Director of Choral Activities and Lecturer in Music

Department

Position Summary

Bowdoin College’s Department of Music invites applications for a part-time (0.8 FTE), benefits-eligible lecturer-track faculty position as Director of Choral Activities and Lecturer in Music, beginning July 1, 2025. The initial appointment will be for three years, with the potential for multi-year renewals and eventual promotion to Senior Lecturer, contingent upon successful review and reappointment. Candidates must hold a Master of Music (MM) or an equivalent advanced degree by the time of appointment. We particularly seek applications from experienced choir directors with demonstrated expertise in teaching music theory and performance practice. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching excellence, an innovative approach to choral music, and a passion for fostering inclusivity and diversity.

The Director of Choral Activities will lead the Chamber Choir, managing repertoire selection, rehearsals, and performances. We seek a director dedicated to broadening the choir’s repertoire by incorporating a diverse range of historical, stylistic, and cultural traditions. In addition, the successful candidate will teach three courses per academic year, typically including two music theory courses and one course related to performance practice.

Lecturer-track faculty at Bowdoin have a primary focus on teaching and pedagogy. In the Music Department, lecturers teach introductory and advanced courses, advise students, and engage in curriculum development and pedagogical innovation. Lecturers are expected to actively participate in the life of the department and the broader College community, fostering a collaborative and inclusive learning environment.

Bowdoin requires its faculty to have a strong commitment to inclusive excellence in their teaching. At Bowdoin, inclusive excellence is an ongoing collective practice that honors our institutional commitment to provide an outstanding liberal arts education and serve the common good. We practice inclusive excellence when we build capacity to engage with and learn from differences, leverage resources to disrupt inequities, and foster belonging so that all members of our community can thrive.

The Bowdoin community warmly welcomes people of all backgrounds. We encourage applications from candidates committed to the inclusive instruction and support of a diverse student population and who will enrich and contribute to the College’s multifaceted diversity. We especially encourage people from historically excluded groups to apply. Accessibility during the application and interview stages, as well as once employed, is a priority of the College: https://www.bowdoin.edu/accessibility/index.html. Finally, visa sponsorships for faculty hires are available.

Bowdoin College offers opportunities for professional development, including a path to promotion to senior lecturer and eligibility for fully funded, one semester senior lecturer sabbatical leaves. Support for teaching, curricular development, grant-writing, digital initiatives, computing software, professional conference travel, and community partnerships in courses is readily available to all faculty, and the Department provides substantial support for performances and guest artists. The College also offers robust programming and resources for establishing and enhancing mentoring networks.

Bowdoin College accepts only electronic submissions. Please submit: 1) a cover letter; 2) a curriculum vitae; 3) a statement that describes your teaching philosophy and how your directing, teaching, and mentorship supports our commitment to equity and inclusion; and 4) the names and contact information for three references who have agreed to provide letters of recommendation. Reference letters and additional materials will be solicited at a later time in the search process.

Review of applications will begin November 15, 2024, and continue until the position is filled.

Founded in 1794 on the Maine coast, Bowdoin is one of the oldest and most selective coeducational, residential liberal arts colleges in the country. Located in Brunswick, a 30-minute drive north of Portland, the College is in an area rich with natural beauty and year-round outdoor activities. Bowdoin’s reputation rests on the excellence of its faculty and students, intimate size, strong sense of community, and commitment to diversity (38% students of color, 7% international students and 17% first generation college students). Bowdoin College complies with applicable provisions of federal and state laws that prohibit unlawful discrimination in employment, admission, or access to its educational or extracurricular programs, activities, or facilities based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry and national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, marital status, place of birth, genetic predisposition, veteran status, or against qualified individuals with physical or mental disabilities on the basis of disability, or any other legally protected statuses. For further information about the College and our department, please visit our website: http://www.bowdoin.edu.

Special Instructions to Applicant

At the time of application, you will be required to include information for three references, including name, title, email address, phone number and how you know the reference.

Reference providers will receive an automatically-generated email from the application system if the application reaches a certain stage during the review process. The email will provide them a link to upload a confidential reference letter on your behalf.

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Open Until Filled

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