Music unites us: a teacher educator and teacher candidate comparative ethnographic narrative inquiry into the benefits of music education

This study investigated the benefits of music education while providing a teacher educator and teacher candidate the opportunity to conduct collaborative research using comparative ethnographic narrative (CEN), a blend of narrative inquiry and reflexive ethnography. CEN relies on two researchers reflecting together and co-constructing knowledge with participants. Qualitative data from surveys (N = 116), and interview data from 12 participants, were combined with teacher candidate observations to synthesise a composite narrative story of lived experience. Through iterative coding and constant comparison, codes were collapsed and synthesised into major themes. A composite character, Jamie was created using representative constructions to capture, collate, and summarise all data. Jamie's story provides insights into lived experiences of individuals, while highlighting significant findings. Narrative inquiry of participants' lived experiences in a unique summer music programme, revealed many life-long benefits of music education including significant personal, social, and life skills such as creativity, leadership, teamwork, cooperation, responsibility, discipline and communication.