Music Theory/Composition 2018-19

For Music Theory and Composition jobs that begin in 2019.

Last year's page, for jobs that start in 2018: Music Theory/Composition 2017-18

Music Theory/Composition 2016–2017 (2 years ago)

Music Theory/Composition 2016-17 (3 years ago)

Music Theory/Composition 2015-16 (4 years ago)

See also: Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2018-19

RECENT ACTIVITY on the Music Theory/Composition Wiki
Recent Edits

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Theory Only
Amherst College (deadline 12/15) Visiting Professor - open rank

Appalachian State (deadline 11/1) Assistant Professor of Music Theory


 * 11/9: Skype interview scheduled
 * 12/3: Campus interview scheduled
 * 2/26 Rejection email recieved (Job filled)
 * 2/28: Position Accepted, Robert Komaniecki (ABD Indiana University)

Calvin College (open until filled) Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Musicianship


 * "Our ideal candidate is a generalist with broad musical expertise who can teach our theory and musicianship sequence, including keyboard harmony, as well one or more of the following areas (listed in order of need): music technology (teaching Sibelius and ProTools basics, maintaining our lab and composition studio), composition, piano, strings, and/or voice."


 * "Calvin College seeks faculty members who affirm the Christian faith as expressed by the Reformed confessions and who have academic and personal qualifications for teaching and scholarship."
 * 3/1 Rejection e-mail received, e-mail states 4 finalists have been chosen for on-campus interviews

The Colburn School (open until filled) Chair and Faculty Member - Music Theory


 * 2/21: Skype interview with Provost, Dean, and 4 faculty members
 * 3/5: Email "...we have decided to move forward with other candidates."

Columbia University (deadline 11/26) Postdoctoral scholar - Presidential Scholars in Society and Neuroscience


 * "The goal of this interdisciplinary experiment is to train and foster a new generation of scholars with the capacity to advance understanding of the humanistic and social dimensions of mind, brain, and behavior." [N.B.: This position was posted on MTO jobs and is open to scholars with PhDs in music and an interest in interdisciplinary work in neuroscience.]

Columbia University (Review begins 12/15) - Lecturer in Discipline


 * "invites applications for a full-time, three-year (limited-term) appointment at the rank of Lecturer in Discipline beginning July 1, 2019. The primary duties of the successful candidate will be to teach courses in the core undergraduate Music Theory curriculum. The Department welcomes applications from candidates who are qualified to teach in the Western classical canon. Other teaching is possible in areas that may include popular music, jazz, film music, and/or non-Western music."
 * 1/29: Request for additional materials (x4)
 * 2/8: Video interviews scheduled for next week (x2)
 * 2/19: Campus interview scheduled

Dartmouth College (Deadline 11/1) - Assistant Professor of Music


 * "Teaching responsibilities will focus on Western art music history and theory. We will prioritize candidates with the demonstrated ability to make music come alive in the undergraduate classroom through performance and/or creative pedagogies." [N.B.: This was sent to SMT-announce, hence I assume that a theorist would be an appropriate candidate]
 * Rejection notification sent (11/19) (x4)

Florida State University (deadline 9/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory (enter job code 44027)


 * 9/21: invitation for on-campus interview
 * 11/13: Position accepted, Gilad Rabinovitch (Ph.D. Eastman 2015, assistant prof. at Georgia State University)

Georgia State University (apply by 2/10/2019 to ensure consideration, open until filled) TT Assistant Professor in Music Theory


 * Converging evidence from SMT-announce vol. 120/10 suggests that the deadline has indeed been postponed to 2/10. I apologize for having introduced a bit of noise into the wiki's "system." A previous poster also mentioned a Chronicle posting. I think that submitting by 2/10 would be safe.
 * Any news on this one?

Grambling State University (deadline ?) Assistant Professor - Music Theory

Grand Valley State University (deadline 11/1) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * 11/26: request for additional materials

Indiana University - Bloomington (deadline 11/9) Visiting Assistant Professor/Post-Doctoral Resident Scholar


 * 11/30: Request for additional materials (x2)
 * 1/14: Request for Skype interview for week of 1/21 (x2)

Kent State (deadline 12/16) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * The deadline extended to January 11.
 * 2/14: request for Skype interview
 * 3/7:  Invitation for on-campus interview

Louisiana State University (deadline 10/1) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * 10/12 Request for additional materials (x3)
 * Skype interviews scheduled for week of 10/22 (X2)
 * 11/2 Campus interview scheduled
 * 12/10 offer accepted
 * do we know who?
 * Olivia Lucas, PhD Harvard 2016, Victoria University of Wellington

Michigan State University (review begins 11/16) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * 11/12: Reference contacted (Yes, before the review begins.) (x3)
 * 11/27: Request for additional materials (X3)
 * 12/11: Phone interview scheduled (X2)
 * 1/31:  Position filled per e-mail from HR (James Sullivan, Eastman PhD)

Millikin University (deadline 10/15) Assistant Professor - Coordinator of Music Theory


 * "Primary responsibilities include: teaching and coordinating the music theory and aural skills curriculum; engaging in recruitment and retention initiatives; maintaining an active scholarly profile and current knowledge of trends in music theory pedagogy."
 * Skype interview scheduled week of 10/29 (x2)
 * 11/5 On-campus interview scheduled
 * 12/7 Position filled per e-mail from HR

MIT (deadline 12/15) Lecturer I in Music


 * 1/24: Request for additional materials (x2)
 * 2/19: Request for campus visit

Mount Allison University (review begins 1/18/2019) Assistant Professor (or Lecturer) in Music Theory


 * 1/25: Request for additional materials

Portland State University (screening begins 1/11/19) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * Any action here?
 * 2/6: Emailed contact from job posting asking if there has been any movement or updates, her response: "The search committee is reviewing applications and should be notifying candidates of any status changes shortly."
 * Noticed today (2/20) on the job portal site that the status of my application had been updated (at some point) to "No longer under consideration"
 * 3/8: I'm still "under consideration." Has anyone heard anything?

