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 High School 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.

Liturgical Music

Musical Theater

Piano

Solo/Ensemble Singing

Vocal Jazz

Vocal Music Education

Vocal Pedagogy