Music Theory/Composition 2016-17

For Music Theory and Composition jobs that begin in Fall 2016.

Last year's page: Music Theory/Composition 2015-16

See also: Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16

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Composition Only
Central Michigan University (open until filled, posted 12/9) Assistant Professor of Music in Composition
 * (12/9) Preferred qualifications: "Experience in jazz composing and arranging."
 * (2/9) Phone Interviews scheduled.
 * (2/22) On campus interviews scheduled for March
 * (5/6) No hire. New search planned for Fall semester.
 * (5/7) Anyone know if this is a planned spring hire?
 * (5/12) Search suspended

Colgate University (deadline 4/25) Visiting Assistant Professor, Composition
 * (5/2) On campus interview

Cornell University (deadline 10/15) Assistant/Associate Professor of Composition
 * (2/5) Rejection email
 * (4//11) Offer made and accepted
 * (4/19) Marianthi Papalexandri-Alexandri (UCSD 2008)

Indiana University (deadline 1/11) Visiting Assistant/Associate/Full Professor in Music Scoring for Visual Media
 * (2/9) Rejection email

Ithaca College (deadline 10/30) Assistant Professor of Composition
 * (12/5) deadline for request for materials.
 * Skype Interviews being scheduled. (2/2)
 * any updates? (5/14)

Kutztown University (review begins immediately, posted 3/21) Temporary Faculty Position in Applied Composition and Orchestration

Michigan State University (deadline 2/1) Assistant Professor of Music/Media Composition (posting #2445)
 * (3/15) Skype Interviews conducted
 * (4/11) Do the two accepted offers for the search posting below imply that no one was selected for this search?
 * (4/11) No -- they made two offers with an emphasis in acoustic composition and this search is still underway.
 * (4/18) Two offers made and accepted – Alexis Bacon (DMA, University of Michigan 2007) and Lyn Goeringer (PhD Brown University 2011)

Michigan State University (deadline 2/1) Assistant/Associate Professor of Music Composition (posting #2604)
 * (3/2) Skype Interviews scheduled for 3/7
 * (3/7) On campus interviews scheduled
 * (4/8) Two offers made and accepted – David Biedenbender (DMA, University of Michigan 2013) and Zhou Tian (DMA, USC 2011)

New York University (deadline 12/7) Assistant/Associate Professor in Film Scoring (posting number: 01023)

New York University (deadline: open until filled) Assistant Professor, Composer-Lyricist (posting number: 01015)

Northwestern University (deadline 10/19) Assistant/Associate Professor of Music Composition
 * Any updates on this search?
 * I haven't heard a peep, and my sources are usually pretty reliable. I figure since they wanted postal applications, postal updates is what we'll get...
 * (3/5) Three finalists interviewed between 1/7-1/26.
 * (3/5) Position relisted on 2/18.
 * (3/25) Alex Mincek (Columbia 2011)

Oberlin College (deadline 12/1) Assistant Professor of Composition Tufts University (deadline 4/15) Lecturer in Composition
 * (12/21) additional materials requested, due 1/4
 * (4/9) Two offers made and accepted - Jesse Jones (Cornell) and Elizabeth Ogonek (Guildhall)

University of Chicago (deadline 11/1) Assistant Professor of Composition and Director of the Computer Music Studio
 * Sam Pluta (Columbia)

University of Huddersfield (deadline 3/28) Queen's Anniversary Prize Chair in Contemporary Music
 * "For the purposes of this post, the field of contemporary music is interpreted broadly, to include performance, composition, sound art, improvisation, multimedia, technological, and musicological research that addresses any aspect of contemporary musical cultures."
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16

University of Nebraska-Lincoln (deadline 1/15) Assistant Professor of Composition (Concert; Jazz; Commercial)
 * (2/25) Semi-finalists selected; references contacted
 * Any updates?
 * Offer made and accepted (4/22) by whom (5/14)

University of Nevada-Las Vegas (deadline 12/1) Assistant Professor of Composition


 * (1/27) Skype interviews scheduled

University of Toronto (deadline 3/21) Assistant/Associate Professor - Composition
 * any updates on this search?  Is this an inside candidate situation?
 * (4/11) Not a peep. Inside candidate not a possibility.
 * (5/1)  Has anybody heard any news on this search?
 * (5/1) Five candidates for interviews (all Canadian/Canadian doctoral degrees)

Theory Only
Arizona State University School of Music (open until filled, posted 3/24/2016) One-Year Instructor of Music Theory

Central Michigan University (open until filled, posted 12/9) Assistant Professor of Music in Theory
 * Is anyone else having trouble submitting the app to the email address provided?
 * Yes! I get a "no such user" error. Anyone have a solution?
 * Me too. Does anyone know who the search chair is?
 * I emailed HR and let them know about the problem.
 * (4/1) I emailed Heather Landes (Director, School of Music) who apologized and told me to email my application to Adrienne Goglia (Adrienne.Goglia@asu.edu). Have not heard any confirmation that my application has been received.
 * (4/4) Received confirmation from Adrienne Goglia my application had been received from what had been the defunct email musicsearch@asu.edu. Not sure if it works now or not.
 * (4/17) Skype interview scheduled
 * Has anybody heard anything about this position?
 * Nope (2/9)
 * (2/11) Phone interview scheduled
 * Job Accepted (Scott C. Schumann, Ph.D. UT Austin 2015; Assistant Teaching Professor at The University of Missouri)

College of Wooster (deadline 10/9) Assistant Professor of Music Theory (2 positions - 1 tenure-track and 1 visiting)
 * (11/4) Skype interview scheduled (x4)
 * (12/29) Tenure-track position offered and accepted.
 * (1/15) Visiting position offered and accepted.

Colorado State University (deadline 1/8) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * Has anybody heard anything about this position?
 * (2/24) Request for additional materials
 * Only 2 weeks after the deadline? --sorry no--typo. requested 2/24.
 * (5/6) Offer made and accepted.

Corpas University (Bogota, Columbia) (deadline 10/15) Adjunct Professor of Music Theory (starting Feb 2016)

Elon University (deadline 10/9) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (11/2) Skype interview scheduled.
 * (11/9) Campus interview scheduled.
 * (12/8) Email indicates search "successfully completed." (x2) Does anyone know who the lucky (and I'm sure highly qualified and deserving - but also lucky) winner is?
 * Job Accepted (Cora S. Palfy, Ph.D. Northwestern University 2015; Lecturer at UNC-Chapel Hill 2015-2016.)

Emory University (deadline 11/1) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * Any news on this?
 * (12/8) Additional materials requested, due by 12/10
 * (12/21) Campus interview scheduled.
 * (3/7) Classiest rejection letter ever, received.
 * were you a finalist?
 * no; sorry, not sure then how that intersects with the finalists/campus interviews
 * (2/15) Job offered and accepted (L. Emmery, PhD UCSB, Assistant Professor, Arizona State University)

Florida State University (deadline 10/15) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (10/22) On campus interview scheduled.
 * (12/12) Rachel Lumsden (CUNY 2012; Assistant Professor, University of Oklahoma)

Hillsdale College (open until filled, posted 3/29) Visiting Assistant Professor of Music / Theory
 * (5/03) Phone interview scheduled

Humboldt State University (deadline 3/23) Visiting Faculty, Music Theory and Ear Training (1-year)
 * (04/20) Any news on this? (yes, asking about Humboldt on 4/20)
 * (4/22) Offer made

Ithaca College (deadline 10/15) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (11/5) Phone Interview scheduled
 * (11/12) Campus interview scheduled
 * (12/21) Campus interview scheduled
 * (2/11) Received email stating an offer has been made
 * Job Accepted (Elizabeth Medina-Gray, Ph.D. Yale 2014; Visiting Faculty, Humboldt State University)

Kennesaw State University (deadline 12/1) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (12/12) Phone interview scheduled x 2 (Skype)
 * (3/13) Job Accepted, Jeff Yunek (LSU 2013, Limited-Term Faculty at Kennesaw State)

Knox College (deadline 12/1) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (12/17) Skype interview scheduled
 * (1/12) Email invitation for campus interview
 * (2/23) Job Accepted (Joan Huguet, Ph.D. Eastman 2015; VAP Williams College)

Lawrence University (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (11/30) Request for additional materials x12
 * (12/10) Skype interview scheduled
 * (12/17) Campus interview scheduled
 * (1/25) Received an email saying that the search committee has decided to recommend that no appointment be made and that a new search be organized for next year.
 * (2/5) Received a mail (!) with the handwritten signature of the search chair saying the same thing.

McGill University (deadline 11/15) Assistant or Associate Professor of Music Theory
 * (1/21) Request for more materials
 * (1/26) Skype interview scheduled
 * (1/28) Skype interview scheduled
 * (2/10) Campus invite received
 * (5/11) Job Accepted (Edward Klorman, Ph. D. CUNY 2013; Queens College and the Graduate Center [CUNY] and The Juilliard School)

Michigan State University (review begins 1/29, open until filled) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (2/10) Additional materials requested (x6)
 * (2/24) Phone interview requested
 * (3/3) Campus visit invite
 * Cara Stroud (ABD Florida State; Lecturer at Oklahoma State)

Missouri Western State University (review begins immediately, posted 1/27) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (4/11) Anybody hear anything about this job? or their percussion one? or their music theatre one?
 * (5/5) Job accepted (Chelsey Hamm, ABD Indiana University; Kenyon College)

Ohio University (deadline 1/11) Lecturer of Music Theory
 * (1/21) Skype interview scheduled
 * (1/28) Email request to contact references
 * (2/7) Campus interview scheduled
 * (3/1) Job accepted (Jennifer M. Smith, Ph.D. Florida State 2012; DePauw University)

Pittsburg State University (deadline 6/10) Part-Time Temporary Lecturer-Music

San Diego State University (deadline 9/14) Assistant Professor Music Theory


 * (10/4) Phone interview scheduled
 * (10/21) Campus interview scheduled
 * (12/8) Job Accepted, Andrew Aziz (Eastman 2013, VAP at Florida State)

Shorter University (open until filled, posted 2/29) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * "Principal responsibilities: Freshman and sophomore theory/ear-training, form and analysis, and counterpoint. Preferred additional credentialed skills: composition, applied instrumental (piano or band instruments)."
 * "Shorter University is a Christ centered University affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention and requires employees to be committed Christians. All employees are expected to sign and adhere to the Personal Lifestyle Statement prior to hire. The Personal Lifestyle Statement, as well as the Statement of Faith and Biblical Principles on the Integration of Faith and Learning, are located at http://www.shorter.edu/about/personal_lifestyle_statement.pdf, http://www.shorter.edu/about/statement_of_faith.pdf, and http://www.shorter.edu/about/faith_integration.pdf"
 * why did someone delete the "This is pertinent..." comment that was here?
 * they must not have thought it was pertinent
 * could be someone from their school trying to hide the ugly truth
 * Here is the message: "This is pertinent: this statement of faith went into effect five years ago after a new president was hired. The University lost a third of its faculty and most of its administrators. They're still trying to rebuild. Applicants beware, seriously."
 * Regarding the mandate of intergrating biblical faith into academic disciplines: they clearly want someone in music theory instruction to use the triad as a means of contemplating the holy trinity, just as Lippius--the creator of the trias harmonica--truely intended it to be used. Only then will the unholy alliance of bar patrons, sharia law supporters, and gays be defeated.
 * Is that the [016] set?