Rutgers University (deadline 10/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory

Southwestern College (deadline 3/1) Assistant Professor of Music
 * 12/10: Has anyone heard anything about this? Rutgers has another search (Assistant Professor - Musicology or Ethnomusicology) that, according to the Musicology/Ethnomusicology jobs wiki, already reached Skype interviews (as of 11/28).
 * 12/10: NB that other Rutgers search is at their Newark campus, not the New Brunswick campus which this advertisement is for.
 * 12/09: Skype interview scheduled
 * primary teaching responsibilities will include but are not limited to: Music Theory and Aural Skills. Assignments may include a wide range of lecture/performance courses.
 * Additional desirable qualifications include strong keyboard performance and keyboard pedagogy skills.
 * The successful candidate will have a broad range of musical experiences in performance and Music Appreciation.

St Olaf College (deadline 3/15) Music Theory/Aural Skills Term Faculty 19/20

Shenandoah Conservatory(open until filled, first round review starts 3/20) Lecturer in Music Theory and Musicianship


 * Auxiliary Adjunct contract = benefited, renewable position teaching 16–23..5 FTE yearly

Tarleton State University (deadline 2/18) Assistant Professor of Music Theory


 * " A review of applications will begin as they are received."


 * "A secondary field is also required, such as Music Education, Music Technology, Composition, Applied Music, or Musicology."
 * 2/19: Request for Skype interview (x2)
 * 2/26: References contacted

Texas A&M University Commerce (review begins 1/14) Assistant Professor of Music Theory


 * "A completed Doctoral degree in Music Theory or Composition is required for appointment as Assistant Professor."
 * 2/26 Any developments here?
 * 3/1 Request for phone interview

Texas A&M University Kingsville (deadline ?) Adjunct in Music Theory/Ear-Training, Spring 2019 only

University of Georgia (deadline 11/3) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * 11/16 Request for additional materials (x5)
 * 12/13 Request for Skype interview (x2)
 * 1/11 Request for campus visit (x2)
 * 1/24 Rejection email sent (for those who didn't get a campus visit)

University of Iowa (deadline 10/22) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * 12/4: Request for additional materials (x5)
 * 1/21: Request for Skype interview (x2)
 * 1/28: On-Campus interviews being scheduled

University of Missouri - Kansas City (deadline 11/26) Assistant/Associate Professor - Music Theory


 * 12/10 Request for additional materials
 * 1/18 Request to schedule Zoom interview

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * 12/3 Request for additional materials (x10)
 * 1/24 Request for video interview (x5)
 * 2/14 Request for on-campus interview

University of North Texas (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory - Post-1900 emphasis


 * 11/28 Skype interview scheduled (x3)
 * 12/18 On-campus interviews being scheduled

University of North Texas (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory - Pre-1750 emphasis


 * 11/28 Skype interview scheduled (x2)

University of Notre Dame  (deadline 10/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * Any news on this one?
 * I think that it had progressed beyond the initial screening a while ago.
 * 2/18 Position filled per email from search chair.

University of Saskatchewan (deadline 8/1) Sessional Lecturer, MUS 234 (02) University of South Carolina (priority screening 12/1) Assistant Professor - Music Theory
 * "The Department of Music invites applications for a Sessional Lecturer to teach the following course during the 2018-2019 Winter session: MUS 234 (02) Fundamentals of Music Theory IV, January 3 to April 5, 2019
 * 12/14 Request for additional materials (x5)
 * 1/15 Request for phone interview
 * 1/26 On-campus interview requested

University of Texas at Austin (deadline 11/30) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * 12/7 Request for additional materials (x5)
 * 1/11 Request for campus visit (X2)

Vassar College (posted 10/31) Adjunct Instructor - Music Theory (Spring 2019 only)


 * 12/8 On-campus interview requested
 * 12/18 Offer Made and Accepted

Virginia Tech (deadline 12/6) Collegiate Assistant Professor - Music Theory (3-year appointment, non-TT)

Yale University (review begins 3/12, priority given to those who apply by 4/10) Assistant Professor Adjunct of Music Analysis and Musicianship
 * 1/15 request for phone interview
 * 2/26 Campus interview finished
 * 3/11 Offer made

Wake Forest University (deadline 11/30) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * 1/9 They are still contacting references
 * 11/26 request for recommender letters by 12/21
 * 3/11 Position accepted, David Geary (ABD Indiana University, Visiting Instructor Oberlin Conservatory)

Wellesley College (deadline 10/19) Postdoctoral Fellow - Music Theory (start date 1/1/2019)
 * From the Search Committee: First round interviews will be scheduled for Friday 2 November at AMS/SMT.
 * Position accepted: Maeve Sterbenz PhD 2017 Columbia University

Theory/Performance, etc.
Albright College (deadline 11/1) Assistant Professor of Music - Director of Applied Commercial Music

Albright College (deadline 11/1) Assistant Professor of Music - Director of Choral Activities

Bemidji State University (deadline 12/4) Assistant/Associate Professor of Music Theory

Borough of Manhattan Community College (deadline 1/4) Assistant/Associate/Full Professor of Music Kutztown University (open until filled) Temporary Faculty Positions in Music Louisiana College (open until filled) Assistant Professor of Music Theory University of Central Missouri (review begins 1/4) Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Music Technology
 * "The candidate would be expected to teach in an applied area."
 * 1/25 Rejection email received
 * "Primary responsibilities for music faculty include teaching courses in their area of expertise, music core curriculum courses and historical survey classes. Candidates for this position will coordinate the music core classes, and teach a variety of courses such as digital music, popular music, theory, jazz theory, aural skills, and music notation software."
 * 12/30 System reports that position is closed?
 * 3/7 Rejection e-mail received
 * "Responsibilities could include teaching any of the following: large Jazz Ensemble, Rock Ensemble, Jazz/Commercial Arranging, Jazz Improvisation, Music Theory, Music Business, Songwriting, Audio Engineering."
 * "The qualified candidate will need to demonstrate exceptional musicianship, a strong piano skill set, quality leadership, and a Christ-centered educational mindset that permeates the duties the applicant will be responsible for. "
 * "The preferred candidate will have a strong piano background with the ability to teach private and group piano courses. Accompaniment skills will also be an important quality for the search committee to review."
 * "Teach one or two music technology courses each semester in the University's cutting-edge music technology program."
 * 1/19 Request for additional materials
 * 2/15 Skype interview.
 * Campus interview scheduled for week of March 11th.

