Guadalupe López-Íñiguez, PhD, MMus

About

I study how music education supports human development and sustainable excellence across educational and professional pathways. My work is carried out in close dialogue with leading international scholars across interdisciplinary fields. I have led internationally funded research projects for nearly two decades, including the ongoing The Politics of Care in the Professional Education of Children Gifted for Music project (Research Council of Finland, 2022–2027).

My research, characterised by a rich methodological approach, focuses on giftedness, identity, motivation, wellbeing, and professional education. It integrates perspectives from educational and learning psychology, particularly socio-cognitive constructivism, and developmental-ecological models of talent, alongside philosophical, sociological, and systemic approaches to music education and performance. It is further informed by care ethics and sustainability, conceptualising music education as a relational and evolving ecosystem shaped by human interaction, institutional structures, and policy contexts.

Currently, I am a University Researcher at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki (Finland), where I also serve as Docent in Music Education. In addition, I am an Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne (Australia). Alongside my academic work, I have a former professional career as a performing cellist and studio teacher. My recordings of the complete cello works by Gabrielli, Scarlatti, and Mendelssohn, released by Alba Records and performed on period instruments, received critical acclaim.

I have authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications and am the author of Real-Life Experiences of Children Gifted for Music (Oxford University Press, forthcoming). I have also co-edited several volumes, including Caring for Gifted and Talented Music Learners (Oxford University Press, in press), Research Perspectives on Music Education in Ibero-America (Routledge, 2025), and Learning and Teaching in the Music Studio – A Student-Centred Approach (Springer, 2022; Spanish edition, Morata, 2020).

I am regularly invited as a keynote speaker and expert adviser for funding bodies, international peer-reviewed journals, and educational and professional programmes. I also serve internationally as an opponent and pre-examiner for doctoral dissertations, hold global leadership roles, and have received multiple awards for research excellence.