Job Description / Duties

The School of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison invites applications for an Artistic Director of University Opera and teacher of operatic performance, interpretation, and literature. This is a full-time, tenure-track appointment at the Assistant Professor level beginning August 2016. Successful candidates will demonstrate evidence of an established or emerging national/international career, along with an ability to enhance the School’s educational mission and overall commitment to teaching. Candidates will be expected to pursue creative activities or research interests appropriate to a tenure-track position. Candidates will also be expected to help recruit and teach a diverse student body of undergraduate and graduate students, to advise and mentor students, to serve on graduate degree committees, and to carry out leadership and service within the School, College, and University.

Duties:
• Serve as Artistic Director of University Opera
- Organize, administer and coordinate all facets of the program, recruiting and fundraising as necessary
- Direct and supervise all facets of two major productions each year
• Coordinate and co-teach the University Opera Workshop Course
- Prepare scenes and productions, including stage movement and character development;
• Promote and participate in local and state outreach programs
• Nurture relationships and serve as liaison with community and regional arts organizations
• Teach related courses as needed and according to the candidate’s expertise
• Supervise doctoral minors in opera/voice coaching and in opera production

Qualifications / Required Skills

Minimum Qualifications:
• Master’s degree with significant professional experience
• Proven excellence as an opera director in the professional and/or academic setting
• Comprehensive knowledge of operatic literature, styles and traditions
• Ability to pursue research and/or creative activity and service to the profession at the national/international level
• Ability to teach effectively in the classroom and in rehearsal, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
• Ability to guide research and advise on the preparation of graduate documents and exams
• Ability to work effectively and collaborate within the School of Music and with outside groups and community arts organizations
• Ability to serve as advisor for doctoral minors
• Commitment to recruitment for the School of Music
• Ability to collaborate with the voice faculty, School of Music, and university in developing and planning for the opera program



Preferred Qualifications:
• PhD/DMA/MFA completed
• Ability to conduct/lead musical rehearsals
• Ability to coach singers from the piano
• Fluency in standard operatic languages (French, German, Italian, English)
• Experience as an operatic performer

Additional Information

To apply:
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by December 1, 2015.
Electronic submission of materials in PDF format is preferred and should be directed to: operasearch@music.wisc.edu.

Materials should consist of:
• A cover letter (letter of interest)
• A Curriculum Vitae
• Three letters of recommendation submitted separately by recommender and emailed to operasearch@music.wisc.edu
• The names and contact information for three additional references who may be contacted by the committee

Please DO NOT submit recorded materials or links at this time. Other materials, including recordings of performances and teaching videos may be requested at a later time.

Women and under-represented minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

UW-Madison policy requires a criminal background check prior to employment.

For additional information contact Dr. Benjamin Schultz, assistantdirector@music.edu

Salary: $65,000 (minimum)

Contact Information

Dr. Benjamin Schultz
(608) 263-4018
assistantdirector@music.wisc.edu

Employer Profile

The School of Music at UW-Madison is a community of engaged and engaging musicians, scholars and teachers. Since its beginning in 1895, the School of Music has lived out a commitment to a rigorous, student-centered musical education. Our faculty and staff provide models of academic and artistic leadership, and our students reap the benefits of a dynamic public university and the intellectual and artistic opportunities provided by Madison itself. As one of the largest departments within the College of Letters & Science, the School of Music offers flexible programs with innovative and global approaches to music study. Our teaching, research and performances reflect the University’s progressive history of creating change through innovation and exploration. Our public programming, diverse student ensembles, artists in residence and prestigious faculty ensembles demonstrate how the School of Music embraces “The Wisconsin Idea,” the University’s ethos of sharing what we do with the broadest audience possible. The School of Music serves over 300 majors at the undergraduate and graduate levels, offering the B.A./B.S., B.M., M.A., M.M. and D.M.A. and PhD degrees; it also serves hundreds of non-majors through performance opportunities and course offerings. The School of Music is committed to a diverse, collegial, and inclusive educational, scholarly, and performance community for all of its members.