University of Mary Washington (Virginia) (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory / Director of Keyboard Studies
 * Position number F00165
 * 3/5 Offer accepted per call from search chair

University of Nebraska – Lincoln (deadline 1/16) Assistant Professor of Bassoon/Theory


 * "…teach undergraduate music theory and aural skills."


 * Besides creative activity involving bassoon performance, the candidate "may also establish and maintain a program of scholarly productivity in the field of music theory."

Rider University (deadline 1/2) Assistant Professor (Popular Music) Southwestern College Instructor of Music: Collaborative Pianist and Instructor of Music Theory/Aural Skills Xavier University (review begins 1/7) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * " The successful candidate will hold a doctoral degree (PhD or DMA) in music or a related field with a primary focus on popular music studies.
 * 2/14: Request for on-campus interview
 * "position performs collaborative pianist duties and teaches a variety of courses which will include the theory sequence, aural skills and sight singing, and arts general education"
 * Responsibilities include a full-time teaching load and departmental service including an Applied Instrument studio, teaching pedagogical classes in primary area, and teaching all lower and upper level theory courses.

Theory/Composition, etc.
Appalachian State University (deadline ) Lecturer of Composition and Theory


 * 1/25 Additional materials requested
 * 2/26 Skype interviews
 * Any movement since video interviews?

Arizona State University (deadline 12/15) Assistant/Associate Professor in Music Composition (two vacancies)


 * "…provide excellent teaching to the composition and theory areas."
 * (1/15) Skype interview scheduled for week of 1/21
 * Any word on whether the interview is for the Assistant or Associate position (or both)?
 * Not sure- wording on the email seems like it's both. (Thanks for response!)
 * 2/9 Campus Interview Scheduled

Colby College (review begins 1/15, deadline 1/31) Faculty Fellow in Music Theory/Composition

College of Wooster (priority given to those who apply by 3/15, open until filled) Visiting Assistant Professor (Music Composition & Theory)

Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam (review begins 10/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory and Composition


 * Additional materials requested (x2)
 * Skype Interviews held the week of 11/5 - 11/8 (x2)
 * 12/7 E-mail notification that the position has been filled. "The hiring department selected a candidate whose qualifications appear to most closely match the requirements of the position." (x2)

Depaul University (open until filled) Assistant Professor - Composition and Musicianship


 * (11/13) This listing had been up for a while... surprised that there hasn't been any motion yet, at least here.
 * (12/10) Here either. Anyone heard anything?
 * (12/27) Re-listed on Indeed.com.
 * (1/12) Skype interview scheduled for week of 1/14

Fullerton College (deadline 11/5) Music Theory/Composition Instructor (part-time)

George Fox University (open until filled) Adjunct Professor of Music (Spring 2019)

Georgetown University (deadline 10/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory and Composition

Maricopa County Community College District (open until filled) Music: Theory/Composition (Adjunct)
 * On campus interviews scheduled (11/2)
 * 1/9 Position filled per rejection email (x2)

New York University (review begins 12/10) Assistant Professor North Orange County Community College (posted 12/27, open until filled) Music Theory and Composition Instructor Reed College (deadline 1/8) Two-Year Visiting Position in Music Composition/Theory Reinhardt University (review begins 3/20) Assistant Professor of Music (Theory & Composition)
 * "The Department of Music at New York University invites applications for a scholar of music studies at the assistant level. ... We encourage work that crosses and connects the department’s three subfields - composition, ethnomusicology, and musicology - and reaches out to other fields and modes of inquiry."
 * 1/17 Request for additional materials
 * "NOCCCD will not sponsor any visa applications."
 * 1/25 Additional materials requested (x4)
 * 2/25 Preliminary interview invitation

Sewanee: The University of the South (review begins 1/4) Assistant or Associate Professor of Composition/Music Theory
 * "She or he will possess professional-level ability on an orchestral or jazz instrument, will develop a studio on that instrument, and will contribute as appropriate to applied instruction and a University ensemble."
 * 2/19 Skype interview.

Soochow University School of Music (near Shanghai)(2 vacancies, program leader and faculty member)

Texas Christian University (deadline 12/20) TCU Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship Truman State University (review begins 4/4) Assistant Professor of Music (Theory & Composition)
 * The status of my application was changed to "not selected" on 2/16

Union College (deadline 12/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory and Composition


 * "Teaching courses in theory and composition is the primary responsibility of this position. ... The successful candidate will also demonstrate expertise in Digital Audio Arts, offering classes and supervising projects using digital media to create, record, and process sound."

Union University (posted 2/6) Faculty Position in Composition, Music Theory, Arranging, and Technology
 * 1/14 Phone interview requested (x3)
 * 1/29 Movement here since phone interviews?
 * 2/19 Anything?
 * "Successful candidates must be professing Christians who are active members of a local church."

