Assistant or Associate Professor of Conducting - Director of Orchestral Activities
University of Arkansas
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Closing Date:
Type of Position:
Faculty - Tenure/Tenure Track
Workstudy Position:
Job Type:
Regular
Work Shift:
Sponsorship Available:
Institution Name:
University of Arkansas, FayettevilleFounded in 1871, the University of Arkansas is a land grant institution, classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the nation’s top 2 percent of universities with the highest level of research activity. The University of Arkansas works to advance the state and build a better world through education, research, and outreach by providing transformational opportunities and skills, fostering a welcoming climate, and nurturing creativity, discovery, and the spread of new ideas and innovations.
The University of Arkansas campus is located in Fayetteville, a welcoming community ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. The growing region surrounding Fayetteville is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and one of the nation’s strongest economies. Northwest Arkansas is also quickly gaining a national reputation for its focus on the arts and overall quality of life.
As an employer, the University of Arkansas offers a vibrant work environment and a workplace culture that promotes a healthy work-life balance. The benefits package includes university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance, tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate leave accrual, and a choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.
Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions, you should review before applying for the opening.
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Department:
Department of Music
Department's Website:
Summary of Job Duties:
The Department of Music in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas invites applications for an Associate or tenure-track Assistant Professor of Conducting, who will serve as the Director of Orchestral Activities starting August 2026. This is a standard nine-month faculty appointment.The Department of Music seeks a dynamic and visionary conductor to provide artistic and academic leadership for its orchestral program. The successful candidate will direct the University Symphony Orchestra, fostering a collaborative environment that promotes artistic excellence and supports the development of student musicians. The Director will program engaging and educationally appropriate repertoire spanning both traditional and contemporary compositions, cultivating performances that enrich the university and broader community.
In addition to conducting, the successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses, including those at the DMA level. Responsibilities may include providing individual instruction, leading classes, and supervising dissertations and recitals as appropriate. Teaching assignments will be determined in accordance with the candidate’s expertise and scholarly interests, which may include areas such as score reading, symphonic literature, and applied conducting lessons. They will demonstrate a strong commitment to student success through effective teaching, mentorship, and the recruitment of talented musicians at regional and national levels. The Director will also build and sustain partnerships with public schools, community organizations, and professional musicians.
The ideal candidate will possess exceptional musicianship, rehearsal and leadership skills, and demonstrate potential for scholarly and/or creative distinction. Effective communication, collegiality, and a cooperative spirit are essential.
Additional responsibilities include participation in departmental service, curriculum development, and scholarly or creative activity consistent with rank and university expectations. Other duties may be assigned based on departmental needs. Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.
Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications:
Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in orchestral conducting or a closely related field from an accredited institution of higher education conferred by the date of initial appointment
At least three years of successful collegiate or professional conducting experience
A demonstrated record of exceptional teaching at the graduate and/or undergraduate level
Evidence of, or a demonstrated potential for, an active research agenda and/or scholarly/creative activity
Preferred Qualifications:
Evidence of effective collaboration within academic or professional settings
A record of effective recruitment and program-building strategies for collegiate orchestral programs
Potential for national or international recognition as a conductor and an educator
Additional teaching strengths such as applied instruction, score reading, symphonic literature, music education, and/or instrumental pedagogy, particularly in strings
Candidates to be considered for the position at the Associate Level will have a record of creative activities that have gained recognition in their field at the national level as well as evidence of successful teaching in university, secondary, or other educational contexts
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
Current knowledge of orchestral repertoire and performance practice
Effective rehearsal and conducting techniques and skills
Strong communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to create imaginative concert programs
Additional Information:
About the Department
The University of Arkansas Department of Music is housed in the George and Boyce Billingsley Music Building, located in the heart of the University's flagship campus in Fayetteville. The Department has been a chartered member of Pi Kappa Lambda since 1984, and the University of Arkansas has been accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music since 1951. Home to over 350 music major and minor students, the department has a faculty of over 50 nationally and internationally recognized scholars, pedagogues, and musicians. The program offers degrees at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, as well as a doctorate degree in conducting and a one-year graduate performer's certificate. Through generous support from alumni and friends, the Department of Music became an All-Steinway School in 2010, the third SEC school to earn this distinction.
The Department presents a number of recognized ensembles, many of which have toured nationally and internationally. The Razorback Marching Band, originally formed as a Cadet Corps Band in 1874, is the largest and most visible of the ensembles, performing for thousands of Razorback fans most weekends during the fall semester. Schola Cantorum, the University's longest running choral ensemble, was founded nearly 70 years ago. The Department also offers Inspirational Chorale and three additional choirs, University Symphony Orchestra, Opera Theatre, Latin American Music Ensemble, World Music Ensemble, Jazz Orchestra, four concert bands including the Wind Ensemble, and a variety of chamber music groups for students. The Department of Music faculty and students present hundreds of performances per year on and off campus and are embedded members of the music community in the region. For more information, please visit https://fulbright.uark.edu/departments/music/.
Duties will include:
• 40% Teaching
• 40% Research
• 20% Service
Salary Information:
Required Documents to Apply:
Optional Documents:
Recruitment Contact Information:
All application materials must be uploaded to the University of Arkansas System Career Site https://uasys.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/UASYS
Please do not send to listed recruitment contact.
Special Instructions to Applicants:
Completed applications received by December 7th 2025, will be assured full consideration. Late applications will be reviewed as necessary to fill the position.
For additional inquiries, please contact the search committee chair, Tomoko Kashiwagi, at tkashiwa@uark.edu.
Applicants must submit
• A curriculum vitae,
• A cover letter/letter of application,
• Demonstration video (or URL link to video) including 15–20 minutes each of rehearsal and performance of two contrasting works
• Repertoire list of works conducted in concert
• Teaching Philosophy Statement, and
• A list of three professional references (name, title, email address, and phone number) willing to provide letters of recommendation if requested during the application process. Letters of recommendation will be requested only for candidates selected for interviews.
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
Pre-employment Screening Requirements:
Criminal Background Check, Sex Offender RegistryThe University of Arkansas is committed to providing a safe campus community. We conduct background checks for applicants being considered for employment. Background checks include a criminal background check and a sex offender registry check. For certain positions, there may also be a financial (credit) background check, a Motor Vehicle Registry (MVR) check, and/or drug screening. Required checks are identified in the position listing. A criminal conviction or arrest pending adjudication or adverse financial history information alone shall not disqualify an applicant in the absence of a relationship to the requirements of the position. Background check information will be used in a confidential, non-discriminatory manner consistent with state and federal law.
The University of Arkansas seeks to attract, develop and retain high quality faculty, staff and administrators that consistently display practices and behaviors to advance a culture that embeds equal opportunity, educational excellence and unparalleled access for all.
The University of Arkansas is an equal opportunity institution. The University does not discriminate in its education programs or activities (including in admission and employment) on the basis of any category or status protected by law, including age, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, protected veteran status, military service, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, or pregnancy. Questions or concerns about the application of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, may be sent to the University’s Title IX Coordinator and to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.Persons must have proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment.
All Application information is subject to public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
