Job Description

Summary:

The Department of Music at Skidmore College invites applications for an Assistant Professor or Artist in Residence and orchestral director to begin in Fall 2025. (Both categories entail full-time continuing contracts with periodic sabbaticals but differ in terms of tenure eligibility and service expectations. Applicants should state in their cover letter for which position they wish to apply.) 

The successful candidate will:

• have experience teaching and conducting in a higher education setting


• be an imaginative, engaging, and energetic orchestra conductor and departmental colleague who takes a teaching-oriented approach to orchestral activities


• cultivate an affirmative, student-centered orchestra program within the context of a liberal arts setting


• bring an adaptive, creative, and varied approach to teaching undergraduates 


• have the ability to integrate ensemble direction, performance, and teaching with one or more areas of humanities-based thinking about music (cultural history, theory, sociology/anthropology, sound studies, and/or performance/embodiment studies)


• have a demonstrated interest in repertoire that reflects global traditions and underrepresented voices, and an inclination toward collaboration with  other ensembles in the department


• have an interest in collaborating with other departments and programs across the College, especially interdisciplinary initiatives


• have a demonstrated interest in community engagement and collaboration with local arts organizations

Additional teaching responsibilities (beyond orchestral) will depend on the candidateâ™s interests and expertise and may include applied music (private lessons, small ensemble coaching, conducting); lower and upper-level courses in theory or musicology (broadly defined), including our gateway course, âœThinking About Musicâ; arts education and outreach.  A tenure-track hire will periodically teach a  Scribner Seminar (interdisciplinary seminar for first year-students) of their own design.  

The Skidmore Music Department is housed in the state-of-the-art  Zankel Music Center and generous funding is available for orchestra-related programming.

Education:  Terminal degree is required for a tenure-track hire and is preferred but not required for an Artist-in-Residence hire.

Required documents needed to apply:

Applicants should submit a letter of application, a curriculum vita with links to conductor-facing video recordings, and contact information for 3-5 references (who will only be contacted at a later stage of the search). Letters of application should clearly state the applicantâ™s 

• interest in performing and teaching music within a liberal arts setting


• understanding of and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion


• professional goals as an orchestra director


• teaching approaches and interests as a department faculty member

Materials should be submitted online. Applications received before February 3rd, 2025 will receive full consideration . Consideration after that date will be at the discretion of the search committee. Please note that we will be holding first-round screening interviews virtually.

Pay Rate:  $64,000-$85,000, depending on rank

Pay Ranges:  The hiring rate for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience.


• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.


• Academic discipline (faculty pay ranges reflect 9-month annual salary).


• Unique applicable skills.

About Skidmore College:

Skidmore is a highly selective liberal arts college in Saratoga Springs, New York with curricular strengths across the humanities, arts, social sciences, and natural sciences. Our approximately 2,500 undergraduate students come from almost 50 states and over 40 countries. Skidmore College continually strives to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment. We are especially interested in applicants who can strengthen the diversity of our academic community, and candidates are encouraged to speak directly about this issue in their application materials.

EEO STATEMENT

Skidmore College is committed to being an inclusive campus community and, as an Equal Opportunity Employer, does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, domestic violence victim status, familial status, dating violence, or stalking, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Employment at Skidmore College is contingent upon an acceptable background check result.

CREATIVE THOUGHT MATTERS.

About Skidmore College

Skidmore is a highly selective liberal arts college with a reputation for its creative approaches to just about everything. With its relatively small size and student-faculty ratio, the College is a close-knit academic community. Skidmore is known for its faculty of teacher-scholars devoted to the instruction and mentoring of undergraduates; approximately 2,400 talented men and women from some 47 states and 46 countries.In the universe of selective, private liberal arts colleges, Skidmore's distinctiveness is expressed in the statement that "Creative Thought Matters". This idea reflects not only the historical strength of the College's programs in the fine and performing arts but also the understanding that creativity is required for achievement in any area of human endeavor.The city of Saratoga Springs is widely recognized as one of America's great communities. It is located in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, within a three-to-four-hour drive from New York City, Boston or Montreal. Travel & Leisure calls Saratoga Springs one of "America's Greatest Main Streets" as well as "one of the best college towns in the nation," Money Magazine says it's one of the nation's top 100 ... places to live, and Princeton Review describes it as a "perfect college town." It's a community rich in history and tradition. Famed mineral waters, a Revolutionary War battlefield, and the nation's oldest thoroughbred racetrack represent portions of that history. Also, it's a community of arts and culture. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is the summer home to the New York City Ballet, Philadelphia Orchestra, and a performing venue for top rock and jazz musicians.The Skidmore College community awaits your arrival, so if you welcome challenges and are interested in making a difference, come join us!

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Job Tags

Full time, Summer work, Local area,

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