Jazz Studies Artistic Director

JAZZ STUDIES ARTISTIC DIRECTOR FACULTY POSITION IN MUSIC

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH  

The Department of Music of the University of Pittsburgh invites applications from candidates with exceptional ability for the William S. Dietrich II Endowed Chair in Jazz Studies beginning September 1, 2024, pending budgetary approval. The appointment will be made at the level of Associate Professor or higher, with tenure.

Title:                  William S. Dietrich II Endowed Chair in Jazz Studies and Artistic Director of Jazz Studies

Qualifications:   International reputation of outstanding accomplishment in jazz performance, recording, composition/arranging; record of excellence in teaching jazz performance, scholarship, and related subjects; potential for distinguished leadership in the field of jazz studies; interest in working with colleagues in the University and the wider community; Master’s or higher degree in music. 

Duties:               Work with other tenured jazz faculty to oversee and develop long-term visions for the Jazz Studies undergraduate and graduate programs; lead public programming and community outreach efforts, including the annual Jazz Seminar and Concert Week; teach courses on topics related to jazz performance and scholarship; maintain an international profile and participate actively in the profession. Teaching load: 1:1.

We seek a colleague with a special combination of skills as a dedicated musician, teacher, and visionary leader who will help strengthen our Jazz Studies activities, work closely with other members of our faculty, and represent our program within the university and the wider community. We are particularly seeking a collaborative artist colleague to oversee public programming and community outreach efforts, and to mentor student artists and scholars at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The individual hired will work closely with existing facets of the jazz program at Pitt, which offers a rich array of academic and artistic opportunities. These include the B.A. and Ph.D. degree tracks; the annual Pitt Jazz Seminar and Concert; community outreach programs including activities at the Hill District Community Engagement Center; the journal Jazz and Culture ; jazz archives including the Pitt Jazz, Erroll Garner, Sam Rivers, and Dave Burrell Collections; International Jazz Hall of Fame; and William Robinson Recording Studio.

The Department of Music offers the Bachelor of Arts degree in a liberal arts curriculum and the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees with concentrations in Composition and Theory, Ethnomusicology, Musicology, and Jazz Studies—the nation’s only Ph.D. in jazz research and performance. Further information is available at the Department’s Website: http://www.music.pitt.edu/ .

Candidates should submit a letter of application; a curriculum vitae; three letters of reference; a diversity statement; and two samples of their work. To submit work samples, the candidate should include a link in one of the submitted documents, or as a separate PDF, to a cloud-storage service such as Google Drive or SoundCloud, where the materials are stored (depending on the candidate, this may include commercially released recordings, notated scores of original compositions or arrangements, published writings, or other representative work samples). 

In order to ensure full consideration, applications must be received by October 15, 2023. 

To submit work samples, the candidate should include a link in one of the submitted documents, or as a separate PDF, to a cloud-storage service such as Google Drive or SoundCloud, where the materials are stored (depending on the candidate, this may include commercially released recordings, notated scores of original compositions or arrangements, published writings, or other representative work samples).

The University of Pittsburgh is committed to championing all aspects of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within our community. This commitment is a fundamental value of the University and is crucial in helping us advance our mission, which includes attracting and retaining diverse workforces. We will continue to create and maintain an environment that allows individuals to discover, belong, contribute, and grow, while honoring the experiences, perspectives, and unique identities of all.

The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity. EOE, including disability/vets.