Composition (Open Rank), Bienen School of Music

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Description: The Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-eligible faculty appointment in Composition and Music Technology beginning September 1, 2025. Rank and salary will be commensurate with experience and accomplishment. The Bienen School offers highly selective, conservatory-level training within a top-ranked research university and features a dedicated faculty, unparalleled facilities, and proximity to the vibrant music community of Chicago. Responsibilities: Responsibilities include teaching individual composition lessons at the graduate and undergraduate levels; teaching courses in related topics, such as orchestration, analysis, and electroacoustic composition; and developing specialized seminars and workshops focused on the applicant’s areas of expertise in conjunction with the needs of the Composition and Music Technology program. Bienen composition faculty are expected to work collaboratively with colleagues in supervising graduate research projects, participating on dissertation committees, advising undergraduate composers, and implementing creative and performance activities sponsored by the Composition and Music Technology program and the Institute for New Music. The program is housed within the Department of Music Studies and as such, collaboration extends to the department’s other three programs (Music Education, Music Theory and Cognition, and Musicology), as well as the Department of Music Performance. Required Qualifications: Applicants must have a DMA or PhD in composition or equivalent professional experience and have a high-profile career as a composer or the potential for such. Preference will be given to candidates who demonstrate outstanding artistic achievement and intellectual interest in areas of research that complement the strengths of the school’s current faculty. Salary: The expected base pay based on rank is as follows: • Assistant Professor: $ 70,000-$85,000 • Associate Professor: $85,000-$130,000 • Professor: $135,000-$190,000 Northwestern University has provided a pay range representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for the position. The pay offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors including (but not limited to) the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate; years since terminal degree, training, and field or discipline; departmental budget availability; internal equity; and external market pay for comparable jobs. Benefits: Northwestern is proud to provide competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts, and more. Visit https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more. Application: Screening begins November 11, 2024, and continues until the position is filled. Candidates should submit: • Letter of application • Curriculum vitae • Statement of teaching philosophy • PDF with links to three representative compositions (scores and audio/video recordings) • Names and contact information of three references. Questions should be directed to Alex Mincek, Search Committee Chair at: milan.mincek@northwestern.edu. Please visit http://www.music.northwestern.edu for information regarding the Bienen School of Music.

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