University of Kentucky (Lexington) (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory and Composition


 * "We are currently reviewing applications as they are received." (10/23)
 * 1/12 Skype interview scheduled
 * 1/29 Campus interview scheduled
 * 2/20 Rejection e-mail received

University of Northern Iowa (deadline 11/2) Assistant Professor - Music Composition and Theory

University of Utah (deadline 1/7) Assistant Professor - Music Composition and Theory
 * Required Doctoral degree in composition with 18+ hours graduate study in theory
 * 12/3 Additional materials requested
 * 1/10 Phone interview request

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (deadline 4/7) Assistant Professor of Composition and Theory
 * 01/17 Request for additional materials (x2)
 * 2/1 Skype interviews scheduled

Wheaton College (posted 12/26, review begins immediately, open until filled) Assistant or Associate Professor of Music Theory and Composition
 * "Desired qualifications include a commitment to the liberal arts, demonstrated Christian discipleship and spiritual maturity."
 * 2/10 E-mail update: "The search committee has received your preliminary materials, and is proceeding to careful consideration of the large number of candidates.  As our search proceeds, I will keep you posted on our progress."
 * 3/10 E-Mail update: "The search committee has received your preliminary materials, and is proceeding to careful consideration of the large number of candidates.  As our search proceeds, I will keep you posted on our progress."

Wichita State University (deadline 12/9) Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition
 * Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Music Theory, Aural Skills, Music Technology, and Composition; advise and recruit undergraduate and graduate music majors.
 * Doctoral degree in Music Theory, Composition, or closely related field.


 * 2/4 Rejection email received (x4)

Composition Only
Berklee College of Music (deadline 10/15) Full-time Faculty, Composition Department.
 * On-campus interviews scheduled (11/16)

Chinese University of Hong Kong (closes 2/8) Assistant Professor of Composition

Emory University, Emory College of Arts and Sciences (deadline 10/19) Assistant/Associate Professor in Composition, tenure track


 * Request for additional materials (11/7)
 * Campus interview scheduled (12/10)
 * Offer Made and Accepted (Adam Mirza, VAP Emory University, PhD New York University 2017)

Florida State University (review begins 10/15) Assistant Professor in Music Composition (job code: 44174)


 * On-campus interviews scheduled (11/8)
 * Position filled 12/17

Penn State University (deadline 11/20) Assistant Professor of Music Composition


 * "The successful candidate will have significant experience with software composition tools such as MIDI, virtual instruments, sound synthesis, and DAW software."
 * 12/07 Skype interview request
 * 1/12 On-campus interview scheduled

Queen's University Belfast (deadline 10/24) Lecturer in Composition (equal to 1-year VAP)

Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute (review begins 12/1)
 * 10/22 Request for additional materials
 * 11/16 Rejection notification sent
 * 2/5 Any updates?
 * 2/26 Any word on this?
 * 2/26 Campus visits

University of Arizona (review begins 1/14) Assistant Professor of Music - Composition


 * 2/12 Shortlisted candidates begin making on-campus presentations for final round.
 * Offer Accepted (Kay He, VAP U of Arizona, DMA UT Austin)

University of California, Santa Barbara (deadline 12/13) Associate/Full Professor of Composition University of California, Santa Barbara (review begins 2/25, closes 6/30) Lecturer with Potential Security of Employment in Music Composition
 * Nominations and applications of composers of international stature for the Corwin Endowed Chair of Music Composition.
 * Skype interviews w/semi-finalists, 2/3 & 2/10. Three finalists to be chosen week of 2/11.

University of Chicago (deadline 11/1) 2019-2020 Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition Postdoctoral Researcher  (one-year non-renewable post-doc)


 * 2/26 Rejection e-mail received

University of Chichester (deadline 1/2) Composition Tutor

University of Florida (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor in Composition

University of Hartford (posted 3/7) Assistant or Associate Professor in Composition University of Limerick (deadline 2/22) Lecturer below the bar in Music Composition
 * 11/30 Skype interview request
 * 12/11 On-campus interview scheduled
 * 2/5 Rejection received (x2)
 * 2/19 Offer Accepted (Scott Lee, PhD Duke University 2018)
 * "Successful candidates will demonstrate the following: Fluency with 21st c. compositional concert music practices, and whose areas of expertise include at least 2 of the following: Electro-acoustic music & interactive arts, collaborative projects, multimedia/gaming/sound design, sound art and related sonic installation practices, improvisation and open form experimental composition, familiarity with multiple creative traditions & practices including popular/commercial musics, arranging, and songwriting. Demonstrated eagerness to research, invent and teach new avenues of compositional expression in this time of genre plurality is highly desirable."
 * Open link above and type in 030628 to see posting.

University of Missouri-Kansas City (deadline 11/26) Assistant or Associate Professor of Composition


 * 3/11 Conducting on-campus interviews with finalists.

University of Southern California (review begins December 2018) Assistant Professor of Composition


 * 12/8 Additional materials requested (x4)
 * 1/25 On-campus interview request

University of York (deadline 3/13) Lecturer in Music Composition
 * 0.5FTE on an open contract basis.
 * Desirable (but not essential): specialism in composition for film, theatre, media, games or other narrative forms.
 * Only people eligible to work in the UK may apply; the University [will not] apply for a Tier 2 Certificate of Sponsorship.

Composition/Music Technology
Australian National University (deadline 9/30) Lecturer in Multimedia Composition/Music Technology

Brandeis University (no deadline listed, posted 7/9) Lecturer in Music, 527517 Cabrillo College (deadline 2/20) Music Technology & Recording Arts Instructor École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne: 3 postdocs at the Digital and Cognitive Musicology Lab (Deadline: 15 January 2019)
 * "The Brandeis University Department of Music seeks to hire an instructor to teach Mus162b: Seminar in MAX/MSP in Spring 2019. We seek an excellent teacher specializing in music technology, electronic music, and music composition, who meets departmental needs by offering undergraduate and graduate courses that range both chronologically and methodologically."
 * See opportunity at the Musicology/Ethno Wiki

Fresno City College (deadline 10/20) Commercial Music Instructor - Full Time, Tenure Track

George Washington University (review begins 3/8) Assistant Professor, Computer Music & Multimedia Composition


 * "The Program welcomes candidates who are committed to research that crosses traditional boundaries (...); collaborative partnerships (...); interdisciplinary approaches to teaching, and to building community inside and outside the academy; the intersection of musical genres and practices; related topics, such as sound design, music production, interactivity, diversity of practice."

