Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano (Popular and Contemporary Styles)

Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano / UMKC Conservatory / Music Division

Company:
University of Missouri - Kansas City

Job Location:

Category:
Music

Type:
Full-Time

Hiring Department
UNIVERSITY of MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY
CONSERVATORY
Division of Music

The UMKC Conservatory invites applications for a full-time faculty appointment for the academic year, beginning August 2026 through May 2027. We seek a versatile pianist and educator with expertise in popular, contemporary, or stage styles, who will help expand the scope of keyboard studies beyond classical traditions.

We especially seek someone who can build a bridge between traditional conservatory training and the evolving demands of today's music industry-offering students the artistic fluency, stylistic flexibility, and creative confidence needed for a modern career in the performing arts.

This position supports the Conservatory's strategic goal of growing beyond the traditional training model to prepare artists for a diverse and dynamic job market. We welcome candidates with experience in improvisation, musical theatre, pop, R&B, or other commercial styles, who bring a collaborative, genre-fluid approach to performance and pedagogy.

Candidates are encouraged to read the Conservatory's mission, vision, and principals here: Vision, Mission and Principles - About Us - Conservatory | University of Missouri-Kansas City. We seek faculty who demonstrate a growth mindset, with an understanding that learning is an ongoing process. We seek faculty who believe that art has the power to help us understand ourselves, each other, and our culture while empowering us to move that culture forward. We seek qualified candidates who will engage in work that appeals to, and positively impacts, the global population. They will work strategically in ways that adapt to the opportunities in their regions, and work within frameworks that embrace transdisciplinary possibilities.

Job Description

Visiting Assistant Professor of Piano (Popular and Contemporary Styles)

The Visiting Assistant Professor position is a 9-month unranked non-tenure track faculty position. This full-time faculty position provides 12 months of benefits. The anticipated workload is 80% Teaching (4/4) and 20% Service. Our academic workloads and schedules promote a positive work/life balance.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Teach applied piano to performance and non-performance music majors, including both undergraduate and graduate students.
• Teach keyboard skills to keyboard area majors, incorporating contemporary skills relevant to a broad variety of professional opportunities.
• Additional responsibilities could include teaching individual or group classes on contemporary styles to piano majors or non-pianist music majors, collaborating with faculty and students on musical theatre productions, and coaching chamber music as needed.
• Contribute to curriculum development and student mentorship aligned with emerging professional pathways.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in music or commensurate professional experience.
• Demonstrated excellence as a performer and teacher in both classical and contemporary/popular idioms

Preferred Qualifications:

• Interest in interdisciplinary collaboration across music, theatre, and dance.
• Applied teaching experience at the collegiate level in relevant areas.
• Ability to connect applied instruction with a broad range of professional artistic outcomes.
• Experience collaborating with singers, actors, and/or ensembles in modern and/or theatrical genres.

Anticipated Hiring Range
Salary is commensurate with qualifications, teaching experience and scope of performance success.

Application Materials
For consideration, you must apply online at https://info.umkc.edu/hr/careers/academic-positions/ click in Academic Positions, Job Opening ID 59067.

Applicants should submit the following materials:

• A one-page cover letterthat explains how your work in the past or in the future aligns with the conservatory vision statement:Vision, Mission and Principles - About Us - Conservatory | University of Missouri-Kansas City
• Curriculum Vitae.
• Current 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 attachment. Limit document name to 50 characters and do not include any special characters (e.g., /, &, %, etc.). Maximum size limit is 11MB.

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 59067 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 will be required for candidates advancing as finalists. Candidates will receive prior notification if references will be contacted. A Criminal Background Check is required prior to hire.

Application Deadline
Review of applications will begin April 17th and continue until the position is filled.