Faculty Assistant Professor (Lecturer) in the Jazz Area
Jazz Area Career-Line Faculty Position Job Posting 2023
The University of Utah School of Music is seeking highly qualified applicants for a full-time position at the rank of Assistant Professor (Lecturer) to teach courses, ensembles, and lessons in the Jazz Area. Potential courses include jazz theory, improvisation, history, composition/arranging, big bands, combos, and private lessons.
Candidates for this position will need to submit:
- A Curriculum Vitae (including the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of 3 to 5 persons who can provide a reference).
- A letter of application, addressing (1) the candidate’s interest in and qualifications for the position and (2) how equity, diversity, and inclusion relate to the candidate’s research, creative activity, and/or service experience. The letter must also include:
- Links to 3–5 samples of relevant professional work (e.g., studio albums, live recordings, published compositions, books, scholarly publications, etc.).
- 1–2 links to videos of the candidate coaching a jazz ensemble and/or teaching a jazz class (e.g., improvisation, theory, arranging, etc.). Each video must be approximately 20-40 minutes in length.
- 3 confidential letters of recommendation (uploaded directly by recommenders)
- A succinct Teaching Philosophy statement
- Unofficial copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts
Submit all materials electronically via: https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/154569. The review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position has been filled. Candidates should complete their on-line application prior to November 13, 2023, to ensure full consideration. Candidates who proceed to the final level will be required to participate in a routine criminal background check and to provide official transcripts. For more information, or to suggest nominations for this position, please contact Josiah Boornazian, chair of the search committee, at josiah.boornazian@utah.edu. Do not send other materials unless requested.
Requirements and qualifications:
- A Master’s Degree is required; a Doctorate is preferred
- Significant college-level teaching experience
- A proven track record as a professional jazz performing and recording artist
- Ability to teach multiple subjects in the Jazz Area, including jazz theory, improvisation, history, composition/arranging, big bands, combos, and private lessons
- Flexibility to adapt curriculum to address the current needs of the Jazz Area
- Administrative experience (e.g., committee work, rehearsal scheduling, and coordinating juries/auditions/concerts)
- Ability to recruit students to the Jazz Area
Additional details about this position:
The ideal candidate for this position is an experienced professional jazz musician with a proven track record of excellence as a performing artist and educator. This is primarily a teaching position and will carry a 4/4 teaching load. The candidate who fills this position will work directly with the Director of Jazz Studies to ensure all core classes and ensembles in the Jazz Area are covered and that high standards of excellence are maintained in the Jazz Area curriculum. All jazz instrumentalists are invited to apply, but pianists, trumpet players, and bassists are especially welcome. The School of Music seeks to create a diverse and inclusive, rigorous and responsible environment that reaches across disciplines to foster highly adaptive creators and thinkers. The strongest candidates will recognize that music has a strong potential for social change and community engagement and their work will reflect this. The University of Utah is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educator. People of color, Indigenous peoples, women, those identifying as LGBTQIAAP+, veterans, those with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Duties include:
- Teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses, ensembles, and private lessons;
- Supporting the Director of Jazz Studies in scheduling, curriculum design, and other needs of the area;
- Recruiting undergraduate and graduate students;
- Serving on committees as assigned and participating in department activities; and
- Assisting students as they progress toward graduation in the degree plans offered for jazz majors and music minors.
Courses in the Jazz Area that might be assigned to this position include jazz theory, jazz improvisation, jazz history, jazz composition and arranging, jazz combos, and jazz big band.
About the Jazz Area at the University of Utah:
The University of Utah Jazz Area offers undergraduate and master’s degrees in Jazz Performance and Jazz Composition. Students receive world-class training in jazz arranging, composition, and performance from a dozen faculty musicians, internationally renowned guest artists, and a local musical community that actively supports live jazz.
With two big bands and a variety of small combos (including a Latin Jazz Ensemble and a named scholarship combo, the Michie Jazz Quintet), the Jazz Area offers multiple opportunities for students to develop their skills, from improvisation and collaborative performance to honoring stylistic practices unique to this creative genre. Salt Lake City is a diverse city with a vibrant musical community that actively supports live jazz, with opportunities to hear internationally renowned artists in and outside of the university at concerts and clinics. University of Utah students regularly perform at venues in Salt Lake City, including a weekly jazz concert series started by the Director of Jazz Studies at the Pearl SLC exclusively for U of U jazz students.
The Jazz Area supports regular guest artist performances, masterclasses and clinics, as well as faculty recitals and unique collaborations with regional jazz ensembles and organizations. Our dedicated and talented students frequently participate and excel in competitions and perform as ensembles at major festivals. In 2010, the U of U Jazz Ensemble was honored to be the invited American guest at the 2010 World Expo Music Festival in Shanghai, China. In 2023, the Michie Jazz Quintet performed at the Reno Jazz Festival.
For more information about Jazz Studies at the University of Utah, please visit: https://music.utah.edu/students/programs-degrees.php#jazz
About the University of Utah:
The University of Utah is the state’s public flagship institution of higher education with an enrollment of approximately 35,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offers 111 undergraduate and over 100 graduate degree programs. A member of the American Association of Universities (AAU), the University of Utah is classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the 146 research universities with the “highest research activity” in the nation. The university has been named by Forbes as one of the top ten employers in the state and recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best national universities. The University of Utah has several campus-wide initiatives that contribute to a rich campus climate, attract academic and professional talent, improve access to higher education for historically underrepresented groups, and strengthen the U’s ability to educate the next generation of leaders.
About Salt Lake City:
The University is located in Salt Lake City, the center of a metropolitan area with a population of approximately 1.26 million residents. The city is known for extensive arts and cultural activities, boasts a new major international airport, and has received international recognition for its light rail system, foodie culture, downtown renewal, and increasing diversity. Hosting a vibrant arts community, Salt Lake City is home to thriving long-standing performing arts entities including Pioneer Theatre Company, Utah Symphony, Utah Opera, Ballet West, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, and Sundance Film Festival, among others. Located at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains, Salt Lake City offers unparalleled opportunities for outdoor recreation, with ten world-class ski resorts and five national parks within hours of the city. Salt Lake City is home to a robust array of diverse communities facilitating numerous opportunities for interaction with a range of civic and political organizations, given the city’s role as the governmental and social nerve center of the state. In 2023, U.S News and World Report ranked Utah as the best state in the U.S.A. and Salt Lake City as one of the top 100 best places to live in the nation. Salt Lake City currently holds a 100/100 rating on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index for its inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community.
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