Shenandoah University (open until filled, posted 3/24) Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Theory


 * "The Shenandoah Conservatory at Shenandoah University seeks a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music for the 2016–2017 academic year, with a start date of August 16, 2016. The successful candidate will be encouraged to apply for the career-contract track position of Assistant Professor of Music beginning August 16, 2017."
 * "Primary responsibilities will be teaching undergraduate courses in music theory and ear training. As a full-time faculty member, the Visiting Assistant Professor will be expected to participate in service to the program area and the Conservatory, and will have access to faculty development support."
 * 03/28 The link above goes to a general Virginia.gov jobs site from which I could not find the position. If you want to apply, go to http://www.su.edu/job/visiting-assistant-professor-of-music/ instead.
 * 04/12 Phone interviews scheduled for 04/15

SUNY-Fredonia (deadline 10/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory


 * (11/20) Phone interview scheduled x4
 * (2/5) Campus interview scheduled
 * (3/29) Offer made and accepted (Allison Wente, UT Austin 2016)

SUNY-Potsdam (deadline 12/1) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (11/18) Wrote to ask about ABD applicants, and the head of the search committee said that they are only accepting applicants who have a PhD at the time of review, not who will have it by the time of appointment.
 * (1/22) Skype interview scheduled
 * (3/18) Job accepted (Michael Vitalino, Ph.D. UCSB 2014, VAP SUNY-Potsdam)

SUNY-Purchase (deadline 12/31) Assistant Professor in the Practice of Music (Posting #0800503)
 * 1/6 Deadline extended from 12/31 to 1/15
 * 3/15 Any news?
 * 5/6 Rejection email received
 * 5/7 Just curious: Did they mention if an offer has been made, or whether the search is still in progress? I haven't heard anything.
 * You, 5/6, who received the rejection email: were you one of the finalists?
 * 5/6 here: No, I was not. Sorry to say that I deleted the email and don't recall the specifics. That said, it seemed to leave room for the search to be continuing...has no one else heard?
 * 5/13: Different poster here. I also got a rejection email, which said that they had selected another candidate.

Stetson University (deadline 11/1) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (11/23) Request for additional materials (x3)
 * (12/12) Phone interview scheduled
 * (12/17) Request for additional materials
 * (2/24) Received an email asking if I was still interested in the position
 * (2/27) Request for additonal materials
 * (3/11) Skype Interviews Performed

Stony Brook University (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (10/13) deadline updated to 5:00 PM Eastern Time on 11/15/2015, was previously 4/3/2016
 * (12/16) Additional materials requested
 * (3/15) Received email saying search "concluded"; don't know who landed the gig.
 * August Sheehy, ABD University of Chicago

Sultan Qaboos University (deadline 2/6) Vacancy in Western Musical Theories
 * Job listed on page 8 of the PDF

Texas A&M University-Kingsville (deadline 11/15) Assistant/Associate Professor of Music Theory
 * (11/07) Sent e-mail asking about the "highest degree earned" in the situation of being ABD, got this response: Go ahead and answer yes if the degree will be in hand by August. Also just fyi, our human resources department made an error on the job application site. We are not asking for recommendation letters at this time but there are 3 spots for letters that must be filled. Go ahead and upload a copy of your reference list into each of those spots."
 * (12/8) References contacted (but still preliminary?)
 * (12/11) Skype interview scheduled
 * (12/18) Campus interview scheduled
 * Alex Sanchez-Behar (Florida State 2008; Assoc. Prof. at Ashland University)

Texas Woman's University (deadline 9/15) Assistant Professor of Music (ad specifies PhD in Theory)
 * (10/9) Campus interview scheduled
 * (12/3) Paul Thomas (University of North Texas, VAP Texas Woman's University)

Towson University (open until filled, posted 4/18) Lecturer, Music Theory
 * (4/29) Email confirming receipt of application received

Tufts University (deadline 11/9) Principles of Tonal Theory II — Lecturer (Part-time, Spring 2016)
 * (12/2) campus interviews scheduled
 * (12/17) offer accepted

University of Alabama (deadline 10/23) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (10/14) open invitation to meet for "20-minute conversations" at SMT (via smt-announce)
 * (11/5) Skype interview scheduled
 * (11/16) Campus interview scheduled

University of Arkansas (deadline 12/15) Assistant Professor - Music Theory
 * (12/30) Additional materials requested (x3)
 * (1/31) Campus Interview Scheduled (x2)
 * (2/23) Offer Accepted (Joon Park, PhD University of Oregon 2015)

University of Chicago (deadline 10/1) Assistant Professor of Music - Music Theory
 * (10/21) Request for more materials received.
 * (11/2) Campus interview scheduled (x4)
 * (3/11) Has an offer been made/accepted?
 * (5/4) Offer accepted (Jennifer Iverson, UT 2009, Assistant Professor University of Iowa)

University of Denver (deadline 10/1) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (11/2) Has anyone heard anything on this one?
 * (11/7) Additional materials requested (x6)
 * (11/13) Isn't one of their adjuncts an internal candiate?
 * (12/4) Phone interview scheduled, 7 slots.
 * (12/18) Campus interview scheduled
 * (4/1) Offer accepted (Mitchell Ohriner; PhD Indiana University 2011; Assistant Professor, Shenandoah University)

University of Louisville (no deadline given, posted 2/15) Visiting Lecturer, Music Theory (1-year)
 * (3/10) Skype interview scheduled
 * (3/28) Request for additional materials x2
 * (3/31) Campus interview scheduled

University of Missouri (deadline 5/6) Assistant Teaching Professor of Music Theory
 * Job ID #19617
 * CMS posting is more accurate: "open until filled." SC will be meeting 5/5, so please apply soon if interested.
 * (5/6) additional materials requested (x2)
 * (5/12) Campus interview scheduled

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (open until filled, posted 1/24) Lecturer of Music Theory (1-year)
 * (3/3) Additional materials requested (x4)
 * (3/28) Skype interview scheduled
 * (4/5) Rejection email received
 * (5/10) Offer accepted. (5/13) (Marcelle Pierson; PhD University of Chicago 2015)

University of North Texas (deadline 10/1) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (10/22) reference letters requested through online system
 * (10/28) skype interview scheduled
 * (11/11) Campus interview scheduled
 * Offer accepted (Diego Cubero; PhD Indiana University, 2014; Lecturer, UNT) and Ellen Bakulina (Ph.D, CUNY 2015, Lecturer at Yale)

University of Pennsylvania (deadline 1/4) Assistant Professor of Music Theory
 * (12/8)  I don't see this job posted anywhere except the link directly above.  It's not on Penn's HR website, as far as I can tell.  Can anyone verify whether this position is actually open?
 * (12/10) I know a graduate student in music at U Penn and they confirmed that this position is open.
 * (1/7) Confirmed receipt of application and informed would contact by end of January if Skype interview was to be arranged.
 * (2/3) Since January is over -- did anyone get contacted about a Skype interview?
 * (2/3b) Not me.
 * Was anyone ever contacted about an interview?
 * (2/12) I have not been contacted for an interview, but one of my secondary references told me today that they were asked to write a letter of support.
 * (2/17) I'm not trying to be pedantic, 2/12, but do you mean that your reference told you on 2/12 that they were asked to write a letter, or that they were asked on 2/12 to write a letter?  Or both?
 * (2/19) References were solicited on 2/12.
 * (3/14) Skype interview request

Victoria University Wellington (deadline 10/30) Lecturer in Music
 * (11/13) Reference letters requested
 * (11/15) Skype interview scheduled for 12/4 (x2)
 * (12/4) Follow-up skype interview scheduled for 12/10.  Not sure why there would be two skype interviews. (x2)
 * (1/29) Received email stating that offer has been made.
 * (2/24) Received email explaining that, due to other developments, no appointment will be made.
 * (3/30) Search will be relaunched with a more specific role description.
 * (4/6) See below

Victoria University Wellington (deadline 5/6) Lecturer in Music Theory

West Chester University (deadline 5/30) Instructor of Music Theory and Musicianship Skills

Theory/Performance, Etc.
Albion College (deadline 10/15) Assistant Professor of Music
 * (11/8) Campus interview scheduled
 * (12/11) Email response of search completion

American University of Sharjah (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor (or higher) of Music

Armstrong State University (deadline 11/9) Assistant Professor of Theory/Composition/Applied Woodwind(s)
 * Campus interviews (2/8-2/10)
 * Offer accepted (3/4)

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


 * "Teach undergraduate courses in music theory including Theory I-IV and aural skills. The candidate would be expected to teach in an applied area, with preference given to a woodwind specialist."
 * (4/24) Email stating finalists have been selected
 * (5/3) Was the email notifying you that you were among the finalists? I ask because I haven't received any news either way; and that would be odd if they sent out rejections.
 * (5/13) Any news on this?
 * (5/16) In regards to (4/24), I sent an email to the chair to inquire about a possible interview because I was going to be in the area. He responded that the selection process had been narrowed down to finalists. This was personal correspondence and I do not know if the school has sent out any requests for materials, interview scheduling, or the like. I hope this helps.

California State University, Channel Islands (deadline 11/2) Assistant Professor of Music Fundamentals


 * (12/23) Video interview scheduled
 * (1/23) References contacted
 * (1/26) Campus interview scheduled
 * (2/22) Rejection email received
 * (4/6) Any news as to whether an offer has been made/accepted?
 * (4/12) Finalist rejection received

California State University, Monterey Bay (deadline 12/1) Assistant Professor of Music
 * "Assignment in Music and Performing Arts Department teaching music theory, musicianship. Additional teaching areas may include notation, conducting, and, as needed woodwind/instrumental music studies."
 * (4/1) Campus interview scheduled

Cedar Valley College (deadline 4/18) Faculty Full Time - Commercial Music
 * "Instructing primary class load of Music Business, Music Theory I & II, Fundamentals of Music I, and Music Appreciation (on line)."

[http://agency.governmentjobs.com/csbsju/default.cfm?action=viewJob&jobID=1244812 College of St. Benedict/St. John's University] (deadline 2/1) Visiting Instructor/Assistant Professor of Music, 1-year (includes music theory and music history)
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16
 * From musicology wiki: Request for phone interview (3/10)
 * 5/9 From musicology wiki: David Dies, UW–Madison 2007 (DMA Composition)

College of the Ozarks (open until filled, posted 4/8) Music Theory/Composition and Orchestra Director

Glendale Community College (deadline 3/4) Music Instructor (Music Theory/Commercial Music)

Hampden-Sydney College (deadline 1/1) Visiting Assistant Professor of Music (1-year)
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16
 * From the musicology wiki: (1/8) Request for Skype interview, (1/20) Campus interview scheduled
 * 3/1 filled (Vincent Rone, 2014 UCSB)

Jacksonville College (deadline 12/15) Assistant Professor of Music (Cello/Theory)

Lone Star College-Kingwood (no deadline listed, posted 1/28) Music Faculty (full-time)
 * "Teaches courses in music, including, but not limited to, Music Appreciation, Music Theory, Aural Theory, Music Fundamentals, Class Piano, and Music Literature."
 * Also posted at Piano/Piano Pedagogy/Collaborative Piano 2015-2016 and Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16.

Lone Star College-North Harris (no deadline listed, posted 11/18) Music Faculty (full-time)
 * "Experience teaching Music Theory is preferred"

Los Angeles City College (deadline 3/8) Music Instructor (full-time, tenure-track)
 * "Teach selected music courses ... including: Introduction to Music Theory, Harmony, Musicianship, Songwriting Workshop, History of Rock and Roll, Music as a Business, Applied Music, and Group Instrumental Classes"
 * (3/15) Campus interview scheduled.

