Visiting Assistant Prof of Music Education / Instrumental Emphasis

Shenandoah Conservatory, one of the country’s leading centers for collaborative work across the performing arts, is seeking applications for an innovative musician, teacher, and instrumental pedagogue to join the Conservatory’s Music Education faculty. This full-time one-year position begins in August of 2023.

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Music Education faculty seeks a dynamic and collaborative instrumental musician, teacher, and scholar; someone excited by the work of training future music teachers positioned to succeed in diverse 21st-century classrooms. The chosen candidate will further strengthen Shenandoah Conservatory & profile and reputation as Virginia’s premiere, inclusive and innovative place of study where musicians from diverse backgrounds develop into dynamic and inspiring music teachers.

Teaching responsibilities will include:
1. instrumental methods courses with a lab band
2. field experience courses (middle school and high school)
3. student teacher supervision for secondary instrumental music placements
Other possible teaching assignments are dependent on department or Conservatory needs and candidate qualifications. Contributions to program recruitment as well as Conservatory-wide collaboration are expected.

ABOUT THE MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAM:

From its origins in 1875 as a school to support the training of music teachers, Shenandoah Conservatory has long served as a leader in music education and is proud to advance its role as Virginia’s premiere and progressive center of music education training. The Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Master of Music Education degrees are recognized as innovative and forward-oriented and are continually updated to meet the needs of music classrooms of the future. Undergraduates begin music education coursework in their first semester and have opportunities for hands-on teaching experiences throughout the program. Students – who enroll from across the region and country – may select an instrumental (classical or jazz) or a choral/general music track for the program and subsequent Virginia licensure. Students have the opportunity to teach for two additional semesters in the on-campus home-school music program. The Master of Music Education degree is designed for the practicing music educator. Students attend classes in the summers focusing on the intersection of pedagogy, musicianship, and scholarship. The degree is uniquely designed to increase students’ skills as reflective musician teachers. A research teaching project provides a practical capstone document.

About Shenandoah Conservatory:
Shenandoah Conservatory was founded in 1875 and has an extraordinary legacy of shaping music and the performing arts in Virginia and beyond. Located at the head of the historic Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA, 70 miles west of Washington DC, the Conservatory is now home to over 640 award-winning students from across the nation and globe enrolled in baccalaureate, master, and doctoral curricula in the areas of music, theater, and dance, and includes a distinguished faculty of over 125, half of whom are full-time. Beyond being a comprehensive performing arts school, Shenandoah Conservatory is home to exceptional artists and scholars who are unusually oriented towards collaboration and innovative approaches to the career preparation of students. The Conservatory’s ShenCoLAB (formerly titled Student Performance Week) is but one example of the Conservatory’s nation-leading embrace of innovation and collaboration; a (first-in-the-country) week-long stoppage of all classes and rehearsals across all programs with the school turned over to students for student-led (and faculty-mentored) collaborative projects. The Conservatory’s proximity to Washington D.C. and Dulles Airport ensures easy access to and regular interaction with professionals from around the country and the world. www.su.edu/conservatory

About Shenandoah University:

Shenandoah University is a diverse institution of approximately 3,800 students enrolled in baccalaureate, master, and doctoral curricula in business, arts and sciences, health professions, and performing arts. Shenandoah University is an independent, coeducational institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Please
visit www.su.edu for more information.

Required Experience

QUALIFICATIONS:
Beyond having experience with traditional instrumental literature, the chosen candidate will have experience in strings, jazz, and/or popular styles and be a champion for collaboration and artistic excellence across instrumental genres and styles, understanding that excellence in music making transcends stylistic boundaries.

Required qualifications, beyond those listed above, include:
1. Exceptional musicianship
2. Public school experience that includes secondary instrumental ensemble teaching
3. Successful collegiate teaching experience
4. Demonstrated scholarship in the field
5. Exhibited commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion
6. An interest to collaborate with the Conservatory’s ensemble directors and applied faculty

An earned doctorate in Music Education or a related terminal degree is preferred (ABD considered).

How to Apply:

Candidates should be prepared to submit the following:

1. Cover letter addressing the listed qualifications, including an explanation regarding how the candidate can contribute to Shenandoah’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion; and
2. Curriculum Vitae with contact information for three references.

Additional materials such as links to teaching videos, conducting videos, or course materials may be requested after an initial review by the committee. The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a qualified candidate is selected.

Shenandoah University is committed to enriching its educational experience and culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration, and staff. All candidates are strongly encouraged to include a statement in their cover letters addressing ways in which they may be able to contribute to that commitment.

**Note: A pre-employment background check will be required and a satisfactory driving record may be required as a condition of hire.

Shenandoah University values the unique and diverse perspectives of individuals and communities locally and globally and seeks to foster mutual understanding in an inviting community where individuals are welcome and respected. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, physical, or mental disability, genetic information, veteran’s status, or on any other basis protected under applicable law.

Salary Type
Not Applicable