Assistant Professor of Composition

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The Schulich School of Music of McGill University is Canada’s leading university-based program for the training of professional composers and performers, and for humanities-based and scientific-technological research in music and sound. We seek individuals with an active and recognized artistic profile who are committed to teaching, mentorship, and institution-building. The successful candidate will maintain a high level of professional creative activity while contributing substantially to the development of students, curricula, and artistic initiatives within the Composition Area, the Schulich School of Music, and Montréal’s broader contemporary music community. They will be able to teach and supervise students across undergraduate and graduate programs, including at the doctoral level. Montréal offers a vibrant multilingual and multicultural environment and is consistently rated among the best student cities in the world.
 

McGill University is on land which long served as a site of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations. We acknowledge and thank the diverse Indigenous people whose footsteps have marked this territory on which peoples of the world now gather.
 

To learn more about the Department of Music Research, please visit our website at: https://www.mcgill.ca/music/research.

Department of Music Research: Composition

The Department of Music Research invites applications for a tenure track position in composition at the rank of Assistant Professor, starting in Fall 2027. Applications at the rank of Associate Professor may be considered for exceptional candidates.

We are looking for the following elements in the composer's profile:

• Demonstrated expertise in notated composition within Western art/concert music traditions, supported by strong compositional craft and knowledge of relevant techniques, idioms and forms;

• A thorough knowledge of the aesthetics, historical trends, and repertoire relevant to contemporary composition in the 21st century;

• A composition portfolio that demonstrates a strong musical personality;

• Evidence of significant creative activity and international profile, appropriate to career stage;

• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively in writing, including in scholarly, artistic and pedagogical contexts;

• Demonstrated excellence in teaching, advising and mentorship of diverse student cohorts;

• A desire to be involved in the development of the local and national contemporary creative community;

• Interest in curricular innovation and in shaping the future of composition, research-creation, and contemporary music study at McGill;

• Commitment to creating an inclusive, respectful, and supportive environment for students and colleagues from diverse backgrounds and artistic perspectives.

Qualifications and Education Requirements:

Candidates should have a doctoral degree in composition (ABD considered; completion required by the end of 2026) or equivalent international professional experience, and a strong record of compositions and performances commensurate with their career stage. Teaching will include composition tutorials, undergraduate courses, and graduate seminars. Candidates will be expected to contribute to service activities within the Composition Area, in the Schulich School of Music and more broadly at McGill University.

Faculty/Department/Unit:
Schulich School of Music / Department of Music Research

Job Type:
Tenure-track

Rank:
Assistant Professor

Salary:
Salary is negotiable, according to qualifications and experience. The position is subject to final budgetary approval. English is the language of instruction at McGill but a working knowledge of French is a major asset.

Required Documents:

Applicants should submit the following items using McGill’s platform, Workday (see http://www.mcgill.ca/music/about-us/employment for instructions and links to apply). Further inquiries
may be addressed to [email protected].

• Cover letter describing the candidate’s qualifications for the position and commitment to the excellence of the Composition area

• Full Curriculum vitae

• Statement of research interests, professional activities, compositional interests, and recent accomplishments (max. 1 page)

• A complete list of compositions

• A statement on teaching (max. 1 page)

• A list of active, accessible and stable links to three illustrative works with relevant support material (scores, recordings, videos, documentation)

• Relevant academic publications and teaching materials are welcome as supportive materials (max. 2 items)

• Contact information for three referees

For submitted creative portfolio materials, applicants should disclose any substantial use of generative AI in the creation or realization of music, scores, recordings, images, video, or other work, with a brief
description of its role where relevant. Applicants are encouraged to describe how equity, diversity and inclusion inform their teaching, research, and professional practice within the relevant statements above.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Those received by 12 October 2026 will be given full consideration. A first set of selected candidates will be interviewed online in November 2026. Short-listed candidates will be invited to an on-campus interview in January or February 2027 that will include a public lecture, teaching demonstration, and meetings with the Dean, colleagues, students, and members of the search committee. Salary is negotiable,

according to qualifications and experience. The position is subject to final budgetary approval. English is the language of instruction at McGill, but a working knowledge of French is a major asset.

All internal applicants (current, active employees only), please find McGill’s application manual found here:

* English:

https://general-knowledgebase.mcgill.ca/spaces/SHRKB/pages/54632206/How+to+Apply+for+a+Job+for+Internal+Candidates

* French:

https://general-knowledgebase.mcgill.ca/spaces/SHRKB/pages/54633556/Comment+postuler+%C3%A0+un+emploi+pour+les+candidats+internes

All external applicants (including former employees), please find McGill’s application manual found here (English only):

https://www.mcgill.ca/hr/files/hr/english_applying_as_an_external_candidate_one-pager_1.pdf

Before applying, please note that to work at McGill University, you must be both authorized to work in Canada and willing to work in the province of Quebec at the campus where the position is based / located.

McGill University is an English-language university where most teaching and research activities are conducted in the English language, thereby requiring English communication both verbally and in writing.

McGill University is committed to equity and diversity within its community and values academic rigour and excellence. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities.
 

At McGill, research that reflects diverse intellectual traditions, methodologies, and modes of dissemination and translation is valued and encouraged. Candidates are invited to demonstrate their research impact both within and across academic disciplines and in other sectors, such as government, communities, or industry.

McGill further recognizes and fairly considers the impact of leaves (e.g., family care or health-related) that may contribute to career interruptions or slowdowns. Candidates are encouraged to signal any leave that
affected productivity, or that may have had an effect on their career path. This information will be considered to ensure the equitable assessment of the candidate’s record.
 

McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated equity groups to self-identify. It further seeks to ensure the equitable treatment and full inclusion of persons with disabilities by striving for the implementation of universal design principles transversally, across all facets of the University community, and through accommodation policies and procedures. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, this email or phone at 514-398-2477.
 

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

McGill University is committed to equity and diversity within its community and values academic rigour and excellence. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities.

At McGill, research that reflects diverse intellectual traditions, methodologies, and modes of dissemination and translation is valued and encouraged. Candidates are invited to demonstrate their research impact both within and across academic disciplines and in other sectors, such as government, communities, or industry.

McGill further recognizes and fairly considers the impact of leaves (e.g., family care or health-related) that may contribute to career interruptions or slowdowns. Candidates are encouraged to signal any leave that affected productivity, or that may have had an effect on their career path. This information will be considered to ensure the equitable assessment of the candidate’s record.

McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated equity groups to self-identify. It further seeks to ensure the equitable treatment and full inclusion of persons with disabilities by striving for the implementation of universal design principles transversally, across all facets of the University community, and through accommodation policies and procedures. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, [email protected].

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.