Los Angeles Mission College (deadline 3/4) Music Instructor (full-time, tenure-track)
 * "Teach classes such as Music Appreciation, Music Theory, Introduction to Piano and Intermediate Piano; Choir and Voice as assigned and scheduled"
 * Rejection email received 4/18/16 Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16

Macquarie University (deadline 12/16) Associate Lecturer in Music
 * "The successful applicant will teach into a range of areas across the music discipline and must have experience in popular music theory and practice and knowledge of music industry practice."
 * (1/21) rejection email received; email also stated shortlist had been made

McGill University - SIMSSA Project (review begins 12/1) Postdoctoral Fellowship in Music Information Retrieval
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16
 * Per post on Musicology wiki, position filled as of 2/2

Mercer County Community College (open until filled, posted 10/16) Instructor/Assistant Professor of Music
 * Required: "Experience teaching undergraduate-level music theory, music history, instrumental and/or other related music courses."
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16

Mississippi University for Women (open until filled, review begins 4/18) Assistant Professor of Music
 * "Primary responsibility will include teaching classes in advanced Music Theory, Ear Training, and Music History at the undergraduate level; ability to teach in other musical areas is required. Other courses (such as Music Appreciation, Music Literature, Class Instruments, Computers in Music, Jazz Ensemble, composition lessons, applied studio lessons, etc.) will be assigned depending upon candidate expertise and department need."
 * Posted on university's jobs site on 4/1, but posted on HigherEdJobs.com on 4/21, so presumably they are still accepting applications.

Morehouse College (open until filled, posted 3/8) Assistant Professor of Music, Renewable Non-Tenure Track
 * "Courses will be primarily in the area of music theory, but may also include class piano, aural skills, and music appreciation"

National Park College (deadline 5/6) Music Instructor/Choral Director
 * "Requirements: A conferred Master of Fine Arts degree in Music, Performing Arts, or related degree with experience in music theory, composition, and/or conducting required;"

Northwestern College (open until filled, posted 12/2) Faculty in Music Theory (and one other area)
 * "This faculty member will teach the core of our music theory sequence with a strong additional teaching area in contemporary church music, orchestra or music education (vocal/elementary)."
 * (1/21) references contacted
 * (1/28) phone interview

Palomar College (deadline 3/21) Assistant Professor, Music
 * "The Assistant Professor, Music, Vocal/Choral/Theory, is primarily responsible for teaching a variety of courses in the discipline of Music. Specifically, these courses include classes in vocal/choral music, music theory and other music courses including general education, and will direct or perform with an ensemble."
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16

Purdue University (deadline 11/13) Assistant Professor of Music


 * "The division is looking for a music educator who has a broad interest and ability in music that may include doing doing scholarly research in music theory, composition, performance, among other fields, as well as expertise in music education."

Pacific Lutheran University (deadline 11/2) Assistant Professor of Music: Flute and Theory (ad specifies "D.M.A. in Flute Performance or closely related field")
 * Chances are that there is a very strong inside candidate for this position.


 * (12/21) references contacted
 * Job accepted by the spouse of a tenured faculty member.

Reed College (deadline 2/1) One-Year Appointment in Music (Theory/Composition/Conductor)
 * (2/18) Request for Skype interview.
 * (2/29) Campus interview mid-March

Reed College (deadline 1/8) Visiting Assistant Professor of Music (Choral Conducting/Music Theory)

Saint Norbert College (open until filled, posted 5/3) Visiting Instructor/Assistant Professor of Music (1-year)
 * "Responsibilities include teaching an integrated curriculum of music theory and history from the Baroque to modern eras. Secondary responsibilities may include Studio Instruction, Music Education, Composition, or other duties according to the applicant's expertise"
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16

San Bernardino Valley College (deadline 12/3) Music Instructor (full-time, tenure-track)
 * "Responsibilities include teaching courses in Music including, but not limited to, History and Literature, Appreciation, Theory, and Performance"
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16
 * Received rejection via e-mail (12/15)

Shasta College (deadline 2/8) (Full-time) Music Instructor (Theory & Ensemble)
 * (2/17) rejection email received

Sheridan College (Deadline 5/23) Instructor of Music and Director of Arts Outreach and Academic Support
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16

Singapore University of Technology and Design (open until filled, posted 11/3) Faculty Members in Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
 * "preference may be given to candidates working in ... music (especially ethnomusicology and music theory)..."
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16

South Puget Sound Community College (deadline 2/16) Music Professor - Choral Ensembles and Music Theory

State College of Florida (open until filled, posted 11/18) Instructional Faculty – Music (Theory and Keyboard Studies)
 * Phone interviews (2/12)
 * Campus interviews scheduled for late Feb (2/18)

SUNY-Purchase (deadline 1/3) Assistant/Associate Professor of Practice in Music
 * "We seek a faculty member with proven, demonstrable experience in the development and coordination of new music programs and opportunities, in the development and delivery of comprehensive programs in music literacy and theory, and in pre-college programming."
 * 1/6 - Deadline extended from 1/3 to 1/15

Temple College (open until filled, posted 3/11) Division Director, Fine Arts
 * "Preferred Qualifications: Teaching experience in Music History and/or Music Theory/Composition. Teaching experience in private instruction in instrumental or vocal area of specialization. Professional Performance experience in classical and/or jazz."
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16.

University of Evansville (open until filled, posted 1/22) Assistant Professor of Music - Music Theory and Applied Music
 * (Cello or Bass preferred)

University of North Carolina at Charlotte (deadline 12/14) Assistant Professor of Applied Music (Oboe or Bassoon) and Musicianship

University of North Texas (deadline 10/1) Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology/Music Theory (ad specifies "PhD in Music Theory or Ethnomusicology")
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16
 * From Musicology wiki: "Reference letters requested (through online system) 10/22/15"
 * From Musicology wiki: "Campus visit scheduled - 12/10/15"
 * From Musicology wiki: "2/14 Offer made and accepted"

University of the District of Columbia (deadline 12/3) Assistant/Associate Professor Music Theory and Piano

University of the Ozarks (deadline 10/15) Assistant Professor of Music (General Music/Music Theory/Choral Music)

University of Washington (deadline 12/1) Assistant Professor - American Music Studies
 * Also posted on Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16
 * Just noticed that the listing specifies that the letters should be "sent directly to the Search Committee Chair by the writers." Does anyone know if this means that you can't have them sent from Interfolio?
 * From musicology wiki: 1/3 Skype interviews have been conducted, 1/14 Campus visits are being scheduled
 * From musicology wiki: 3/23 A candidate was selected by the Search Committee, but more than 50% of Tenured Faculty voted against the hire, resulting in the position being lost.

University of Wisconsin-Richland (deadline 1/22) Assistant Professor of Music
 * "RESPONSIBILITIES: Teaching a minimum of 24 contact hours per academic year is expected from among the following classes: band, chorus, first-year theory, first-year aural skills and second-year aural skills."

Xavier University (deadline 1/15 3/31) Music Faculty - Department Head
 * "Specialization in Music Theory with piano is desired, but candidates with other specializations will be considered."
 * Anyone know what happened with this position? It is no longer advertised.
 * No news on this one? The job listing disappeared from their website. (01/22/2015)
 * 2/16 This is now posted again on Vitae. The ad has changed though and now says "Specialization in Music Business with jazz/classical piano is desired, but candidates with other specializations will be considered, as long as they can demonstrate expertise in Departmental Administration."

Composition/Theory, Etc.
Augsburg College (deadline 12/15) Assistant Professor of Music (Composition)
 * "Teaching will include portions of the theory sequence. "
 * (2/2) Email requesting reference submission
 * (2/18) Email requesting written interview: 4 questions requiring written responses, and access to 2-3 scores and recordings (X2)
 * Anything new on this one?
 * (4/18) Rejection email stating offer had been made and accepted


 * (5/6) Reinaldo Moya (Juilliard, 2013)

Beloit College (deadline 10/15) Assistant/Associate Professor of Composition/Sound Studies
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16
 * (11/19) Received email to schedule phone interview
 * (1/22) Were any of the folks interviewed invited for a campus visit?
 * (1/24) Not me - perhaps they haven't gotten to making invitations?
 * (1/24) - I think you may be right.
 * (1/25) - Invited for a campus visit
 * (2/20) - Any developments with this job?
 * (3/9) - Yvonne Wu (UCSD ABD)

Berklee College of Music (deadline 1/8) Assistant Professor(s) of Composition (/Music Theory) (2 positions)
 * phone interviews scheduled (3/3)
 * invited for campus visit (3/11)

Berklee College of Music (deadline 4/1) Full-time Faculty, Harmony
 * "[Experience with] songwriting or arranging a plus"

Berklee College of Music (deadline 6/1) Part-time Faculty, Harmony (2 positions)
 * "Experience teaching ear training and/or arranging is a plus"

College of William and Mary (deadline 10/31) Assistant Professor of Music, Theory and Composition
 * additional materials requested (11/29)
 * Skype interviews scheduled (1/19-1/22)
 * I heard from a reliable source there's a problem with this search. - (such as....?)
 * campus interview scheduled first two weeks of February
 * 3/2 - David Dominique (ABD Brandeis University)

Cornish College (open until filled, posted 3/31) Professor of Composition
 * "Teach private instruction in composition, classes in music theory, electronic music, ear-training, advanced theory and composition classes;"

DePauw University (deadline 9/21) Assistant Professor of Music - Theory/Composition
 * 9/29 - Campus interview scheduled.
 * 11/22 - Eliza Brown (Northwestern 2015)

Georgetown University (deadline 12/15) Assistant Professor of Theory-Composition (non-tenure-track)
 * 1/8 - Email notifying receipt of materials and requesting more paperwork
 * 2/5 - Request for additional materials (x2)

Gustavus Adolphus University (deadline 4/26) Visiting Assistant Professor of Music (Theory and Composition)

Hampden-Sydney College (deadline 1/1) Visiting Assistant Professor of Music (1-year)
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology and Theory/Performance

Harvard University (deadline 11/16) Preceptor Position in Music (Theory)
 * "ability to teach composition is an asset"
 * Any news on this one?
 * 2/2 - campus interview scheduled
 * 4/6 - Job accepted (Chelsea Burns, ABD University of Chicago)

Hong Kong Baptist University (deadline 5/31) Assistant Professor in Music (2 positions)
 * "Applicants with one or more of the following specialisations are welcome to apply: Composition, Performance of Contemporary Music, Conducting Performance and Pedagogy, String Performance and Pedagogy."

Kent State University (deadline 11/23) Assistant Professor, Music Theory
 * duties include "possibly teach[ing] private composition lessons."
 * 12/21 - Phone Interview Scheduled (x2)
 * 3/21 Any news here?
 * An offer has been made

Metropolitan State University of Denver (deadline 11/11) Music Department Lecturer (Detroit campus)
 * "The successful candidate will teach classes with a focus on commercial music, musicology, music theory, songwriting, music industry, and/or music entrepreneurship."

Millsaps College (deadline 2/12) Visiting Assistant Professor of Music
 * 2/20 Skype interview scheduled

Norfolk State University (deadline 4/8. Open until filled) Assistant Professor - Music Theory/Composition
 * If direct link doesn't work, this is position number F0207.

Northeast Normal University (deadline 6/5) Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor in School of Music
 * "Requirements: Majored in Musical Theory or Composing."