Georgia Tech (deadline 11/1) Assistant Professor - Music Technology


 * Rejection email 12/5 (X3 on 12/17)

Hamilton College (deadline 10/15) Assistant Professor

Indiana University Bloomington (deadline 12/1) Assistant or Associate Professor of Music (Composition: Electronic and Computer Music) McGill University (SIMSSA Project) (adjudication begins 02/04) Postdoctoral Researcher in Music Information Retrieval: The Single Interface for Music Score Searching and Analysis (SIMSSA) project at McGill University is hiring a new Postdoctoral Researcher in Music Information Retrieval. SIMSSA is a seven-year research partnership grant funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, headed by Ichiro Fujinaga, Principal Investigator and Julie Cumming, Co-investigator. The goal of this project is to make digital images of musical notation searchable and analyzable.
 * Skype interviews scheduled beginning 10/25 (x2)
 * 11/7 On-campus interview scheduled
 * 12/12 Position has been filled (anyone knows who?)
 * Offer made and accepted (Ryan Carter, VAP Hamilton College, PhD 2014 New York University)
 * (11/24) Rec. letters requested
 * (12/10) Additional materials requested (x2)
 * 2/7 Campus interview scheduled

New York University (deadline 10/14) Assistant Professor - Music and Psychology, Tenure Track


 * Rejection email (x3)

Northeastern University (deadline 10/19) Assistant/Associate/Full Professor – Music Technology


 * 11/1 Skype interviews scheduled (not 10/30) (x2)
 * 11/21 On Campus Interview scheduled (from Musicology List)
 * 11/26 This is a different search than the one listed on the Musicology List. The difference was noted on that list several weeks ago.
 * 01/04 Rejection email for *this* (music technology) search
 * 01/04 - Rejection email. Offer made/position accepted by another candidate.

San Diego State University (review begins 9/12) Assistant Professor: Sound Design and Digital Composition


 * 12/1 Rejection email (x2)

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Illinois (deadline 11/15) Full-Time Faculty - Art & Technology Studies, Tenure Track

Spelman College (deadline 12/1) Senior Lecturer - Music Technology and Composition, Non-Tenure Track

SUNY Oneonta (posted 11/27) Assistant Professor - Composition and Audio Production Taylor University (posted 12/20, open until filled) Tenure-Track Position in Theory, Composition & Commercial Music
 * (11/17) Has this been closed? Link is dead and position does not appear in search.
 * Emphasis on media scoring (film, video game, etc.)
 * (1/30) Phone interview requested
 * (2/2) "Sorry, this job posting has expired." Is this position filled or did they cancel the search?
 * "Successful candidate will teach courses in the electronic music and audio production sequence and build a growing relationship with the TU Film and Media Studies area."
 * "Applicants must confess a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord."
 * (3/8) Position removed from school's job postings website. No rejection yet.

Texas Tech University (open until filled) Assistant Professor of Media Music

University of Alabama (review begins 2/4) Assistant Professor of Music Composition


 * "The successful candidate will have (...) professional experience in audio production, audio postproduction, audio for video post-production, and media scoring; expert-level knowledge of Max/MSP, Pure Data, Supercollider, etc.; and a background in music performance."
 * This position seems only to have been listed on Music Theory Online, 8 days after the deadline. The last hire that they made was from the inside, and was announcing that he had been offered the position on social media at least two months before the other candidates were notified that they did not get the job. I wonder if this might be a similar situation.

University of California, San Diego (deadline 10/15) Lecturer with Potential Security of Employment (LPSOE) in Electronic Music


 * (11/3) Any movement?
 * (1/17) Still haven't heard anything.

University of Indianapolis  Assistant Professor/Director of Music Technology and Audio Recording Programs


 * Reposted 1/27
 * Reposted 2/27

University of Texas, Austin (deadline 02/28) Open Rank Faculty (TT or NTT) in Audio Technology / Computer Music


 * (1/17) Radio silence.
 * (2/18) This is an internal hire. Position start date delayed to 2020. One of own internal doctoral candidates won't finish in time to take the position this year, hence the position delay.

University of Utah (deadline 1/7) Assistant Professor - Electroacoustic Composition and Music Theory

Virginia Commonwealth University (deadline 1/11) Assistant/Associate Professor of Composition and Sound Design for Cinema, Games, and Motion Media
 * (11/14) Rec. letters requested
 * (1/18) Request for additional materials (x2)
 * (2/4) Request for Skype Interview
 * (2/23) Request for campus interview
 * (2/25) Is there any update on the other composition search at this school?
 * (03/08) Application Status Changed to "Under Review by Department/Committee" - likely still active

General Discussion

 * 2018-2019 wiki


 * From 5120j: Heads up to the Music Theory/Composition community - due to changes in life circumstances, I have decided that I will not be moderating/monitoring the theory wiki this year. I've gotten the page started, but that will be the extent of my involvement. Since I've been the one adding most jobs to the wiki for the past few seasons, I wanted to let everyone know so you all can be more pro-active about adding them yourselves.
 * Here is the list of bookmarks that I've used. These are basically in priority order - most positions show up on one of the first 5 or 6 sites, so it's fairly quick to click through the rest of the list.
 * HigherEdJobs.com
 * Chronicle Vitae
 * Inside Higher Ed
 * HERC
 * MTO
 * Indeed.com
 * Jobs.ac.uk
 * Academic Jobs Online
 * Academic Transfer
 * H-net
 * Times Higher Education
 * AcademicPositions.co.uk
 * Indeed.ca

7/23: Thank you, moderator, for your great service to our community of job seekers. Is there any individual or group of individuals who might be willing to monitor the sources mentioned and continue inputting job opportunities into the wiki?

