Job Description / Duties

Faculty Position Description
Department: Music
Position #: FL0068
Hire Term: Fall 2022
Start Date: August 16, 2022
Job Title: Assistant Professor/Director of Choirs and Vocal Studies
Classification: Tenure-Track
Appointment Percent:100%
Contract Term: 9 months
Applicant Reviewer: Peter Hamlin
Open Date: February 14, 2022 Close Date: March 15, 2022

Job Purpose
The Gonzaga University Music Department in Spokane, WA, invites applications for a full-time, tenure track Assistant Professor & Director of Choirs and Vocal Studies position beginning Fall 2022 in August 2022.

Gonzaga seeks an inspiring choral conductor and educator to lead and administer our choral and vocal studies program. The successful candidate will demonstrate creativity in programming including arrangements and pieces by composers of diverse backgrounds, excellence in choral pedagogy, and a commitment to inclusive teaching of music majors and non-major liberal arts students. Gonzaga’s choral-vocal program is a collaborative and supportive community of faculty and students, and the successful candidate will contribute to this by collaborating with adjunct vocal faculty and by mentoring students who serve as Choir Council leaders, Choral Ambassadors, and ACDA Student Chapter members.

Teaching responsibilities include Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, Conducting, Applied Conducting, with the possibility of offering a core class or aiding in supervision of Music Education majors in their field experiences.

The Director of Choirs and Vocal Studies also plays a vital role in organizing and leading educational outreach initiatives, including the annual Choral Leadership Academy and HighSchool Choral Invitational. Administrative responsibilities include managing choral budgets; event scheduling; coordinating with support staff; logistics; publicity for concerts, recitals, rehearsals, and events; purchasing music scores; and supervising a staff pianist. Vocal administration includes managing voice area recitals, degrees recitals, juries, and studio assignment of new students. Recruitment and advising responsibilities include internal recruitment among student body for robust ensemble membership and administering choral placement for incoming students. Responsibilities of recruiting prospective students to Gonzaga include communication with high school teachers, professional associations, and Admissions; meeting with prospective students; regional tours; and supervising and mobilizing Gonzaga’s Choral Ambassadors.

In alignment with Gonzaga University’s mission, we welcome applicants with direct expertise, cultural competence, and who are committed to issues of social justice, diversity, global engagement, and care for/solidarity with people from vulnerable and marginalized communities. Candidates who have experience working with faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences, and who can contribute to the departmental ethos and campus climate of inclusivity are encouraged to identify their experiences in these areas.

The Music Department serves over 500 students in courses each semester, including 100 students in choral ensembles and over 60 in voice lessons. The Department actively serves the University, Spokane, and Inland Northwest communities through educational and performance events. In spring 2019, Gonzaga University opened the new Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, with a concert hall and recital hall, the latter of which serves as home to choral classes. Applicants should be eager to work in a liberal arts setting that fosters faculty collaboration and student engagement both inside and outside the classroom.

Gonzaga University is an internationally prominent university with a faculty dedicated both to innovative teaching and to socially transformative and justice-oriented research. Global engagement initiatives of the choir program have included intercultural exchange tours in Colombia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Florence, where Gonzaga has an established branch campus.

Qualifications / Required Skills

Required Qualifications
• DMA or PhD in Choral Conducting or Related Area. ABDs considered with the expectation degree is in hand by July 15, 2022.
• Demonstrated success conducting choirs at the undergraduate level.
• Evidence of artistic programming that demonstrates knowledge in diverse choral repertoire for varying skill levels.
• Demonstrated potential to contribute to choral outreach and recruitment initiatives.

Desired Qualifications
• Possible additional areas of expertise in the candidate’s background, including:
Liturgical Music
Musical Theater
Piano
Solo/Ensemble Singing
Vocal Jazz
Vocal Music Education
Vocal Pedagogy
• Record of or interest in collaborating with interdisciplinary fields such as Theater and Dance
• Evidence of potential to organize and take choirs on regional, national and/or international tours
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice, diversity, global engagement, and/or solidarity with marginalized communities through performances or creative collaborations.
• Demonstrated success working with students of diverse backgrounds

Job Duties:
• Three-course (3-credits/ea. each semester) teaching load to teach Chamber Singers, Concert Choir, and other courses according to the faculty’s interest and expertise which could include Conducting, Applied Conducting, or courses in the areas listed in the desired qualifications.
• All tenure track faculty are expected to establish and maintain an active and well-defined agenda for Professional Development and Creative/Scholarly Endeavors.
• In addition, all members of the department contribute to and participate in student advising, reflective and effective teaching that includes equity and diversity-minded teaching practices, department assessment and evaluation, academic citizenship, program development, and recruiting.

Additional Information

Application Procedure:
To apply, please visit our website at www.gonzaga.edu/jobs Applicants must complete an online application and submit the materials below.
• Cover letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• Video Links to Recent Videos of 2 Performances and 1 Rehearsal – Videos should be of at least 20 minutes in length and show a front view of the conductor
• Statement of Teaching Philosophy (2-page max) that includes your approach to teaching music majors and non-majors, inclusive approaches to engaging students from diverse backgrounds, and that identifies your perspective and expertise in areas related to programming, vocal pedagogy, recruiting strategies, and vision for a successful music program in the context of a liberal arts institution.
• Names and contact Information of 3 (three) professional references (letters will be solicited for candidates on the short list)

Contact Information

Questions about this position can be directed to Dr. Peter Hamlin, Chair, Music Department, at hamlin@gonzaga.edu Position closes on March 15, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. U.S. PST. For assistance with your online application, please contact Human Resources at (509) 313-5996.
Gonzaga University is a Jesuit, Catholic, humanistic institution, and is therefore interested in candidates who will contribute to its distinctive mission.

Gonzaga University is an AA/EEO employer and diversity candidates are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their disability status and/or protected veteran status.