Soochow University (deadline 11/1) Assistant/Associate Professors of Composition and Theory (2 positions)

Southern Methodist University (deadline 10/1) Lecturer, Composition and Music Theory Job accepted (Lane Harder - DMA, University of Texas)
 * Skype interview scheduled (12/23)

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (deadline 1/19) Assistant Professor, Music (Theory)
 * "Composition is a desirable secondary area."
 * any news?
 * Rejection email received (4/11)
 * Job accepted (4/19)

University of Idaho (deadline 1/25) Assistant Professor of Composition/Music Theory
 * Is there an inside candidate here?
 * Yes. Compare the job description to the qualifications of the VAP in comp/theory. Also, the application requirements were a bit silly.
 * ^^Does this represent actual inside knowledge, or just speculation? (x2)
 * Skype interview (2/29)
 * (5/9) Ruby Fulton (DMA, Peabody, 2009)

University of Nebraska at Omaha (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor, Music Theory and Composition
 * (12/6) Phone interview scheduled (x2)
 * (12/23) Campus interview scheduled
 * (2/22) Rejection email received

University of Northern Colorado (review begins immediately, posted 10/28) Assistant Professor of Music, Commercial Media Composition and Music Theory
 * (3/14) Rejection letter including note that candidate has accepted offer

University of Miami (deadline 12/15) Assistant Professor of Practice in Music Theory (non-tenure-track)
 * "Preference given to candidates who can incorporate composition into the rigorous (traditional) two-year Theory sequence, and candidates with strengths in advanced analysis techniques and/or conducting a new music ensemble."
 * (2/19) Request for additional materials
 * (2/21) Campus Interviews Scheduled

University of San Francisco (deadline 10/30) Assistant Professor, Music Theory/Composition
 * (12/16) Vague email saying short list made, most unclear rejection ever received.
 * (12/16) The email message, which I also received, was merely soft-hearted. It's clear upon reflection that recipient is not on the short-list mentioned in the message. I think it's fine.
 * (01/19-01/22) Skype interviews (x10)
 * (01/25) Second round rejection letter received.
 * Has anybody been invited for a campus visit after the skype interviews? I never got a rejection letter after my skype interview. Emailed them a follow-up and no response.

University of South Carolina (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor of Composition and Theory


 * Request for more materials (12/11)
 * Contacted to schedule phone interview (1/21)
 * Campus interviews scheduled for February (1/27)
 * David Kirkland Garner (PhD, Duke University 2014)

University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley (deadline 2/8) Associate Professor, Music
 * (3/14) Rejection letter stating that position has been filled

Western Oregon University (review begins immediately, posted 10/29) Instructor of Music, non-tenure-track (Spring 2016)

Composition/Technology
Ball State University (review begins immediately, posted 12/1) Assistant/Associate Professor, Music Composition (Computer Music)
 * (2/?) References contacted
 * (3/24) Campus interview scheduled, three finalists
 * (4/13) Campus interviews complete
 * (4/20) Offer verbally accepted (Chin Ting Chan, University of Missouri - Kansas City, 2014)

Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music (deadline 1/11) Assistant Professor - Media Scoring and Sonic Arts (Music)
 * (2/29) Rejection letter

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (deadline 1/29) Assistant Professor, Music Industry Studies / Technology
 * (3/21) Invited for a campus interview

California State University, Monterey Bay (deadline 12/1) Assistant Professor of Recording and Technology

Claflin University (open until filled) Assistant Professor of Music Composition & Theory (emph. in Technology) - Tenure Track
 * 5/2 - 5/6 Finalists interviewed

Dakota State University (Open until filled) Assistant Professor in Audio Production (tenure-track)
 * (4/7) Phone interview request

Dixie State University (deadline 12/1) Music - General Studies and Music Technology
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16

KTH Stockholm (deadline 10/1/15) Assistant Professor in Media Technology, specifically Sound and Music Computing

McGill University - SIMSSA Project (review begins 12/1) Postdoctoral Fellowship in Optical Music Recognition
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16
 * Still accepting applications, per post on Musicology wiki 2/2/16
 * any updates? (5/14)

Middle TN State University (deadline 11/9) Assistant or Associate Professor of Recording Industry in Audio Production/Electronic music (tenure-track).
 * (2/19) Invited for a campus interview

Oakland University (deadline 5/20) Lecturer in Composition/Music Technology (part-time)

Oregon State University (deadline 1/22) Assistant Professor and coordinator of Music Technology and Production (tenure-track).
 * (2/9) Skype Interview
 * (3/20) Campus Interview
 * (4/30) Offer accepted- Jason Fick (University of North Texas, 2013)

Portland Community College (deadline 11/20) Instructor of Professional Music (full-time, permanent)
 * (1/20) Phone interview scheduled

Ramapo College (deadline 12/1) Assistant Professor of Music (Music Production)


 * Anybody heard anything here?

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (deadline 12/1) Assistant Professor in Music Composition and Multimedia Performance


 * Skype interviews scheduled for January


 * Any news?
 * 3/7) email rejection
 * (5/1) Nina C. Young (Columbia ABD)

Richland College (deadline 1/19) Music Technology Faculty (Full-Time)
 * (3/27) Rejection email

Stephen F. Austin State University (open until filled) Assistant Professor/Director - Sound Recording Technology


 * (3/31) Phone interview request

SUNY-Oneonta (no deadline given, posted 11/17) Assistant Professor of Composition and Audio Production
 * (3/28) Phone interview scheduled

Trinity College Dublin (deadline 1/18) Ussher Assistant Professor in Sonic Arts
 * "The Department of Music seeks to appoint an Ussher Assistant Professor in Sonic Arts with expertise in one or more of the following areas: Music Technology, Performance Studies, Electronic, and Electroacoustic Composition."
 * (2/10) Rejection letters sent
 * (2/23) I'm confused. Is this a composition job? Why not a Musicology job (to replace Jane Alden who is returning to Wesleyan)?
 * (2/23) Just a wild guess, but perhaps they want someone who is actively contributing to the fields that they listed in the job description as opposed to someone who attempts to derive meaning (often contrived) from those who were previously involved in the field? It isn't a one for one game.
 * offer made

University of Alabama at Birmingham (deadline 1/15) Assistant Professor of Music - Music Technology
 * (2/11) Skype interview scheduled
 * (3/2) Invited for a campus interview

University of California, Berkeley (deadline 5/17/16) Lecturer Pool - Music and Technology with Max/MSP and CNMAT Technologies

University of Central Missouri (deadline 1/11) Assistant Professor of Music Technology
 * (1/27) Additional materials requested (x2)
 * (3/4) Skype interview
 * (4/21) Offer accepted - Jeff Kaiser (UCSD, 2013)

University of Gloucestershire (deadline 5/2) Lecturer / Senior Lecturer in Music
 * "Your background may be in composition, live performance and/or creative production."
 * "0.6 FTE", i.e. part-time at 60%

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (deadline 11/23) Assistant Professor of Music Composition (Digital Media & Music Technology)
 * (12/3) Additional materials requested
 * (1/13) Any news?
 * (12/21) letters of recommendation were requested
 * (1/29) 5 finalists selected. Campus visits currently underway.
 * (4/8) Offer accepted - Eli Fieldsteel (University of Texas, Austin, 2015)

University of Iowa (deadline 11/15) Assistant Professor of Composition and Digital Media
 * any updates? (5/14)

University of Michigan (no deadline listed, posted 3/16) Assistant Professor - Performing Arts Technology
 * (3/23) This posting is not listed on the UMich jobs site.  Spoke to someone in HR who said it likely does not exist if it is not listed on the UMich jobs site.  Can anyone confirm whether this position is real?

University of New Haven (review begins 4/1) Adjunct Instructor of Music and Sound Recording (part-time, renewable)

University of New South Wales (deadline 5/23) Lecturer in Sonic Arts

University of Oregon (deadline 11/9/15) Assistant Professor of Music Technology
 * has anyone heard anything on this?
 * (1/22) Skype Interview

University of Oslo (deadline 5/2) Associate Professor of Music Technology
 * Also posted at Musicology/Ethnomusicology 2015-16.

University of Southern California (deadline 4/1) Full-Time Non-Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Practice in Music Technology

University of Sussex (deadline 5/23) Lecturer in Music Technology
 * "All areas of Music Technology are of interest but it is desirable but not essential to have teaching and/or research expertise in the following areas: music and/or composition for games, apps and interactive media."

University of Sussex (deadline 2/11) Teaching Fellow in Music (part-time, 1-year)

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (deadline 11/2/15) Assistant Professor, Music (Percussion/Recording Arts Technology)

Victoria University of Wellington (deadline 10/30) Lecturer in Sonic Art and Music Technology
 * (12/2) Rejection email

Wayne State University (open until filled, posted 11/3) Assistant Professor of Music Technology
 * update?
 * (3/2) Invited for a campus interview
 * (4/6) Rejection email ("...based on our current pool of applicants, you will not be considered for an interview at this time."
 * (4/25) Offer Accepted - Joo Won Park (University of Florida, 2008)

Wayne State University (open until filled, posted 4/7) Lecturer in Music Technology

York University (deadline 1/8) Assistant/Associate Professor, Composition and Sound Design
 * (2/25) Rejection letter

DISCUSSION

 * https://medium.com/@krisshaffer/so-you-want-to-be-a-music-theory-professor

Music Theory Midwest

 * Has anyone heard either way about it? Their confirmation email said "late February" but of course everyone gets busy.
 * Acceptances have been emailed tonight (3/3)

Anonymity, please:

 * A friendly reminder to please refrain from using names on this wiki, other than in the form of an announcement about a job's acceptance (and even then, only with expressed permission of the named person).  Some threads above deal with so-and-so leaving a position, retiring, moving, or whatnot.  Nothing incriminating so far, but we need to have a strict policy on this.  We can easily underestimate the ramifications of casually naming someone in this context.

Composition Jobs:

