Director of Orchestral Studies

Job Summary/Basic Functions

The School of Music, a unit of the Institute for Creative and Collaborative Arts at Eastern Kentucky University, invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position as Director of Orchestral Studies, beginning 2027-28. The School seeks a conductor-educator with demonstrated strength in string performance and pedagogy. Applicants should hold an earned Doctorate in Music or a related field from an accredited institution at the time of appointment or the Master of Music plus significant relevant experience. The position begins August 2027.

EKU's School of Music is in an active period of curricular and programmatic development, having completed a peer-benchmarked redesign of all four undergraduate concentrations built around the principle that a music degree should be completable, professionally relevant, and structurally honest about what it asks of students. The Director of Orchestral Studies will join a faculty committed to that work and to sustaining a program whose graduates are historically literate, ensemble-experienced, and professionally prepared at a standard that no regional peer program currently matches.

The successful candidate will bring a record of successful ensemble leadership and the community orientation required to build lasting relationships with K-12 programs across the Commonwealth. EKU's annual High School Honors Orchestra draws students from across the region to campus each year and serves as one of the School's primary recruiting and community-engagement vehicles.

The University places a high priority on being leaders in the responsible use of artificial intelligence and in building such capacity in our students. The successful candidate will demonstrate knowledge of artificial intelligence pertinent to the discipline and/or a willingness to pursue professional development to acquire such expertise.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: An earned Doctorate in Music or a related field from an accredited institution at the time of appointment or the Master of Music plus significant relevant experience.

Job Duties

• Conduct the EKU Symphony Orchestra and provide artistic leadership for opera and musical theatre productions. (Essential)
• Maintain a faculty workload consistent with the needs and priorities of the college and institution, teaching in areas appropriate to training and expertise. (Essential)
• Lead string pedagogy initiatives and mentor undergraduate string students across music education, performance, and related concentrations. (Essential)
• Serve as the primary liaison to regional K-12 string programs, building sustained relationships with Kentucky music educators through clinics, school visits, and collaborative events. (Essential)
• Organize and expand the annual High School Honors Orchestra as a signature campus recruiting and community engagement event. (Essential)
• Recruit prospective string students from across the Commonwealth and region. (Essential)
• Participate in curriculum development, academic advising, and school, college, and university committee service. (Essential)
• Maintain an active record of professional and scholarly or creative activity. (Essential)