"Assistant Professor of Music Education - String/Orchestral UMKC CONSERVATORY (Tenure-track faculty)"

Job Details

Hiring Department

UNIVERSITY of MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY

CONSERVATORY

Music Education / String-Orchestral

The UMKC Conservatory is a vibrant community of artists, educators, and scholars located in the heart of Kansas City's thriving arts corridor. Committed to fostering excellence, innovation, and equity, the Conservatory prepares students to become leading performers, educators, conductors, and scholar-artists. As part of an R-1 public research university, the Conservatory offers exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, community engagement, and global impact.

We seek candidates who:

• help build the future of education and research in the performing arts;
• demonstrate a growth mindset, with an understanding that learning is an ongoing process;
• believe that art has the power to help us understand ourselves, each other, and our culture while empowering us to move that culture forward;
• engage in work that appeals to, and positively impacts, the global population;
• adapt to the opportunities in their regions, and work within frameworks that embrace transdisciplinary possibilities.

https://conservatory.umkc.edu/

Job Description

The UMKC Conservatory invites applications for a full-time tenure-track position in Music Education (String/Orchestral) at the rank of Assistant Professor, beginning in Fall 2026. We are seeking a multifaceted artist, pedagogue, and scholar with documented achievements in teaching, orchestral leadership, and educational research. The ideal candidate will maintain a balanced activity profile that includes accomplishments across all these areas and will collaborate with colleagues to promote a vision that enriches the training and growth of future music educators.

This faculty member will contribute to the Conservatory’s undergraduate and graduate music education programs— instructing and mentoring students, contributing to research initiatives, actively participating in music education across the Kansas City region at all levels, and playing a key role in shaping the future of the field. The selected candidate will be actively adapting rapidly changing technologies in curricular design and pedagogical strategies.

Primary Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in instrumental music education, research methodology and string methods.
• Provide leadership for orchestral ensemble experiences, working with student groups at various levels to inspire artistic excellence.
• Supervise and mentor Ph.D. students in music education, supporting graduate research that will serve as a foundation for a career in academia.
• Assist in delivering the Ph.D. music education curriculum, contributing to a robust culture of pedagogy and research.
• Teach selected courses in the Summer Master of Music Education program.
• Maintain an active agenda of research and creative activity, including publications, presentations, and/or performances at the regional, national, and international levels.
• Coordinate student teaching placements, maintaining active partnerships with area schools to ensure successful field experiences.
• Engage in a variety of service activities including committees, recruitment, outreach, and community partnerships.
• Collaborate with faculty across the Conservatory providing interdisciplinary experiences that train students in an integrated artist-scholar framework.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Music Education (ABD considered if completed by the time of appointment).
• Evidence of successful teaching experience in a K–12 setting.
• Demonstrated potential for ongoing research and scholarly productivity.
• Demonstrated expertise in instrumental music education, string pedagogy, and orchestral leadership.
• Excellent musicianship and artistry applicable to classroom and performance settings.
• Active involvement in professional music education organizations (e.g., NAfME, ASTA), with long-term potential for leadership.
• Organizational and interpersonal skills necessary for partnership development, program coordination, and student mentoring.

Preferred Qualifications

• Noteworthy experience leading orchestras at multiple levels (e.g., K–12, community, collegiate).
• Evidence of successful teaching experience in a higher education setting.
• Experience supervising student teachers in public school settings.
• Experience mentoring graduate student research.
• Experience in curricular design and graduate program development.
• Previous artistic leadership, collaboration, and community engagement through performance or educational initiatives.

Anticipated Hiring Range

Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience and evidence of artistic leadership/scholarship. This is a 9-month, benefit-eligible, full-time (1.0 FTE) faculty appointment eligible for tenure and promotion.

Our academic schedules and workload promote a positive work/life balance. Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Missouri provides generous leave, health plans, and retirement contributions that add to your ‘bottom line’.

Application Materials

For consideration, you must apply online at www.umkc.edu/jobs, click in Academic Positions (Job Opening ID 56609).

Applicants should submit the following materials:

• A one-page cover letter that explains how this position aligns with your professional goals and values, including:
• Your commitment to community-engaged, practitioner-based music-making, and how this shapes your approach to music education.
• How this position would support the continued development of your research agenda in music education.
• The significance of orchestral leadership within your teaching, research, and artistic practice.
• Your approach to engaging varied populations through work that is artistically meaningful, educationally impactful, and socially relevant.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Contact information for at least three professional references.
• Links to representative scholarly and/or artistic work.

Please combine all application materials into one PDF or Microsoft Word document and upload as your resume attachments. Limit document name to 50 characters and do not include any special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.).

If you are experiencing technical problems during application, please email umpshrsupport@umsystem.edu.

For questions about the position, please contact umkcfacultysearch@umkc.edu including the Job Identification number _____ and name of the position.

Reasonable accommodations may be requested during the application and recruitment process. If you need an accommodation, please contact the Office of Equity and Title IX at (816) 235-1323.

Higher education transcripts are required for candidates advancing as finalists. Candidates will receive prior notification if references will be contacted. A Criminal Background Check is required for the finalist offered employment.

Handling of Application Materials - After initial review by the committee all uploaded materials may be shared with all faculty in the prospective home department. For affiliations and joint appointments materials may be shared with all faculty in all departments involved.

Application Deadline

Review of applications will begin September 2nd and continue until the position is filled.

Community Information

UMKC is the largest public, comprehensive, fully accredited university in the Kansas City area with award-winning academic programs and faculty. With more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, our university is committed to being a model urban university that is recognized for our partnerships with multifarious communities to effectively foster a healthy, safe, more economically secure quality of life.

A City on the Rise: Big City Life and Midwest Charm, Kansas City offers the best of both worlds - a vibrant, urban community with midwestern appeal and an affordable cost of living. Our UMKC campuses are centered in the hubs of cultural arts, business activity, (some great barbeque and ethnic cuisine!), trendy neighborhoods, and health science research engagement for both campuses. As one of the largest cities in Missouri, we are home to the internationally acclaimed Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, a rich history of jazz, cultural arts and music venues, a new international airport, national championship sports teams, NASCAR racing, and a community that is very engaged with and supportive of our university initiatives. Our beautiful state has rolling hills, rivers, lakes, and long bike/hiking trails all within a short drive for those that enjoy time in the great outdoors. Kansas City offers something for everyone! https://www.visitkc.com/

Benefit Eligibility

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Office of Equity & Title IX at 816-235-6910.