 * 12/5: There's lots of news on the theory searches, but practically none on the composition jobs. Any updates out there?
 * 12/5: Finalists selected for the U Chicago job.
 * 12/12: The silence really feels deafening on all of these...
 * 1/18: same with all of the technology jobs. Not a whole lot of updating.
 * 2/8: it's about the right time of the year to wonder this: despite  having lots of good things going on, awards, etc. wondering how much being 4,5,6 years after PhD puts you at a disadvantage. Do certain committees immediately weed out types like me (no present academic employment, too), without looking further into the CV, and without reading the cover letter? If this is the case, is this a practice that made a lot more sense ten years ago compared to now? I'm curious about search committee members who simply are clueless.
 * 2/8: don't try to make sense of it... I'm ABD, defending this semester, and despite numerous colleagues who are also ABD getting interviews (and some eventually jobs) at prestigious US research universities, still no luck here. Awards, prizes, etc. only have currency when they are the most prestigious ones in the field, and frankly, if you're winning those kinds of prizes, then you're already being shuttled into an awaiting position with your name on it, because the same people who served on the prize jury are also on the academic search committee. It's all rigged and corrupt, same as the economy.
 * 2/11 (1): It's a degrading process, no one can deny it, and plenty of it is arbitrary.  But all "rigged and corrupt" is nihilistic and way too cynical for someone who is ABD... in February no less!  It's also not true that only the most prestigious awards carry weight.  Obviously they carry more weight the greater the prestige, but having a few minor awards, depending on one's the career stage, can make a candidate seem more legitimate.  The thing is, the people getting most of the jobs out there are not coming off the Rome Prize or a Guggenheim.  While those people may have an easier time, most of the jobs out there are going to people with slightly above-average qualifications who play the game well—people who write brief but compelling cover letters that tailor to the job postings, people who interview well on the phone and in person, and people that can deliver a convincing and personable teaching demonstration.  On perhaps an encouraging note, I was on the market for three years, but my job search went nowhere until I could expunge the letters ABD from my resume.  My point is... it is way too early to despair.
 * 2/11 (2): Sorry, but I completely disagree. I'm an ABD at one of the most prestigious Ivies out there (the only one that actually places its graduates). Numerous colleagues of mine have won the Rome Prize, Gaudeamus, Guggenheim, American Academy, etc., and almost all of them have landed jobs at some of the best schools out there. Certain types of people all got those jobs as ABDs, while others had to wait a few years afterwards. The point is, I've applied to dozens of jobs, and only had one request for additional materials in 2 years. No interviews. My CV is great (many awards, prizes, grants, commissions, etc.), but if it can't get you a request for materials at a mid-level college, then how the f*ck is the game not rigged? Search committees basically know exactly who they want to bring in as finalists, and generally know exactly who the selected candidate will be before the first interview is even over.
 * Hello there, I agree with 2/11(1): this is the same old story, but having been on the market for three years as well and having landed on a job finally, after a PhD at an Ivy as well, I would say the following: in search committes, some people look at CV, some people at cover letters, some people at how many prizes, some people at what prizes, some people at your background, some people at your outreach work, some people at something I don't even know. So, I think it's not a matter of being rigged: it's fair for an institution to look at the ideal candidate - there are schools that do not want a Rome Prize because they are afraid he/she's not going to stay; some other values more teaching, and you can be a Guggenheim and being a jerk to students. And so on. As a candidate, you have to make sure to potentially attract the attention of all of these people. It's a painful process, but it's your responsibility. I am not saying you do, but I have met so many colleagues of mine that pretended to be shortlisted because of schools or prizes. This is b.s. and if you are applying to a school that value teaching and down-to-earth people, if you want the job you have to prove that you can do that. If you are appling to a mid-level college from an Ivy, you have to prove you are humble enough to keep the job for a few years at least, etc. having said that... good luck, I know it's frustrating at times but your education in the long run will certainly be an advantage.
 * (2/13):  The 2/8 original post on this thread asked not about ABD, but being on the market 4-6 years out.  I think many SCs do understand the market sucks.  My impression is that it's less about "time since degree" than it is, "What have you been doing since your degree?"  If you're applying to teaching intensive schools, they will almost certainly want to see extensive teaching experience in their chosen candidate, in which case, 4-6 of teaching in non-permanent positions might be a plus.  For schools more focused on professional stuff, 4-6 years of steady work, commissions, awards could also be a positive.  I think "gaps" in the CV are the problem more than the time elapsed, per se.
 * 3/30 Let me tell you about "what you've done since the degree": I have performances and commissions internationally, won prizes both prestigious and obscure, did the summer programs, various post-docs and VAPs, adjunct taught at some prestigious places, created my own opportunities as an arts entrepreneur AND made opportunities for others, and yet I never landed a t/t gig. If you're getting a PhD or DMA to teach, you're in it for the wrong reasons and contributing to the growing problems in higher education. I recommend identifying some marketable skills and pursuing the music, if you're a composer, or the research, I suppose, if you're a theorist (how is one a freelance theorist, though?). There are no guarantees in life and no one owes you a career in the arts, academic or not. Get out there and do it, or resign yourself to leaving the field.


 * 4/20 (1): There is no set pattern on how to get a job.  Based on my own direct experience, some institutions are concerned with credentials, meaning the prizes you've won, the famous teachers you have, the festivals, the degrees, etc.  And then there are other schools who seem to not want any credentials--they are anti-credential.  And it comes from their own psychological issues and inferiority complexes.  So if you look through those who've been hired on this wiki you will see which schools are the pro-credential and which are anti-credential.  Another way to put this is which are pro-composing--supporting people who can actually compose music and have some level of craft--and which are anti-composing--supporting people who do all kinds of anti-technique BS to make their application shiny (since it can't be shiny through traditional metrics).  The tough thing is there is no way to know what the school wants when you apply.  You cannot know based on the relative prestige of the school.  The way I see it, composition as a degree is under attack from all angles, and the most realistic outcome for most of us is to make our way through other means.  We worked hard to hone certain skills from a young age, but academia doesn't want what we can offer.


 * 4/20 (2): It's amazing how bitter some people become when they don't achieve the instant success and recognition they believe they deserve. Developing your craft and trying to develop a career are not mutually exclusive, as 4/20 above would have you believe. How can you even try to argue that some composition departments are anti-composing and anti-technique? Different departments have different needs, aesthetics and values - that's all there is to it. There's no need to speculate about inferiority complexes because you didn't get a job you thought you deserved - the truth is, it simply wasn't a good fit. If people spent more time composing instead of wasting time trying to justify their cognitive biases, we would all be better off.


 * 4/25 (1): Obviously I can't speak for 4/20 (1), but I believe a better term than "anti-composing" or "anti-technique" is "anti-professional". I'm a 2015 PhD graduate, and much like 3/30, I've been lucky enough to win numerous awards, attend top festivals, be performed by top ensembles and study with many esteemed composers both inside and outside the academy. But I've received all of one Skype interview in the past 2 years, during which the committee members seemed very skeptical of my interest in their school and my ability to "reach" their students. I've focused most of my efforts on developing my abilities as a teacher (this includes adjunct teaching) and on marketing those skills in cover letters and teaching statements, and it is immensely frustrating to have institutions demonstrate bias against skills that we are repeatedly told matter during our time in graduate school. Most of us are not going to make a living on commissions, even if we have a long list of "professional" accomplishments, and really would love the stability of an academic job. And when we say that, we do mean it. So to have our interest in or commitment to teaching questioned is really unfair. I suppose I'm just venting here, rather than directly addressing the search committees who have this problem. Which means I fully understand what 4/20 (2) is saying, but that doesn't make it fair.


 * 4/25 (2): I'm mostly a theorist and I have a similar complaint.  Although I've had many Skype interviews (and some campus visits), one of the lines of questioning, or innuendo, I often get is something like:  Your work (research, publications, presentations, etc.) is so good and interesting, what could you possibly want to do with teaching?  But this is absurd, because I've honed my teaching skills for years and am demonstrability a dedicated teacher, with years of experience doing it. We're being put in a position where we should actually hide our scholarly accomplishments, wiping them off the CV, just in order to get better employment. I've also witnessed it happen to other highly accomplished colleagues, not just to myself. I cannot determine whether higher-up administrators are savvy to the anti-professional bias or tactics of so many search committee members.  I have heard stories (from people in other fields) of admins getting a whiff of this (call it: push-to-mediocrity) and then coming down hard on or sweeping in and wresting control from the search committee when this trend starts escalating.  But mostly it seems to just run rampant, unfettered.
 * 4/26(1): Wow. To be honest, I always assumed this problem might be unique to composition, mostly because being a professional composer doesn't really have an analog within most other disciplines. Hiding major awards or commissions seems a bit difficult to do, given that word often gets around in the field, but the fact that we even have to consider something like this - unless we already have a serious "in" with the people in charge of the top TT jobs every year - is so ridiculous.
 * 4/26(2): I think this is probably much more common in composition, than in, say music theory.  The other colleagues I know, to whom this has happened are indeed composers.

Internal Candidates and Internal Politics:

 * 10/8: I don't want to drag out the same conversation that gets rehashed every year on this wiki, but the speculation seems to be especially rampant this year.  If you're new to the market, a word of advice from someone in a TT position: ignore the speculation (verified or otherwise) about internal candidates, especially when that speculation leans toward cynicism.  The internal candidate may: 1.) not exist, 2.) not apply, 3.) get a different job, 4.) not get the job.  I got the job I have now while vacating a VAP position (which went to someone else).  There was even some speculation that my current job would go to an inside candidate (who ended up belonging to category number 1 above).


 * And yes, even number 4 is possible.  Here's one reason why: in almost all searches, an upper-level administrator is the final arbitrator of the hire.  The role of this administrator ranges widely from simply "signing off" on the SC's recommendation or, in other cases, actually taking it upon his/herself to pick the hire based from the SC's finalists.  I know of schools in which the SC actually gives said administrator a list of UNRANKED candidates from which the administrator can choose.  While the SC may be comprised from within the department, and its members may even hope from the outset to hire a well-liked internal candidate, the same candidate may be a complete stranger to the administrator who's going to call the shots.


 * This is just one piece of the many, many moving pieces that go into a search.  If you are new to the market, DO NOT let speculation about an internal candidate deter you from pursuing a job.  Don't even let it affect your thinking, especially if you advance in the search.


 * 10/8: I fully agree with the above statement. Eloquently said. I was on a list of four finalists for a TT position last year where one of finalists was a VAP at the institution but failed to secure the TT position and left. It went to an outside candidate who was a rockstar composer/teacher and who definitely deserved it. My advice for all is simply to keep kicking ass and stop being paranoid and negative. We will all eventually be where we deserve to be. Best wishes.


 * 10/9: In some situations, internal candidates have less of a chance than external candidates. Some committees feel obligated to pass an internal application to the 2nd round out of courtesy to their colleague, but it doesn't mean the candidate will be considered for later rounds in the search.
 * I agree with 10/9: I currently teach in an institution that has been having a few openings recently: in all of them there were internal candidates in the final list, but none of them made it in the end. I was myself in a search with 2 internal candidates in the final round, and I ended up having the job as an outsider. Just sharing my experience.
 * And in all the other cases the internal candidate gets the job.  Good luck to all.
 * Well I guess no one was arguing with the fact that internal candidates often get the job - the point is not about what happens the most, but that 'statistics' leave room for both scenarios. I guess what I could take home from what's posted here is that it is indeed not wise to be influenced in any way by the (supposed) presence of internal candidates.
 * 10/17: This is all good advice, and perhaps it's useful to reiterate it every so often. However, it is deeply irritating to have to waste an hour applying for a job with a predetermined internal candidate. (None of us can know what percentage of internal hires are effectively predetermined, but I think it's considerably more than zero.) I tend to read the anonymous sniping about this as venting, rather than as paranoia or discouragement.
 * 12/15  Internal candidates are people, too.  They have bills and feelings and hopes and dreams like everyone else.  In many cases they drop everything on a moment's notice and move halfway across the country, usually to rescue a program due to a sudden departure.  They are told they will certainly be considered for the position, even if this is the farthest thing from the truth.  It's humiliating enough, without people who claim to sit on search committees going on the internet and discussing how a certain internal was "blown out of the water" like an enemy ship.  That's cruel, unprofessional and kind of sick, especially when so many times internals are the pinch hitters that come to the rescue of a department in disarray.
 * 12/15 (2): Who said anything about being "blown out of the water"?  If something was erased I suggest the administrators restore it.  No point in hiding from the truth.


