She studied composition under Ernst Widmer at the School of Music and Performing Arts of the Federal University of Bahia.
After graduation in 1972, she won a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and continued her studies in composition at the Academy of Music in Cologne (1974–1977) with Mauricio Kagel.
She also obtained Master of Arts (1983) and Doctor of Philosophy (1985) degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo (USA), where she studied under Lejaren Hiller and Morton Feldman.
Nogueira is a senior scholar of the National Counsel for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and a Member of the Brazilian Academy of Music (holding chair n.
[4] As a musicologist, Nogueira writes books, articles and critical reviews on contemporary music, focusing on Bahian composers.