8/21: Do we have anyone who is willing / able to act as moderator or co-moderator?

9/1: I'd be happy to work as co-moderator. I've just updated the Millikin University position with a link to the specific job ad. I'd welcome any additional co-moderators to edit this page.

9/2: Have we done away with the Composition Only category?

9/8: (re: 9/2) I don't think we have done away with the Composition Only category; it's just that the jobs that fall into that category haven't come up quite yet, or so it seems to me at least.

11/6: Anyone have updates on the composition jobs? Info seems pretty scarce so far...

11/7: For those with more experience: is it okay to contact a search committee if you haven't heard anything back in a while? How long should you wait until it's appropriate to contact them? Or should we just treat silence as negative outcome?

11/7 (2): I wouldn't bother them unless you have another offer or a significant update to your C.V. (like an article acceptance). And these things can take a long time, so don't despair—silence is neutral, not negative! 2/7: Is there any information out about the Winthrop University department chair search? The music admin wiki doesn't have much information this year.
 * 11/12: As an applicant who's been on the market for more than a few years, I think this is particularly unhelpful advice. This entire Wiki probably wouldn't exist if institutions and search committees bothered to inform their applicants when a search moves forward to the next round, let alone about a potential timeline for the whole search. And you can have all the cordial interactions you'd like with members of a committee, but they still won't reveal where they are in their process. So I've found that it's far better to assume that silence must be negative, then just move on to the next thing. If you're pleasantly surprised later, then great.
 * 11/16 Yes, in principle you should let the search committee call you, don't call them, they should court you if they are so inclined. Yes, if you have an article acceptance (/new big commission / performance / prize as a composer, say), contact them with a CV update. Yes, the whole process is nerve-wracking and painful from the applicant's perspective. It is unfortunate, but I don't think that there's much wisdom in contacting the search committee unsolicited, since they are busy with whatever procedures they have for narrowing the list of applicants. (Same goes for sending materials that you haven't been asked for at that stage of the process). If you are considering an offer from a different school and would like to know if you're still in consideration for their search, that's different.

3/8: CAZGEM please stop deleting important stuff!!! Each line here is product of the cumulative effort of a community.

3/11: When I interviewed for my current job in 2012, I was one of three candidates brought to campus for an on-site interview. I was at a meeting last week where I discovered that 30 new faculty searches on our campus will lead to 60 candidates visiting, suggesting that there's a new institutional limit on the number of on-site candidates of two, presumably for budget reasons. I'm curious if those on other campuses have seen a similar move toward limiting the number of candidates brought to campus. How many candidates are being brought in for these posted 2019-20 jobs? How many have been brought in before? Anecdotes can be helpful, but I would love enough responses to be able to start inferring some statistical trends (or lack thereof). Thanks!

School-Specific Discussion
Emory-Composition/Theory

Emory confirms its position as a Southern regional school by choosing to hire their own VAP, a person with very minimal qualifications and no elite credentials, over any of the dozens of experienced and/or elite candidates who pursued this job. This is especially disappointing considering the position was advertised as looking for someone who would come with or close to tenure, yet they chose to go in the opposite direction. This signals a lack of confidence in their own program and a lack of desire to reach the next level. For those of us who know what Emory could become, it's sad to watch this continued parochialism, nepotism, and lack of vision.