 * 12/15:  Re:  "cruel, unprofessional, and kind of sick." http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/09/the-rise-of-victimhood-culture/404794/
 * 12/15  Objecting to a committee member discussing a confidential search on the internet is victimhood?  I've seen comments on related boards that included quite a few specifics about a particular search.  Strikes me as unprofessional, at minimum.
 * 12/24 I have been teaching for more than 25 years and have been a member of numerous search committees, in more than one university. Here's what I learned: 1. Private schools will likely have more questionable hiring practices, and the smaller the school, the more likely this will happen. 2. Even if it looks like an internal candidate  is a favorite, committee members often don't agree; sometimes they don't even like each other. 3. Search committees are often told not to rank candidates. 4. Deans and provosts often go against recommendations made by search committees.
 * 12/25 I have never been on a search committee, but I have been a finalist several times. From my experience I have started to suspect all four points above, that is, about 1. practices varying by school type, 2. committee members not agreeing and not liking each other, 3. committees not being allowed to rank candidates, and 4. admins going against search committee recommendations. All these things I've come to surmise. It's interesting to hear someone else, someone who has been on the inside, actually say these things.
 * 3/3 Here's a question. The scenario is a phone interview in which you get a STRONG feeling that this is a pro forma affair (e.g. interview lasts 15 minutes during which the committee asks four very generic questions and no follow-up questions, etc.). Then the committee ends with the standard question: "What questions do you have for us? You can ask ANYTHING at all." Has anyone dared to ask the committee in this case whether there is an internal candidate?
 * 3/4I think it's good practice to avoid inquiring about other candidates being considered for the same position, especially if there's any kind of accusatory tone in your question. I wonder, what would you have to gain from asking this question? And, finally, think of the interviewees as future colleagues regardless of whether or not you get the job - odds are you will run into them again in the future.
 * 3/4 I would also say it is prudent to avoid this, unless the circumstances are conducive to asking. I was in a situation once where I knew both the head of the search committee and the internal candidate, and because sometimes union policies require posting a job on the website even if it isn't necessarily "open", I did ask. But I would never ask if I didn't know the faculty personally and felt intuitively that it was appropriate.
 * 3/4 I thought a mid-season survey of the stats might be interesting--interpret as you wish... How many hires (ONLY those actually printed on this wiki page) are men? women? internal candidates? "spouses of tenured faculty members"? (note that not every accepted job has an individual listed, and that many searches listed here are yet unreported/unfinished): Men: 4; Women: 6; internal: 3 (TWU, Kennesaw, SMU) spouse of a tenured faculty member: 1.

Southern Methodist University

 * 12/11 Has anybody heard anything on SMU's position? An email indicated they would be interviewing mid November.
 * 3/15 Rejection letter received. Dr. Lane Harder (Univ. Texas, VAP at SMU)

Albion College

 * 9/27 Check out the faculty profiles. I'll bet you $1000 this is going to be an internal hire.
 * 9/29 Ha! I suppose that if they're obliged to go through the motions of a search in a case like this, we should be glad that it's so obvious.
 * 11/14 VAP is married to current full professor.  The ultimate inside candidate...

California State University - Channel Islands

 * 10/1 - The University's site does not list any jobs in music. Where did this listing come from? Has the job perhaps not yet been posted on the University's site?
 * This type of jobs site doesn't allow direct linking to a specific ad. In the dropdown search box the title is "Performing Arts- Assistant Professor of Music Fundamentals." Job requisition # is 050899.

Cornish College

 * 4/3 Cornish underpays faculty. Local community college music profs earn more. You need a breadwinning spouse or can live in a rooming house or prefer a long communte, otherwise you will not be able to afford living in Seattle.
 * 4/3 (2): To keep this from being dismissed as speculation, check the data: http://data.chronicle.com/235024/Cornish-College-of-the-Arts/.
 * There is a very strong inside candidate that the department wants for this position. Note the name of the interim chair and check back later.

Corpas University

 * 9/25 Based on the job description, this doesn't look like an adjunct post. Anybody know anything?
 * 9/25 Since the listing says "tenure-track," "indefinite contract," and "full-time," my guess is that's it's a translation/cultural/language issue. Probably a good idea to clarify if you get an interview though.

DePauw University
There is an internal candidate and the candidate is very strong. This position is different from the one-year position that was listed last year. Last year's was theory only; this position it theory/comp.
 * 9/8 - Is this year's theory/comp position replacing the 1-year theory VAP from last year? When was it advertised? The 2-week deadline seems very short.
 * It was posted on HigherEdJobs yesterday (9/7) which is where I saw it (and re-posted to the wiki). It's possible that it was up on the DePauw website earlier.
 * (9/9) It is indeed a rather quick deadline for a 2016 position especially considering that candidates must submit a ton of material: "graduate transcripts, teaching philosophy, scholarly/creative interest statement, samples of scholarly writing, web links to recordings and/or scores, and evidence of teaching effectiveness, including peer evaluations and official (non-excerpted) student evaluations (if available)." Ugh. Who has peer evaluations of teaching effectiveness laying around? How many qualified candidates won't apply just because of the trouble of getting this stuff together? Then again, perhaps that's exactly the intention.
 * Given this information, very likely this is an inside candidate.  I estimate at least 50% of the jobs are for predetermined candidates.
 * 11/1 - position was offered and accepted; composer was not an internal candidate, but currently lives in Chicago IL.

Emory University

 * 9/16 - Has anyone been able to find the job on the Emory careers website (https://sjobs.brassring.com/1033/ASP/TG/cim_home.asp?partnerid=25066&siteid=5449)? The only music job appears to be for an Assistant Dean of Music and Worship.
 * 9/19 This job is now available through the Emory careers site.

Florida State University

 * 9/24 I can't get a direct link to the posting to work. From the Florida State jobs page, click on Advanced Search to search by Job Opening ID. The job id number is 39327.

Georgetown University

 * 10/28 - anyone know about the job security of a non-tenure track position at Goergetown that has the rank of Assistant Professor? Is there a contract beyond a year? Any chance of promotion?

Harvard University

 * 10/6 - Can anyone shed some light on the rank of "preceptor"? It's a one-year appointment but can be renewed annually for up to 8 years. Why the cap? Any chance for promotion? Or is this basically an extended VAP at a prestigious school? And is it fair to assume this position will replace the person who's currently in the role?
 * 10/7 - no chance for promotion; somewhere between an adjunct and VAP with excellent benefits, good pay, and obviously prestige; I don't know details re replacement, etc.
 * 10/8 - It's a good gig, certainly, with good pay for a non TT job.  It's a full-time teaching position as opposed to the TT positions at similar schools, which are research and teaching (in that order).  Not to be cynical (there's certainly enough of that on this wiki already!), but Harvard is notorious for this practice: people I know who have gone to Harvard as undergrads complain that all their classes are taught by adjuncts and teaching assistants, and not the marquee professors.  The preceptor is often someone who takes on the onus of core curriculum that they aren't going to saddle their endowed chairs with.  A VAP is often a placeholder to fill in the gaps between TT appointments.  The preceptor is a permanent fixture in the department (the position is permanent, I believe, based on contract renewal).
 * I second what the others said - good job, no TT, teaching job, yearly renewal (so, no downtime for you), and max 8 years. I know a 3-4 people who got that job in the past. It is a good job, but it indeed ends after 8 years maximum, and there is no chance for the job to change into some TT - it's just a different job, it is not related to any TT search Harvard might open. I know of at least one instructor who was an excellent teacher, really outstanding, loved by student, by the faculty, by everyone. But no matter what, after 8 years he had to leave the job.
 * 10/25 - Just to clarify a few things: preceptors at Harvard are basically extended adjunct/lecturer positions (though as others note, they are paid well), typically renewed annually, though renewal is standard unless the teaching is poor.  Different departments have policies regarding the ultimate term, but anywhere from 3 to 8 years max is typical.  Some departments (including Music) have at times had a position of "Senior Preceptor," which may go beyond the typical 8 years maximum.  I don't know whether such an option would be possible for this position after the 8 years (and it still would not be TT), but the general practice is for people to "move on" before that.  I don't know the exact reason for the cap, but I've been told it had to do with old Harvard policies not to maintain a set of "permanent adjuncts" -- the hope is that the people Harvard hires are qualified enough to move on to a more permanent position.  (The pay and benefits are good, but I'd personally treat it as a "stepping stone" while continuing to apply for TT jobs.)  There are generally only 1 or 2 preceptors in music at any given time, so although I haven't looked at current faculty, it's a good chance this may be replacing a current position.  Regarding undergraduate teaching: preceptors in the Music Department typically do end up teaching mostly "core" classes within the music major.  I know some Harvard departments are notorious for having faculty avoid undergrad teaching, but the Music Department (at least in the past decade and more) tends to have lots of undergrad courses taught by TT faculty, with the gaps filled in by a preceptor or two and the occasional recent Harvard Ph.D. who serves as a lecturer for a year or so.  In theory in particular it is very common for the TT faculty to teach part of the undergraduate core theory curriculum and/or upper-level theory seminars for undergraduates.  Preceptors usually take on the other core theory classes which TT faculty can't cover.
 * 10/28 - Preceptors aren't "extended adjunct/lecturers." It is a faculty position. Preceptors advise senior thesis work in theory and composition, can be on the curriculum committee, and can teach/work with grad. students.
 * 10/28b - Oh, so preceptors are faculty, because they aren't adjuncts/lecturers.  Therefore, adjuncts/lecturers aren't faculty.  Argue all you want about job titles, I can guarantee this job will go to someone already in Boston.
 * I suggest for the sake of this entire wiki that you restore the post which you took upon yourself to define as "trolling" and then delete.  Censorship usually doesn't work out well.
 * 10/30 - my strongly-held conviction is that unless it's potentially actionable it shouldn't be deleted. This is an open forum, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails, good and bad.
 * Haven't you violated your own principles by deleting the sentence "don't troll the job wiki?"

