field of Music and Human Sciences. Then, some studies developed by the "Music, Culture, and Education" Research Group (of Federal University of Paraíba) are discussed, focusing on their themes and methodologies. The perspective of (auto)biographical research in studies of personal and professional development is also examined, as well as the use of narrative interviews in more specific investigations. Finally, the contributions and limitations of (auto)biographical research are critically analyzed, proposing reflections that, although centered on Music Education, may be relevant to other areas of musical studies.