Assistant Professor of Music Composition

School of Music

College of Arts and Sciences

Position Overview

The School of Music at The Ohio State University seeks to hire an Assistant Professor of Composition with an emphasis in Music for Film, Media, and Electronic Music starting August 15, 2024. The School of Music values interdisciplinary creative and scholarly work, curricular innovation, and public engagement.  Members of the composition area also find creative and intellectual community across the disciplinary areas of the School of Music as well as opportunities for collaboration across the many arts units, institutes, and centers of the College of Arts and Sciences, including the Global Arts and Humanities Discovery Theme, the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design, and the Barnett Center for Integrated Arts and Enterprise. 

The successful candidate will pursue an active program of composition and creative productivity emphasizing music for film, media, and electronic music. We welcome the many creative processes that advance music studies, including those that push disciplinary boundaries, combine methodologies, and employ traditional, emerging, and experimental technologies. The new faculty member will mentor students in developing their compositional portfolios and will teach composition related courses in the existing curriculum as well as electronic and computer music which covers the fundamentals of digital audio synthesis, sound design, and electronic/computer music history. It is expected that the new hire will take a role in the development of new curriculum in music for film and media, and help to shape the future of composition at Ohio State. The department values diversity and it is committed to building a culturally diverse, equitable, and inclusive intellectual community. 

Education and Experience Requirements

Required: Earned doctorate in music composition or a related field by August 15, 2024. Those who are ABD are welcome to apply. We are seeking candidates who, in addition to building their independent research program, will have a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and mentoring a diverse body of students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Desired: Candidates should demonstrate attentiveness to building a diverse intellectual community in alignment with Ohio State’s Shared Values (see below).

How to Apply

Apply to the Careers at Ohio State website at https://osu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/OSUCareers/job/Columbus-Campus/Assistant-Professor-of-Music-Composition_R89803-1. A competitive application consists of the following required elements: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, separate research and teaching statements, links to creative work, and three letters of reference.

You will be presented with the opportunity to attach up to FIVE documents in the Application Documents section. Please include the following:

·        Attachment 1: Cover Letter: 1-2 page letter, which should include a summary of your academic background and why you are interested in this opportunity. 

·        Attachment 2: CV (Curriculum Vitae): Detailed overview of your experience, including your compositional work, commissions/premieres, teaching and mentoring activities, service, publications, and electronic music software fluencies. 

·        Attachment 3: Research/Creative Productivity Statement: Summary of your past creative and/or research accomplishments, current work, and proposal for your future creative work as a faculty member. 

·        Attachment 4: Teaching Statement: A statement of your approaches, experience and philosophy regarding your teaching, learning, and mentoring.

·        Attachment 5: Evidence of creative work provided with a link to 1 or 2 works that best illustrate your qualifications for the position. Works may be audio and/or audio-visual media with or without scores as appropriate. 

You will be sent an email with instructions to provide names and contact information for three reference letters following submission of your application materials. 

Review of applications will begin on October 25 and will continue until the position is filled. Inquiries may be directed to David Bruenger at bruenger.1@osu.edu. 

The College

With more than 80 majors and 100 minors, the College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of the university. The Arts and Sciences provides extraordinary opportunities to collaborate across disciplines, blending creativity and analysis to truly be at the forefront of thought. The breadth and depth of knowledge in the college gives students and researchers the critical thinking and adaptability essential for a lifetime of success. 

Department Information

The School of Music, housed in the new Timashev Family Music Building, is home to a faculty of nationally and internationally recognized performing artists, composers, scholars, and master teachers who are specialists in their fields. The faculty serves a student body of approximately 300 undergraduate and 90 graduate music majors, as well as hundreds of non-music majors who are pursuing music minors, taking classes, or participating in one of the many performance ensembles. The School of Music values interdisciplinary creative and scholarly work, curricular innovation, and public engagement.

The University

Ohio State is a top-20 public university, and its Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is one of America’s leading academic health centers and recently ranked No. 4 on Forbes’ list of best U.S. employers for diversity. Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

The Ohio State University’s Shared Values include Excellence and Impact, Diversity and Innovation, Inclusion and Equity, Care and Compassion, and Integrity and Respect. Our university community welcomes differences, encourages open-minded exploration and courageous thinking, and upholds freedom of expression.

Ohio State is a dynamic community where opportunity thrives, and individuals transform themselves and their world. Positions are available in countless fields and specialties. Become a Buckeye and contribute to an incredible legacy that serves to guide our future and shape a better tomorrow.

The Ohio State University is committed to enhancing academic excellence. Recruiting, supporting, and retaining faculty of the highest caliber is a core component of this commitment. The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) has established Dual Careers and Faculty Relocation (DCFR) to focus on supporting new and prospective faculty and their loved ones. Service offerings include dual careers partner consultations, identifying potential employers and/or employment opportunities, consultation and resources related to relocation, as well as identifying opportunities to engage on campus and in the surrounding community. While employment opportunities are not guaranteed, resources and consultation are provided to support the partners of new and prospective faculty as they are considering or transitioning to The Ohio State University.  

In addition to being responsive to dual-career opportunities, we strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies.  Ohio State is an NSF ADVANCE institution and a member of the Ohio/Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC).

Located in Ohio’s capital city, Ohio State’s Columbus campus is near the center of a rapidly growing and diverse metropolitan area with a population of over 1.5 million. The area offers a wide range of affordable housing, many cultural and recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a strong economy based on government as well as service, transportation, and technology industries. Additional information about the Columbus area is available here. In addition to  its Columbus campus, Ohio State has four regional campuses including Ohio State Lima, Ohio State Mansfield, Ohio State Marion, and Ohio State Newark, in addition to Ohio State ATI in Wooster. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.