Stony Brook University

 * 10/9 Can the April 2016 deadline be correct? Surely they will be reviewing applications earlier than that.
 * (10/13) they've updated the call to indicate 5:00 PM Eastern Time on 11/15/2015
 * 5/1 For the record, the job went to the spouse of a faculty member.
 * 5/3 (1) Writing as a member of the search committee here: this was a real search, with a wide and deep pool of applicants. It was not a cover for nepotism.
 * 5/3 (2)  It was a real search with a wide and deep pool of applicants many of whom were exceptionally qualified (including those more qualified than the person who landed the job) but none whom "fit" as well as a spouse of the faculty member.
 * 5/4 (1) I find it laughable that search committee members now feel the need to take to an anonymous wiki to try to defend their incestuous actions.  Are they actually starting to feel a hint of guilt about the way so many searches are structured?  Everyone just needs to come to terms with the facts of the academic job search.  Anyone can be hired for ANY reason.  And the best reason is a spousal hire.  So congrats on marrying well!
 * 5/4 (2) I'm confused as to whether we're talking about SUNY Stony Brook or SUNY Potsdam.
 * 5/4 (3) This is indeed SUNY Stony Brook. The notion that the candidate "fit" better is highly questionable as well: are we really supposed to assume that the job description couldn't have been tailor-made for the candidate, considering the candidate's spouse isn't exactly new to the institution? But I agree with 5/4 (1): anyone can be hired for any reason, and this is only one of them. As far as I'm concerned, there's no need for the committee to justify its actions, here or elsewhere. It's a sad truth that reaches far beyond this one institution, and there's really not much the rest of us can do about it.
 * 5/4 (4) I don't have much hope that the sour grapes and inflated egos of some of the commentators here will permit them to genuinely reflect on the nature of their claims, but I hope others are not similarly blinded. What, exactly, do we think it would look like—from the perspective of individuals, institutions, and the discipline as a whole—if we forbade committees from ever hiring spouses, no matter how qualified? I don't know the winning candidate or anything about the search, but this hardly looks like nepotism: this guy seems overwhelmingly qualified and well-suited to the institution, at least as it appears from afar. Would commentators prefer that every academic couple be a commuter marriage? That institutions regularly lose good faculty members who leave to remedy two-body problems? That institutions throw out qualified applicants who happen to be married to other people in the department out of the fear of appearing nepotistic? Obviously, not every spouse deserves to be hired, nor should a committee take these decisions lightly—and there should be common-sense protections in place, like spouses recusing themselves from committees where they might have a conflict of interest. But I hope commentators here consider the consequences of their assumptions. And I also hope that they, in the future, refrain from denigrating the reputations of young scholars on anonymous internet forums—especially in cases like this, where they appear to be at the start of a promising career. (x2)
 * 5/4 (5) I've read over all the comments and verified that no one whatsoever has been denigrated. No one's reputations has been tainted. And no one suggested forbidding hiring spouses. Not only that but no here denied that the "winning" candidate is "overwhelmingly qualified."  Though perhaps the question was raised as to whether there aren't an overwhelming number of even more overwhelmingly qualified candidates.  But it's frankly bizarre and reflects a frightening degree of self-involvement and myopia to put "academic couples" above other commuter marriages. Plenty of half-academic couples have commuter marriages and they're no less important. What exactly do we we think we look like when the only kind of couples "we" can keep in mind (in connection with an academic search) are academic couples? Wow!
 * 5/5 (1) Very true - no one in this thread has denigrated anyone - certainly not the candidate. Except, of course, for 5/4 (4), who seems convinced that those of us frustrated with the market are whiny and egotistical for expressing these frustrations with its machinations. I guess we're supposed to just sit down and shut up about the years of uncertainty and financial strain many of us are enduring? Do we really deserve this kind of condescension? And I agree with 5/4 (5): why exactly is the nature of a candidate's relationship or marriage something to "keep in mind"? Why is it our business, or for that matter, the business of a search committee?
 * 5/5 (2) Seems there are at least two people [5/4 (4)] who likely benefited from a spousal hire or were otherwise involved in supporting such a search.  When the inner insecurities and guilt come out, the personal attacks begin.  Sour grapes?  Inflated egos?  Sorry if you projected your own issues onto some of these comments.  Most people just want to be treated fairly and with respect.  As you consider your own spousal hire, it must be difficult to always wonder whether you could have gotten the offer without the wedding bells.  (x2)
 * 5/7 A great deal of unfairness, and dare I say corruption, is hidden or protected by the secrecy surrounding search procedures. Anonymous voting leaves committee members unaccountable for their votes. The nebulous "fit" criterion leaves as much wiggle room as the grand canyon.  Unspoken quid-pro-quo between departments cultivates an atmosphere that reeks of sycophantic social-climbing. Of course there are exceptions and plenty of deserving candidates landing jobs appropriately. But it's hardly something that can be relied on as the norm.
 * 5/8 People who are expressing anger at the particular situation need to take a step back and try to see this from someone’s perspective other than their own. I know both halves of this spousal team. The fact is that both halves are enormously qualified and capable. Both probably could have gotten jobs at much higher prestige institutions. This also means that both could have gotten higher-paying jobs. The female half, for instance, was a top-3 candidate for a job at a top public university before abruptly pulling out of the running. I do not know this for a fact, but what I believe what happened is she negotiated with Stony Brook to have her husband come on board at a later time. Think about this from the perspective of the school. By being open to this spousal hiring (and to opening themselves to the charge of nepotism), they were able to secure not one but TWO professors who are probably “out of their league.” From the perspective of the individuals, they gave up money and prestige that could have come from jobs at larger institutions in order to be close to each other. Can you truly fault any party involved here? Everyone gave up a little in order to get something else. This is how negotiation works. This is not to say that I do not understand the frustration many feel when it seems that a search is rigged. Inside candidates and nepotistic hires are a giant waste of everyone’s time. They are a waste of resources for schools and a cause of emotional strain for the individuals asked to take part in what is not an actual search but a farce to fulfill a school’s bylaws. But I think your anger is misplaced. It should be directed at the stupidity of the bylaws which stipulate a “nationwide search” in cases where it’s not necessary or appropriate, not at the individuals who are only doing the best they can within a very bad system. I thought I was in the running at Stony Brook and wasted a lot of time hoping that the job would materialize for me. But the fact is that the guy they hired is more “qualified” than I am in regards to his research profile, presentations, publications, etc. It’s a shitty system in so many ways - we know that - but my advice would be to worry about things you can change, not things you can’t. Also, as they say in hip-hop, don’t hate the player, hate the game.
 * 5/8 (2): "I do not know this for a fact, but what I believe what happened is she negotiated with Stony Brook to have her husband come on board at a later time." IF that's true, and that's a big IF, then it was indeed rigged and there was never a point to my application. But your point is well taken: the game is that there are too few jobs for too many over-over-qualified applicants, so instead of fighting the system we fight amongst ourselves, which is precisely what people here have been doing, and precisely what those in power want, because it keeps us down.
 * 5/8 (3) Justifying this kind of negotiation by saying that both parties "could have" gotten jobs elsewhere - at "better" schools - is utter nonsense. Those "better" institutions are not rigging their mythical searches in favor of them, which means that they both become just another highly qualified candidate in a large pool, who may or may not make it to the top for any number of reasons. A rigged search is a rigged search, and it's still unfair. Calling out this kind of behavior when it happens might not change things in the short term, but it's still important to do. (x2)
 * It's also quite telling that this thread began with 5/3 (1) alleging that this was a "real" search, and then 5/8 alleging quite the contrary.
 * 5/8 (4) I can't find the post that is "expressing anger".  Could someone please clarify?
 * 5/8 (5) Dear 5/8 (1), who said "people...need to take a step back and try to see this from someone’s perspective other than their own."  Your degree of condescension is preposterous and embarrassing. It seems that you're deluded into thinking that the other searches (at "prestige institutions") are legitimate so that that justifies the spousal hire compromise negotiation they enabled, as you explained. Perhaps you might take a step back and try to see this from someone's perspective other than your own.  Other perspectives might not appreciate being told what they "need" to do by someone who can't distinguish anger from insight. You admit it's a crappy system; but the fact that you justify one apparently rigged search as a strategic response to other searches involving "higher paying" jobs at "prestige institutions" suggests that you're buying into the crappy system a significant degree more than the people here whom you're attempting to advise. (x2)
 * 5/8 (6) I'm going to go out on a limb here and identify myself as one of the finalists for this search who did not get the job. (None of the previous posts are mine, as this is all news to me . . .) I aim here neither to express "sour grapes" (although I confess to being upset) nor to self-advertise but rather to provide some testimony in support of nepotism likely being at play. Unlike the winner, I had a Ph.D in hand (earned in 2013) at the time of interview, have been teaching full-time at the university level for three full years (two as an assistant professor), have published 7 articles in some of the top theory and musicology journals, have single-authored and published two books and have a third (co-edited) volume under contract, and have given dozens of conference papers and invited lectures. Moreover, the interview itself was hardly a bust; I think I did quite well. Now, granted, the SC might have felt differently, and so if the winner were even comparable to me in terms of research output and teaching experience, I'd consider the possibility that the problem is not nepotism but rather that the interview didn’t go over as well as I thought it did. But, speaking plainly, the winner is not (as can be easily verified). Moreover, if, as one post speculated, the winner's spouse had indeed previously negotiated for his position and the school nonetheless held a (bogus) search, that is unethical and unacceptable. Please understand that I harbor no ill will toward this person—it isn’t his fault or problem that the SC acted in this manner. This isn't about him, this is about the school.
 * 5/9: Maybe 5/8 (6) doesn't understand how the search process works. They can hire or not hire for any reason. So it doesn't matter what credentials you may or may not have. They did not want you or the other people. They picked the candidate they wanted. You can whine all you want (as can everyone else), but eventually your whining will go away, and you will be fine, and the person who to the job will be fine. Ever stop to think maybe they didn't like your publications? There are dozens of people who can do the job. As I've said before, I estimate that about half the searches have a predetermined outcome.
 * 5/9 (2) Did this commenter "ever stop to think that" the language they are using is extraordinarily insulting? And that they are missing the entire point of this thread? This is about calling attention to what clearly was an appallingly unfair set of practices.
 * 5/9 (3) Between the direction that this thread, and the thread about composition jobs, has taken, it will be to everyone's benefit to realize that academia is not a meritocracy. Again, academia is not a meritocracy. Everything from jobs, to who gets published, to who gets performed, to who wins prestigious awards is influenced by a wide variety of factors, few of which have anything to do with the work produced by a given individual. It is especially important for those who have been coddled through the Ivy League (myself included) to remember this point. Don't have the right advisor at the right time? Tough. Don't have the sexy research topic of the minute? Tough. Don't use an array of quarter tones generated from a fundamental of Bb? Tough. It is what it is.
 * 5/9 (4) Yeah, life is hard so don't complain about injustice, be a man, write your pieces starting from a Bb fundamental, don't be coddled, get the right adviser, the sexy research topic.... Again, grow up and be a man. Disgusting post 5/9 (3). (x2)
 * 5/9 (5) Well, maybe 5/9 (3) is right. In the end, our "whining" will go away. But the people involved in this search - and in every other similar situation - will have to live with the consequences of their decisions. Hope they're proud of themselves. But maybe someone out there might think twice about engaging in similar behavior in the future, if not just because of the impact this information will have - and likely already has had - on the reputations of all parties involved.
 * 5/10 (1)  Yes, 5/9-1, I (5/8-6) understand that the SC CAN do as it pleases and owes me nothing.  The question I and most of the commentators on this thread have is whether the SC SHOULD have proceeded in the way it did.  I cited my bona fides not to argue that I in particular should have gotten the job and to complain that I hadn't (for all I know, the other finalist who did not get it was even better qualified) but that the patently gross disparity in experience and output between me and the winner strongly points to (though not irrefutably proves) either spousal hiring or more subversive nepotism being involved.  The former per se is fairly standard practice, but I've never heard of a SC conducting a search even after having agreed to the spousal hire—that is downright unethical and might even warrant litigation.  So, my point, 5/9-1, is that it is one thing to choose the candidate you want.  It is another to conduct a search and bring other candidates to campus under false pretenses.  You seem to be operating under the assumption that because such "predetermined outcomes" are so ubiquitous (though I think, or at least hope, less so than you claim), the practice must hold some merit, or that at the very least we should grin and bear it.  But why?  When one spends a huge amount of time and effort preparing for and going through the grueling campus-interview process, one should at the very least expect basically a level playing field (although I don't deny that some prejudice is inevitable, since we are human).  Wouldn't you want that for yourself?  (P.S. "Ever stop to think" that if they didn't basically like my publications, I wouldn't have been a finalist?) (x2)
 * 5/10 (2) This is the most amusing/pointless thread we've had this season.  Seach committee members and those who failed aruging amongst themselves and then the guy who didn't get picked (the "loser" in his terminology) anonymously attacking other anonymous posters by repeatedly putting "ever stop to think" in quotes.  I guess 5/10 is still confused about the search process.  The committee can hire whichever applicant they want no matter what!  It doesn't have to be based on your own personal notion of qualifications.  As another poster said, this is not a meritocracy.  You've never heard of a search being conducted for a spousal hire?  Really?  I think you've been living a very sheltered life.  And as to the publications making you a finalist, I reject that theory as well.  It is also very possible that they brought in people whose publications they didn't like, so that the person they hired would prove to be the best "fit" for the direction they want to go.  That wouldn't surprise me at all. And to the person above who said this search will negatively impact the school's reputation, I don't think so.  Did anyone important get hurt?
 * 5/10 (3) I certainly think more negatively of everyone involved in making this particular decision, who deliberately chose to conduct business in this way. I think more negatively of the institution. And I think more negatively of the people in the academic community who sit back and enable this kind of appallingly unfair behavior by smugly belittling those who speak out against it. Seems to me like everyone is hurt by this. I can't speak for others, but I highly doubt I am the only one who feels this way.  **This is 5/9 (5) speaking, not the finalist in (5/10 (1)).**
 * 5/11(1) Last one, I promise (I previously posted only on 5/8(6) and 5/10(1)–just to clarify).  The basic distinction I’m making here (a Socratic one) is between Can and Should, Might and Right.  I’m not sure why that distinction should be so controversial.  At any rate, many of us are never going to agree, but, at the very least, I suspect that all but the luckiest of us know what it’s like to be (or to feel) abused or oppressed by the job market and academic power structure.  If this thread shows anything, it is that there’s a lot of anger and frustration among aspiring academics, and I think we simply need to acknowledge that and not take it out on each other, even anonymously.  (To the extent I have fed into the negativity, I apologize—that wasn't my aim.)  In fact, I think we need to be having more colloquia at conferences about the job market and hiring practices—if not to try to alter them, then at least to share common concerns in order better to advise the students of ours who are considering going into academia.  I, for one, had very little idea of what to expect and of how difficult it would be!
 * 5/12 (1) I want to chime in at this point, because I don't want to see "fit" completely denigrated as a concept. From the standpoint of a SC, the ideal candidate is one who will research and teach successfully, and STICK AROUND afterwords. For all you know, 5/10(s), they may have thought your qualifications were impressive enough you would present a flight risk to a more illustrious institution after a couple of years. The strength of a spousal hire is that they are relatively stable (barring divorce, I guess.) There are many good, valid, non-academic reasons fit is important, as painful as it is to those of us currently outside of a friendly campfire in the job market. (x4)
 * 5/12 (2) Certainly understandable. It's so ironic, however, how pervasive the "flight risk" concept is given just how few job opportunities are actually out there. Which means candidates are being evaluated on their risk of leaving for jobs that currently don't exist and may never materialize.
 * 5/12 (3) What's not ironic, of course, is that this is the same logic apologists use to justify outlandish salaries for top executives in the business world.
 * 5/12 (4) Dear 5/12 (1) you really need to get your head examined or at least get detoxed from all the kool-aid you've been drinking.  This thing is not understandable when you take a step back and look at it. The fact that you compare colleagues to prison inmates (who might have a "flight risk") shows just how ridiculous your so-called reasoning is. So what you're saying is you want a colleague who will be trapped you like you are?  That just shows that you have little aspiration yourself--you and the rest of your SC. Or your ego is so fragile that you'll be shattered if one of your colleagues manages to move on to another (better) job while you stay behind.  Oh the horror!   You want to hire colleagues who will be trapped like you are.  It's like Sartre's No Exit, except also with no entrance either--that is, no entrance without the spouse ticket or some or other mark of mediocrity that resonates with your own hollowness.  Oy!  It's so reassuring to know that people like you are calling the shots when hiring. (x2)
 * 5/14 Two wrong assumptions you are making here, 5/12 (4): that I am on some search committee, which I'm not, and that search committees like to meet every other year to choose a new colleague, not to mention the risk of losing lines, A real and present one in academy these days. In my institution, we lost many tt profs to better paying jobs both inside and outside academy. Besides, a tt assistant prof mid-stream is, assuming a robust research/creative output, at the strongest position on the market, such as those things are. Beyond these, and making allowances for flaming because of understandable frustration, why would you think you deserve to foster a mercenary attitude to your career, while a cc can't factor in that attitude as a valid component of their evaluation of a candidate? Do you know the kind of resources, financial and human, a search costs, not to mention a new faculty's first few years?
 * 5/14(2)  5/14 you are actually the one making the wrong assumptions.  I did not assume that you're on a search committee; I only assumed that you're endorsing a point of view of some SC members. It doesn't matter whether you happen to be on a search committee or not.  The next wrong assumption you've made is that I foster a mercenary attitude to my career (that I'd probably leave for another job) which is not at all true. That's why I find it so offensive that people like you assume this.  Your fear, and response to your fear, is disproportionate to the inconvenience you and your colleagues have suffered.  It is you who are being mercenary; while you stay secure in your job, you are disqualifying the most deserving candidates from advancing from a position of potential failure to a secure position like the one you hold; and your doing this just in order to avoid further inconvenience to yourself and your colleagues. That is as cut-throat as it gets.  Remember that every candidate represents not just a single person, but probably a person with a family (of some sort: spouse, mentors, possibly even children) who have made sacrifices (including financial sacrifices) over many years, sacrifices that are proportionally much more significant than the drop in the bucket of a university's faculty search budget etc.  You're applying a corporate mentality to institution that is supposed to be something else.
 * 5/14 (3)  I think I am beginning to see the problem here:,5/14(2.) You have assume people don't read what you write. quote 1 (5/14 4): "That just shows that you have little aspiration yourself--you and the rest of your SC." quote 2, (previous entry): "I did not assume that you're on a search committee". Again, 5/14(2): "...Or your ego is so fragile that you'll be shattered if one of your colleagues manages to move on to another (better) job while you stay behind.  Oh the horror! " previous entry... etc. Look, I know you're venting, and ordinarily I wouldn't respond to an obvious trolling attempt like that. I wanted to respond to help you a bit if I can,  even if it does seem patronizing at first blush, because this kind of attitude usually ends up floating to the surface after a while, esp. during a 3 day job visit.  It's better to foster within yourself the attitude that, rather than forming a vast conspiracy to promote the mediocre at the expense of brilliant people like yourself, the hiring committee are also looking at the person who will occupy the office next door, be the person with them at some ungodly boring committee meeting, small talk next to the shrimp plate at end of winter semester reception for the next 20-30 years(!) More meaningfully, if they suspect you're an asshole, maybe they dread the same 20-30 years having to dry the tears of students who have been hurt by your brusque manner, impatience, or generally shitty attitude. Try to understand that everyone is and was like you at some point, and no one is trying to shaft you on purpose. Then, try to imagine - really imagine - yourself in their place. Maybe that will help. Best of luck to all of you, (and us: not tenured yet and may yet end up on this thread in my previous status.)
 * 5/14 (4) Thank you 5/14/(3) for wanting to bring the discussion to a mellower level.  Normally I wouldn't think (let alone say) any of the things you things you found unpleasant above. I just never heard anyone so blithely endorse the practice of putting less qualified candidates ahead of more qualified ones on the basis of an unfair assumption about what candidates might do in the future.  And then rationalize it as if the whole thing is acceptable and no one should protest. Many perfectly pleasant people (brilliant or not) would find it upsetting. Let's say that toes were stepped on by your eagerness to defend what seems like an unfair practice. I hope you don't find it brusque of me to point out that you know nothing of my interactions with others, students, colleagues etc. This is an anonymous wiki with a bizarre somewhat grotesque flavor all its own--one which, to me, bears little resemblance to normal interactions with people. Anyway we appreciate you're wanting to explain your observations. Thanks and good luck to you too.
 * 5/15 I appreciate the de-escalation as well, and fundamentally I completely understand where 5/14 (3) and others are coming from. But the following really doesn't help: " More meaningfully, if they suspect you're an asshole, maybe they dread the same 20-30 years having to dry the tears of students who have been hurt by your brusque manner, impatience, or generally shitty attitude." These are ridiculous and completely unfair assumptions to make about anyone, deep resume or not. But I guess they make sense when viewed alongside the paranoia over hypotheticals that drives so much of the decision-making process. It's this kind of thinking that really needs to change.

