The Department of Music at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has a long-standing reputation for excellence in the study of world music, especially the musics of Asia and the Pacific. The UHM Ethnomusicology program is well funded through several private endowments, with faculty and students receiving substantial support for research, conference travel and various other activities. The program is home to the Barbara Barnard Smith Endowed Chair in Ethnomusicology, a rotating position, with each…
ethnomusicology faculty member holding the chair for two years, during which time the holder receives additional salary and research support.
We seek a highly motivated individual with a commitment to excellence in teaching and a strong research agenda. Applicants should be prepared to participate in developing and implementing curricular and programmatic revisions in collaboration with current faculty and to build ties with colleagues in related disciplines and with the wider community.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in ethnomusicology, related topics, and other areas of music as relevant to the candidate’s abilities, based on the needs of the department;
- Maintain an active program of research, including publication and presentation at nationally and internationally recognized professional organizations/conferences;
- Actively recruit graduate students;
- Advise undergraduate and graduate students;
- Serve on master’s and doctoral committees;
- Work with colleagues to assist with curricular and program development;
- Serve on department committees as assigned;
- Provide service to the department, university, community, and field;
- Other duties as assigned by the Department Chair.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Earned Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology or a related field (such as Musicology, Anthropology, or Area Studies) with an Ethnomusicology focus (ABDs will be considered, but all requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed by August 2027);
- Demonstrated ability to teach courses in ethnomusicology at the undergraduate and graduate levels;
- Demonstrated ability to teach general/core music courses at the undergraduate level and/or courses in a related discipline, e.g., Asian Studies, Anthropology, Hawaiian or Pacific Islands Studies, Sociology;
- Record of research in the field of specialization (such as conference presentations, scholarly publications);
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collegially with students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
Desirable Qualifications:
- Research specialization in one or more of the following; Music and Cultural Politics; Intercultural and Transregional Music-Making; Popular Music, Media, and Society; Music and Religion/Spirituality/Ritual; Music’s Relation to Dance and Theater;
- Research focus on one or more of the cultures of Oceania/Hawaiʻi, Southeast Asia, and Northeast Asia, including transregional and diasporic connections, particularly in areas that complement existing faculty expertise;
- Ability to teach an Asian or Pacific music ensemble;
- Record of and/or demonstrated commitment to academic program development;
- Demonstrated experience in local community engagement.
Review of applications will begin November 16, 2026, and continue until the position is filled.
For more information and to apply, follow this link: https://go.hawaii.edu/ZeR
