"Assistant Professor of Music, Trombone and Jazz Band - Music, Theatre, and Dance"

Job Details

Assistant Professor of Music, Trombone and Jazz Band - Music, Theatre, and Dance

Allendale, MI
Full Time
R103655

Summary: The Music, Theatre, and Dance Department at Grand Valley State University invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Music, Trombone and Jazz Band to begin Fall 2026. Applicants are expected to have a graduate degree in trombone performance or a closely related field. Individuals from all backgrounds, including from underrepresented groups, are encouraged to apply. Successful candidates must be able to effectively engage with students, colleagues, and community members with a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Required Qualifications and Education:

• High level of classical artistry on trombone.
• Graduate Degree in trombone performance and/or jazz studies.
• Demonstrated potential to recruit trombone students.
• Potential for successful college-level teaching and ongoing creative activity.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, such as the ability to interact with others with respect and cultural humility.

Preferred Qualifications and Education:

• Completed doctoral degree in trombone performance.
• Demonstrated success recruiting trombone students and teaching a collegiate trombone studio.
• Demonstrated success recruiting for and successfully teaching collegiate jazz ensembles.

Responsibilities:

Tenure-line faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are typically hired on nine-month contracts, with a nine-credit hour teaching load per semester. They are also expected to engage in scholarly/creative activity, service, and a significant focus, which is equivalent to three credit hours of additional responsibilities in teaching, scholarly/creative activity, and/or service depending on the successful candidate's interests and the department's needs. Primary duties will include the teaching and mentoring of university level trombone students as well as teaching large jazz ensemble. The specific teaching assignment will be dependent upon the successful candidate's qualifications and interests and the needs of the department.

Minimum Starting Salary: $61,696; commensurate with experience.

Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package including medical, vision, dental, life insurance, generous employer retirement contributions, wellness resources and tuition waiver, effective on date of hire.

Department: The Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance provides an intensive performing arts education within a liberal education. Our six-degree programs are offered by 37 full-time faculty with over 150 performances by faculty, guest artists, and students each year. The department is located on the Valley Campus in the Haas Center for the Performing Arts.

College: The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) is the largest college at Grand Valley, offering over 50 bachelor's degrees and a growing number of advanced degrees in the natural and mathematical sciences, the fine arts and humanities, and the social sciences. CLAS is a student-centered learning community that welcomes individuals from various backgrounds and engages in critical inquiry, extending knowledge to enrich and enliven individual and public life. Our faculty are active teacher-scholars committed to offering students an accessible and community-engaged liberal arts and sciences education that prepares them for meaningful careers. There are many opportunities for collaboration within CLAS and across a broad group of partners on and off campus. We are interested in attracting a cohort of new faculty committed to these core values as we seek to foster a community where members from all backgrounds can live, learn, and thrive together.

University: Grand Valley State University (GVSU) is a public comprehensive institution located in West Michigan with campuses in Allendale, downtown Grand Rapids, and Holland, plus centers in Detroit, Muskegon and Traverse City. The University attracts approximately 22,000 undergraduate and graduate students with high quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities and has been nationally recognized for innovativeness and its contribution to students' social mobility. The greater Grand Rapids metropolitan area has a population of around one million people, is affordable, and offers rich cultural amenities. Grand Valley is located within easy driving distance of Chicago, Detroit, Lake Michigan beaches, and many other superb summer and winter recreational venues. Information can be found at Community Resources page on Grand Valley State University Human Resources website.

How To Apply: Apply online at GVSU Careers. To be considered for the position, applicants must upload the following items to the online application, in the same file location:

• A cover letter addressing required and preferred qualifications and your motivation to teach at GVSU.
• Curriculum vitae which includes contact information for three professional references.
• Teaching philosophy that includes evidence of using teaching practices that support students with varied learning needs and backgrounds.
• Graduate transcripts (unofficial transcripts issued to students are acceptable).
• A YouTube link to 25 minutes' worth of performance video(s) of representative repertoire recorded in the past three years. Ideally, this will include both classical and jazz performances.

The online application will allow you to attach these documents electronically. Applicants selected for interviews will be required to submit official transcripts prior to the interview. If you need technical assistance, email Human Resources (hro@gvsu.edu). Questions about the position may be directed to: Dr. Paul Carlson (carlsopa@gvsu.edu).

Application Deadline: Consideration of applicants will begin on October 24, 2025. The posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University thereafter.