SUNY Potsdam

 * 3/19 Putting this here after it was deleted from above:
 * (3/18b) If that's the second UCSB grad to get a job there with a head theorist from UCSB then it's blatant nepotism.
 * (3/18c) Regarding 3/18b's comment: Funny no one says that when Eastman or Yale grads get jobs? How about the fact that FSU goes by the nickname of "Eastman of the Southeast"?
 * (3/19) I just want to say congratulations to Michael Vitalino (aka Valentino). So well deserved!
 * 3/20 UCSB has placed quite a few superior candidates this year and in previous years. The department of music is doing many things well where other very large departments struggle. I am not surprised in the least to see UCSB represented repeatedly here, as well as in musicology and ethnomusicology. Congrats Dr. Vitalino!
 * 3/21 Jealousy runs rampant!  Just get over yourselves!  Nobody ever said life was fair, and certainly not academia.  Regarding Eastman, it's one of the great music schools of the world.  Those who went there (plus about 2 more schools in the USA) understand what that really means when they go anyplace else.

Texas Woman's University

 * 12/7 - Did the offer go to an internal candidate? ...one with a PhD in Composition? The announcement says, "The successful candidate will: [first bullet point] hold a PhD in Music Theory..."
 * 12/9 - Yes.

University of Georgia (?)

 * 5/10 Does anyone know anything about a VAP job at the University of Georgia? A colleague mentioned it to me but I have been unable to find a posting.
 * 5/12 Was shortlisted last year for the TT post, and invited to apply again this year for the same position, after the original hire bolted for Oberlin. Here is the info: The Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia seeks a dynamic and innovative composer-educator to join its music faculty. The position focuses on teaching composition and theory at the graduate and undergraduate levels. This is a limited term position (one-year contract, renewable for a second year), at the rank of Lecturer or Assistant Professor (dependent on qualifications and experience). Teaching duties will include composition lessons, class composition, graduate theory review, and additional courses in music theory or electronic music.  Qualifications: Successful candidates will have an active creative profile in music composition, a strong background in music theory, and a doctorate in Composition or equivalent. (ABD applicants can be considered if the degree will be completed by July 1, 2016.) Ability to teach electronic music is helpful, but not required. Review of applications begins immediately, and will continue until the position is filled. Submit the following materials electronically:• cover letter• curriculum vitae• three letters of recommendation Materials should emailed as attachments to ugacompositionsearch@gmail.com. Letters of reference may be submitted through a third-party system (such as Interfolio) via email to ugacompositionsearch@gmail.com, or sent directly from the recommender. Additional materials may be sought from candidates later as part of the review process.
 * 5/13 I was also invited to apply -- from their email, this is a closed search and they already have their shortlist.
 * 5/13 (2) Additional materials were requested on 4/22. Any news since then?
 * 5/13 (3) 5/12 here: I didn't bother applying—good luck!
 * 5/13 (4) Skype interviews on 5/6 and 5/10.

University of Oregon

 * 10/5 - Can someone confirm if there is an internal candidate for this position? It seems to be replacing a previous 3-year appointment of Instructor of Music Technology.
 * 10/6 - No idea, but the requirements for the initial packet are ridiculous. Seriously, they are asking for a video of a lecture to a large course on the initial go-around? I think there must be an internal candidate. Either that or they are insane.
 * 10/6 - They had the same requirement when they made this initial hire, and it wasn't an internal. Maybe its a way of culling applicants? How many can you get that have this video on hand?
 * 10/7 - Yes, this position is an upgrade from the current non-tenure track instructor position to a tenure track assistant professor position. The current instructor is expected to apply and may have an inside track, but this is supposed to be a real search.
 * 10/9 - RE: Lecture Video. Look at the request carefully. It just asks for a video of a lecture in the large-class format, not a video of a candidate lecturing to a large class. This is a good item to have on hand for job applications in general, especially abroad.
 * 11/3 - sorry for this being a potentially bad question, but does that mean I could just record a lecture in an empty room?

University of Pennsylvania

 * 12/17 - Does this call sound designed for at most three people?
 * 12/18 - I think OR is the operative word...  It seems more poorly worded than rigged to me.
 * 12/18 - It just sounds like they're looking for a very "Penn style" theorist.
 * 2/19 - They are looking for a replacement for Marcus Butler who fled.