 * Take a chill pill and consider how offensive and out-of-touch this is.
 * 2/27 It's been mentioned here before, erogance and entitlement are not healthy collegial qualities, nor do they mask easily. These qualities likely contribute to a committee's decision not to advance a candidate.
 * 2/27 (2) Another take on a chill pill: Stockhausenian delusions of grandeur are not a quality that I would value in a colleague. While I know very little about the particulars of this situation, which makes it very difficult to judge from the outside or make any responsible statement, I think that we're somewhat safe to assume that a very fine school like Emory University did very well not to hire the person who posted this, even if that person has ultra-regional / national / international / elite-cosmic credentials, as well as a cosmic vision that far transcends Emory's alleged "parochialism." (I don't even want to think about the severe "threat" that Emory would have posed to that individual's creative trajectory if hired.... Seems like this is benefitting everybody....)
 * 2/28 and, finally: WTF are "elite credentials"? What's that even supposed to mean?
 * 2/28 "Elite credentials" is a phrase open to interpretation, but could be taken to mean: a doctorate from an Ivy League institution, or a comparable top graduate program (likely one that offers a stipend, where acceptance is highly competitive), recogntion in the form of domestic awards (American Academy of Arts and Letters, Guggenheim Fellowship, Rome Prize) or international prizes, and a strong record of performances, preferably also international. In the past, these were considered a standard of achievement that would strengthen any department and attract potential students, who in turn aimed for these same goals. There is no longer any such widely accepted standard. These credentials are now considered highly subjective or, at worst, suspect, as they can come across as proof of an elitist, exclusive tradition. Perhaps it's not right to assume that such a track record necessarily translates into a desirable hire, though there's an argument to be made that repeated distinctions bear some weight. However, it would be equally damning to assume that anyone who does have such a CV is "too good for the job," especially as priorities shift in the face of increasingly scarce opportunities.
 * 2/28 (2): @ 2/27: "nor do they mask easily." I wish everyone on the job market would read that phrase a hundred times. We can tell when you think you're too good for the job market; it means you will come in also thinking you're too good for the job.
 * 2/28 (3) Maybe it's already too late to salvage this conversation, but what are some concrete steps that people with "elite" credentials can take to disabuse a potential employer of the notion that they think they're "too good" for a particular job? Aside from, perhaps, not saying things like the original comment above?
 * 2/28 (4) Nothing. As one of those individuals with multiple "elite credentials" (also, I'm not the OP), I have applied for something like 75 jobs, post-docs and fellowships and have only ever had one interview, which was when I was ABD. The market is terrible, and it appears that there are a certain number of individuals for whom credentials and sucess in the professional field—the very metric of evaluation by which we can rank candidates as qualified or not—seem to matter less, and in the case above, turn some away. We're lucky enough to be in a field that also defines sucess as external to the academy. In fact, many academic jobs since I've been looking have gone precisely to people who aren't working that much in the field: "those who can't do, teach". Keep working, it's the only thing you can actually be in control of, but at the end of the day it's hard not to be brutally embittered and crushed by the constant rejection, having earned the highest levels of accreditation, seemingly for naught.
 * 2/28 (5) Some of you may find solace in telling yourselves you didn't land a respectable academic gig because you were too good for it, but boy does this coping mechanism seem delusional & megalomaniacal to me.
 * 2/28 (4) What, by working professionally and sucessfully in the field for which we were trained? Not everyone has the same path, artistically or academically, and nowhere did I mention that my credentials make me "too good" for a school. Before you start calling people "delusional & megalomaniacal", maybe you ought to take a chill pill yourself.
 * 2/28 (5) Chill pill taken but this thread still reeks of hubris. I'm gonna take a nap, chill pill has got me real relaxed.
 * 2/28 (6) If you think it's "hubris" to push back against people reflexively calling the credentials you've achieved "highly suspect" and "elitist", then clearly you need a "coping mechanism" for your own paranoia. If an applicant says things like the comment that started this thread, then fine. But presuming that everyone out there who's frustrated by this entire process must think they're too good for a job is incredibly unfair.
 * 2/28 (5) Oh no, not everyone is like that; if that were true, this field would be unbearably toxic (more than currently). It's just some people on this thread, including the OP, whose reaction shows I touched a nerve. I rest my case though, because Plastic Dwarf Warlord below has finally brought logic & reason to this thread with a great piece of advice. I think he/she/they should have the last word here.
 * 3/1 -- 2/28 (3) had proposed a discussion of "some concrete steps that people with 'elite' credentials can take to disabuse a potential employer of the notion that they think they're 'too good' for a particular job." Maybe another way to phrase that would be, "How do I signal to a search committee that I really want this job?" (which, I know, most of us just want A JOB, specifics be damned). The "we're looking for the right fit" line from search committees can be pablum, but I do think that regardless of your credentials, schools are looking for someone who signals in their materials and interviews that they've thought seriously about the specifics of the position and how they would be positioned to meet or exceed the expectations within the context of the school. So: research on the department and curriculum of the school you're applying to, the socioeconomic context of the students and the surrounding community, and the discipline-specific and institutional issues the school may be facing, followed by the judicious use of concrete detail from your background research in your materials. Time consuming, to be sure, and no guarantee of success, but it is (I think) a useful way to put your finger a bit on the scale of possibility that you'll make headway in the process.
 * 3/1 All good advice, and it seems that all of this is should be considered required of an applicant at this point. But you're right to point out that it's no guarantee of success, often precisely because of the prejudice that's mentioned below.
 * 3/1 I think I can cencel my Netflix and watch the drama here instead. From the search committee and the hiring department's perspective, what they look for is somone who's qualified to teach and/or research (depending on the type of the school) but also avoid someone who will immidiately look for another job and leave in, say, less than 5 years. So "too qualified" is not only a emotional response (e.g., "I don't like them because they'll disrespect me.") but more often is a way to have a lasting employment.
 * 3/1: Regarding the hiring committee's perspective: this kind of snap judgment is a form of discrimination that ought to be called out. There is no way to tell just by looking at a candidate's CV how long they will stay in a given position. The assumption that more qualified candidates will just move on is not justifiable or excusable, nor is it even an accurate presumption, given how tough it is to get a job in this market. Mobility between schools is not what the previous generation knew. It's remarkable that this predjudice is still considered permissibile in this field at the same moment that so many others are being actively confronted.
 * 3/1 (3) That this way of thinking persists is indeed remarkable. It requires a lot of contorted reasoning to conclude that a candidate will absolutely move on to a hypothetical "better" job that doesn't currently exist and most likely won't in the future.
 * 3/4: "There is no way to tell just by looking at a candidate's CV how long they will stay in a given position." Actually, there is: Search committees could seriously consider a long term adjunct, who has managed to stay very productive in the field, and has amassed a substantial amount of teaching experience. I've been at this for 10 years (I was tied to my location for the first 5 years after I finished my degree) and if I were to receive a TT track offer, there is probably no way that I would leave it.
 * 3/4 (2) Hypothetically true, but it sidesteps the problem. Does years of post-graduation adjunct teaching experience actually serve as a successful counterweight to a committee's bias towards a lengthy so-called "elite" professional CV ("productive in the field")? The fact that we need to consider this a counterweight in the first place demonstrates what a problem this way of thinking is.
 * Teaching is only one part of my argument. Being productive in the field is the other, and this second part is key. Someone who has been able to secure commissions (often from the same ensembles that are hired by the "elite" schools to perform the works of their students), win grants, be invited as a guest lecturer, in addition to extensive teaching experience should be given serious consideration.
 * 3/4 (3) A few years ago, I was a VAP who sat in on the composition area's deliberation of graduate student applications. Of the three comp faculty members, one spent time looking at transcripts ("Ah, he made a C in counterpoint!?!"), one pored over scores, and one sat back with closed eyes listening to submitted works ("Yes, I think this composer has an ear to work with."). That experience, as well as the entirety of the comments on this site, taught me that people have dramatically varying opinions of how to best judge candidates. So it is with search committees.
 * 3/11 Sounds like none of these faculty members were wondering aloud about whether prospective students secretly think that they're "too good" for their institution, or why their CVs make them "highly suspect". It's not the same thing.

FSU-Theory assistant prof. (moved from Theory Only section) Whoa, this is remarkably quick. Any details?

The person chairing the search is the kind of person that gets things done.

11/28 Yes, very true. However, committees can be as slow as their slowest member and this most likely represents efficient team work as well.

