Music Composition - Assistant Professor

POSITION TITLE:

Music Composition - Assistant Professor

COMPENSATION RANGE: 55,000. USD per year

EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFICATION:
Faculty

DEPARTMENT:
Academic Affairs Office

TARGET HIRE DATE: 8/17/2026

BENEFITS: UNC's Career Hub

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on 12/01/2025.

Position Summary:

The School of Music in the College of Performing and Visual Arts at the University of Northern Colorado invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Music Composition to begin in August 2026.

Job Duties:

The University of Northern Colorado invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position in Music Composition. We seek a creative and collaborative individual with a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in their teaching, mentoring, and creative practice. The ideal candidate will contribute to our vibrant academic community and have the potential to attract and inspire outstanding undergraduate, Master's, and Doctoral students.

This position offers the opportunity to shape the future of music composition education while cultivating a national and international profile of creative activity.

UNC offers degrees in Music Education, Jazz Studies, Performance, Latinx Music, and Music Business & Recording Arts, among others. Candidates must be able to teach a diverse group of students and create an equitable and safe environment that fosters belonging.

With a history of excellence and leadership in arts and education, the School of Music is a community of students, teachers, artists, scholars, and music industry professionals. Our 40 full-time and 30 adjunct faculty teach and support over 350 music majors pursuing undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees in programs including performance, music education, jazz studies, music business, composition, theory, and history & literature;

and certificate programs in Music Technology and Arts Entrepreneurship. Primarily housed in historic Frasier Hall, our facilities include a fully equipped and professionally managed recording studio and the new Campus Commons Performance Hall. We adhere to the values of College of Performing and Visual Arts:
Creative Thinking, Belonging & Justice, Integrity, Sustaining Relationships, and Tradition & Transformation.

Responsibilities

Teach undergraduate and graduate composition, orchestration, and related courses.

Help students navigate the paradigm-shifting role of new technologies such asgenerative AIin contemporary composition, performance, and pedagogy.

Engage in cross-genre teaching and creative activity, exploring intersections among classical, jazz, Latinx, popular, experimental, and electronic music practices.

Contribute to collaborative initiatives with faculty across the School of Music, as well as with community partners and arts organizations.

Mentor student projects in the SOM's new Chamber Music Incubator, fostering the creation, rehearsal, and performance of new works.

Provide leadership in the Open Space Festival of New Music, a cornerstone of the School's artistic programming that highlights innovative and diverse compositional voices.

Maintain an active profile of creative research and professional activity at the national and/or international level.

Participate in curriculum development, student advising, and departmental service.

Minimum Qualifications:

Terminal degree in Music Composition or related field, or commensurate professional experience.

2 years of teaching music composition and related coursework at the college level.

Potential for professional activity at a national or wider scope.

Commitment to inclusive recruitment practices to attract a diverse body of students.

Preferred Qualifications:

Terminal degree in Music Composition.

1 year of teaching graduate applied lessons and/or coursework in music composition.

3 years experience and demonstrated success in teaching and mentoring composers at the university level.

Evidence of outstanding compositional achievement and a clear creative trajectory.

Interest and experience in emerging technologies, including digital media, video games, interactive systems, and generative AI.

Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in teaching, research, and creative activity.

Record of collaboration with performers, faculty colleagues, and community partners.

Experience guiding graduate students in thesis and dissertation research.

Application Materials:

Completed UNCO application.

Cover letter addressing qualifications and vision for teaching and creative activity.

Curriculum vitae.

Portfolio of three works (links to scores, recordings, digital projects).

Contact information for [3-5] references.

Benefits:

Benefits available include health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance, as well as a selection of several defined contribution retirement plans for all full-time positions. Employees at UNC receive sick leave, and other leave options may be available based on position. Full-time…