José António Neves

Biography

He began his teaching career in 1978 as a classical guitar teacher, a role he maintained until 1993. In 1981, he started teaching Music Education in primary/elementary education (Ensino Básico), a position he held until 2024. Since 2013, he has been an Integrated Researcher at CIPEM (Center for Research in Psychology of Music and Music Education), the IPP branch of INET-md (Institute of Ethnomusicology – Music and Dance – FCSH/UNL). Between 2016 and 2021, he collaborated with ESMAE in their Master’s in Teaching, focusing on Didactics. From 2002 to 2018, he served as Coordinator of the Expressions Department and was a member of the Pedagogical Council, where he joined the Training Committee of the Agrupamento de Escolas Diogo Cão. From 2009 to 2019, he was an Invited Assistant Professor at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), teaching the Music Expression I and II curricular units for the Primary/Elementary Education degree. He was also an Invited Professor at ISEIT (Instituto Superior de Estudos Interculturais e Transdisciplinares de Mirandela) from 2004 to 2011, where he taught Anthropo-sociological Evolution of Science and Technology, Literature and Arts / Music for the Bachelor’s degree in Music and Instrument, and Vocational Music Teaching Pedagogies II and Special Needs in Music for the Master’s degree in Instrument Pedagogy. Additionally, he was a lecturer at the Jean Piaget Higher School of Education Northeast (1997–1999), teaching Instrumental Practice and Integrated Expressions in the Primary/Elementary Education and Music Education degree.

He holds a PhD in Education Sciences from UTAD and a Master’s degree in Instruments and Techniques for Rural Development, specializing in Rural Development Animation, also from UTAD. He holds a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) in Music Expression Didactics from the University of Vigo, which awards Research Proficiency (Suficiencia Investigadora) in Spain. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Teaching for the 2nd Cycle of Primary/Elementary Education, specializing in Music Education.

He is a founding member and board member of the Recreational and Cultural Group ‘A Voz do Campo’, where he founded the Tuna (academic musical group) in 1994, directing it for 10 years. He is a founder and board member of the Círculo de Cultura Musical de Vila Real Association, as well as a founder and board member of the ‘O Lavrador’ Cultural Association. He served as a pedagogical consultant for the Orquestra do Norte (1999–2001) and as an advisor for Music and Dance at the Northern Regional Delegation for Culture (1994–1998). He was also an advisor to the Vila Real City Council, where he was responsible for creating and developing the project for the Music Conservatory (1999–2004). Between 2003 and 2012, he was the Executive Director of the Comendador Manuel Correia Botelho Foundation and a member of the Pedagogical Directorate of the Regional Music Conservatory of Vila Real. He served as an External Evaluator for Music Education in the Vila Real district until 2018, and has been serving in Porto since 2018.

His published literary and musical work includes several compositions and collaborations on records, radio, and television programs. He is a member of the Portuguese Society of Authors (SPA).