RUTGERS-theory Moved from "theory only"


 * 12/25: Any post-Skype activity?
 * 01/20: Any news? I really hope this search doesn't get cancelled again!
 * 1/27: We'll have to wait and see what's going on.... If I'm not mistaken, last cycle's search had different preferred research areas than this one, which looks for a pedagogy focus if I remember correctly.

Sewanee: The University of the South

(12/30) This position asks for audio recordings, but audio recordings can't be loaded into the online application. I emailed the fachire email with a question, but got an out-of-office message. Has anyone else run into this?

1/1 I uploaded a PDF with links to scores and audio files.

12/30 here: From fachire- "it is perfectly fine for you to submit links to streaming locations."

Taylor University

1/2 "Applicants must confess a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord." I will confess my personal and undying commitment to anyone or anything on this turgid job market.

1/2 (Re: Comment above) In doing so you would join a long tradition, dating back centuries, of musicians who undergo career-induced religious conversions. Please be advised, though, that American evangelicals excel at sniffing out interlopers who would breach their communities.

1/3 I think that stating that you believe in something that you do not believe is equivalent to lying on your resume / cover letter. It's one thing to "tailor" (pun intended) your cover letter slightly and highlight your more relevant qualifications for the specific requirements of the job, and a very different thing to claim that you have qualifications that you do not have, which--if caught--would be a risk of academic dishonesty and dismissal. IF these private organizations want an applicant pool that is committed to Jesus, then that's what they want, whether you like it or not. As an atheist, I have had a great pleasure interacting with very devout Christian colleagues in the discipline (and look forward to seeing them again at SMT etc. etc.) The only place for lenience here seems to me to be if you're a Christian believer and you've not been to church service and Bible study EVERY single week during grad school, but have missed 15% of the "scheduled sessions" of this curriculum. Bottom line: Don't lie on your resume. Don't lie on your cover letter. Just present yourself in the best possible light based on facts, not alternative facts. Period. You don't want to get the job and then have somebody dig out your past Facebook messages in favor of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (or whatever) and then be dismissed after relocating.

Also, for your edification, From Wikipedia on Taylor University (retrieved Jan. 3, 2019):

"Students, faculty and staff are required to sign the 'Life Together Covenant' (LTC) upon joining the University. Community members pledge to adhere to certain standards of conduct and refrain from certain behaviors, including social dancing (excepting marriages taking place off of school property and choreographed or folk dance), premarital sex, homosexuality, smoking, and the consumption of alcohol, with the intention of strengthening the community as a whole. Students cannot register for classes or housing unless they have signed the LTC pledge each year. The LTC is viewed as not only a covenant, but as a binding contract as well. Penalties for not adhering to the LTC range from 'citizenship probation' to expulsion from the university. In 2013 the dancing rule was tweaked to allow officially sanctioned school dances. The Life Together Covenant covers activities and behaviors not only on the Taylor campus, but off-campus as well. The purpose is to strengthen the Christian community and to maintain a sense of maturity and accountability. Chapel services are held three times a week, from 10:00 to 10:50 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Services generally follow a modern nontraditional Christian theme. Chapel attendance is expected but attendance is on the honor system. In spite of this, chapel is nearly always well attended."

1/3 (2). 1/3 (1) makes a great point, but I love 1/2 (2)'s idea. I want to be the Mendelssohn of Taylor University!

1/3 (1 again) I appreciate the fact that we have apparently not lost our collective sense of humor in these challenging professional times. However, if Taylor University's search committee is reading this, they should be extra suspicious that some applicants are not in good Faith. Without judgment for a moment, it seems to me that most academics have no problem with homosexuality, premarital sex, smoking, dancing, and alcohol, and indeed might have very serious conscientious problems with working at an institution that has a problem with these and prohibits them. To be judgmental, furious, and righteous (from my perspective) for a moment, I definitely wouldn't want to work in an anti-gay institution. On a practical level, every minute spent here / spent in applying for jobs that one is not qualified for (including due to lack of commitment to Christian faith under a certain definition) is a minute not spent on doing something productive (like working on a resubmission of an article / applying for a composer opportunity / applying to a job that would consider someone like you) or just relaxing or doing something nice for oneself, including the pleasures forbidden by Taylor University and similar institutions.

1/4 It's all fun & games until you realize that institutions like Taylor tend to foster a culture that is aesthetically restrictive. If your religion and aesthetics don't match theirs already, you'll be giving up your religious and your musical freedom. I can imagine a fake religious conversion, but compromising your aesthetics?

1/19 I think part of being a good artist is standing up for yourself and what you think. I never would give up an important part of myself for a mere job. Taylor University or Wheaton probably wouldn't hire me because of my beliefs, but experience has taught me that I can still respect these people while gratefully being free to do my own thing some place else, academic job or not. Human dignity is important.

2/23 Thank you for these supportive statements. Standing up for yourself and what you think is also important for music scholars.

Wiki Counter


 * Check all that apply

I am a theorist: 18

I am a composer: 24

I am a little of both (theorist/composer): 12

I am a musicologist with strong theoretical leanings: 1

I am a computer music scientist: 1

I am currently in a TT position: 15

I am currently in a renewable track non-tenure-track position: 6

I am currently in a VAP/Lecturer position: 9

I am currently a Postdoctoral Fellow and on the market:

I am currently adjuncting and on the market: 13

I am a recent (3 years or less) PhD and on the market: 7

I am a recent (3 years or less) DMA and on the market: 7

I am a no-longer-so-recent PhD and on the market: 9

I am a no-longer-so-recent DMA and on the market: 5

I was denied tenure and am back on the market:

I am a senior tenured scholar looking for a better position:

I am a tenured or tenure-track professor whose position has been cut:

I am an adjunct professor whose position has been cut:

I am working outside of the academy: 6

I am ABD and on the market: 14

I am ABD and no longer on the market:

I am not on the market but am an interested observer: 6

I am a member of a search committee: 1