Job Description / Duties

Position Description: Assistant/Associate Professor of Music –
Director of Opera. Nine-month, full-time, tenure-track position in the Department of Music beginning Fall 2022. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. Final rank as Assistant or Associate Professor will be determined by the successful applicant’s academic and professional experience.

Responsibilities: Direct the UM Opera Theatre program (staging, lighting, tech, set, costumes, administration); work closely with Music Director of UM Opera Theatre, as well as Director of Orchestra; supervise graduate assistants in opera; teach courses primarily in area of expertise (e.g., applied voice, lyric diction, vocal or opera literature); maintain a strong directing and/or performing profile outside of the university; and actively recruit students to further develop the opera program. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain active scholarship and creative activity, directing or producing opera, performing, publishing, and/or presenting at peer-reviewed conferences at the regional and national level. Additional duties include service on departmental and university committees, as well as service to the discipline in the form of active membership in professional organizations, including Opera America, NOA, and NATS.

As a major ensemble, the UM Opera Theatre consists of both undergraduate and graduate music majors in voice (both performance and education). Each year, UM Opera Theatre presents a combination of a full production with orchestra, a chamber production with small ensemble or piano, and/or scenes programs from opera and musical theatre. Recent productions have included Albert Herring, HMS Pinafore, L'Enfant et les sortilèges, and The Light in the Piazza. In recent years, the UM Opera Theatre has been awarded three prizes by the National Opera Association. Our stellar performing facilities include the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Nutt Auditorium, and smaller theatres on-campus. We enjoy a close collaboration with the vocal and choral areas and frequently host distinguished guest artists and clinicians, such as Eric Whitacre, Renée Fleming, William Bolcom, Adam Guettel, Craig Hella Johnson, and Andrew Lippa. The UM Opera Theatre serves a diverse community of students and is situated in a collaborative and inclusive learning environment. We are committed to fostering meaningful musical and academic experiences for our students through exposure to diverse pedagogical perspectives and performance opportunities.

Qualifications / Required Skills

Minimum Qualifications: Master’s degree or Doctorate in voice/music, stage directing, or theatre is required. Significant professional activity as a director is required. Teaching experience (minimum two years) at the university level and/or in young artist programs is required. The successful candidate will be an outstanding stage director of operatic repertoire and will have 1) a compelling professional profile; 2) a broad knowledge of standard operatic literature, as well as an interest in contemporary opera; 3) excellent interpersonal and communication skills, collaborating with colleagues across the department, as well as promoting the opera program to donors and community partners; and 4) the ability to attract and recruit talented students regionally and nationally. A strong interest in and experience with community engagement and outreach is desirable.

Additional Information

Application Procedures: Please visit careers.olemiss.edu to submit an online application with the University of Mississippi. On this site, please upload the following materials: 1) cover letter; 2) current curriculum vitae; 3) web links to video clips of work as opera director (rehearsals and performances); 4) statement of teaching philosophy for opera theatre within an academic environment; 5) complete contact information for three professional references. Any questions may be directed to Prof. Amanda Johnston, Chair of the Search Committee (ajjohnst@olemiss.edu).

Application deadline: Review of applications will begin January 14, 2022. Only complete applications will be considered.

The University of Mississippi Department of Music’s mission is to prepare students for professional careers by offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education, performance and choral conducting, master’s degrees in musicology, ethnomusicology, and music theory, and a PhD in Music Education. Students entering our programs become part of a vibrant community led by a distinguished and enthusiastic faculty, with 25 full-time and 12 adjunct members dedicated to teaching, research and performance. Thus, our students (more than 150 majors) receive the rigorous individual attention necessary to develop their full potential in our superb classroom facilities in the newly-renovated music building. As a department within the College of Liberal Arts, we are also committed to offering stimulating courses and performance opportunities for non-majors. The University of Mississippi has been recognized by The Chronicle of Higher Education for ten consecutive years as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, and is located in Oxford, MS, ranked as one of the “Top 10 Best College Towns”.

The University of Mississippi provides equal opportunity in any employment practice, education program, or education activity to all qualified persons. The University complies with all applicable laws regarding equal opportunity and affirmative action and does not unlawfully discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based upon race, color, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or genetic information. We recognize the importance of a diverse faculty and a supportive educational and professional environment that affirms the value of cultural diversity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who are traditionally underrepresented in academia and from all candidates who are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community.

Contact Information

Prof. Amanda Johnston, Chair of the Search Committee
ajjohnst@olemiss.edu