O ensino em escolas especializadas em música de Mossoró/RN: Trajetórias Profissionais de Egressos da Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (UERN)

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the professional trajectories of graduates from the State University of Rio Grande do Norte (UERN) who work in specialized music institutions located in Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Its general objective was to understand the factors that led graduates from UERN’s Music Teacher Education program to work in specialized music schools. The specific objectives were to map the specialized music schools that have gained visibility within the local context of professional musical activity in Mossoró/RN; to identify graduates from UERN’s music program who work in the institutions surveyed; to characterize the educational backgrounds of these graduates, both prior to and during their academic training; and to reflect on the professional possibilities available to graduates of UERN’s music program. This research adopted a qualitative and exploratory approach, which allowed for a more flexible methodological design and a closer relationship between the researcher and the field of study. The data that supported this investigation were collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers working in specialized music education institutions located in Mossoró/RN. The theoretical framework was grounded in the contributions of authors who have examined and discussed the professional practice of music graduates, especially in relation to the context of specialized schools. The authors who informed the theoretical discussion include, among others, Abreu (2008), Penna (2004b), Pereira (2012), Oliveira (2011), Pimentel (2015), Ribeiro (2013), Weidner; Biaggi (2021), Costa; Ribeiro (2021), as well as Almeida; Silva (2013), Almeida et al. (2018), Ferreira (2019), Carmo (2022), Fernandino; Novo (2024). The findings showed that the work of these graduates in specialized music institutions is shaped by the interplay between their musical trajectories, the education they received during their undergraduate studies, the connections established throughout their paths, and the concrete circumstances of the regional labor market. These institutions constitute spaces for both professional entry and career continuity, not only because teachers identify with musical practices that are more closely aligned with their pedagogical work, but also because they offer working conditions that are more consistent with their trajectories and professional expectations.