Assistant Professor of Music - Tuba - #001735

Posting Details

Posting Information

Posting Number FAC975P Quick Link for Internal Postings https://jobs.wcu.edu/postings/35753 Classification Title Assistant Professor Working Title Assistant Professor of Music - Tuba - #001735 Department School of Music About WCU

Western Carolina University continues to rank high on Forbes 'Best Employers' lists each year. Including:

• 2025 - Ranked 1st in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes 'America's Best Employers by State' list.
• 2024 - Ranking in the top 8.5% on Forbes 'America's Best Midsize Employers' list, WCU was ranked 34 out of the top 400 employers across all industries.
• 2023 - Ranked in the top 20% on Forbes 'America's Best Midsize Employers' list, WCU was ranked 97 out of the top 500 employers across all industries.
• 2022 - Ranked 14th in the top 100 employers in North Carolina in Forbes 'America's Best Employers by State' list.

Western Carolina University is the UNC system's westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South.

Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans - eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.

Eligible employees have access to tuition waivers for up to three courses per academic year; employee may enroll at any of the constituent UNC System campuses. Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus, pretax flexible spending accounts, 12 paid holidays and 24 hours of paid community service leave each year. Leave earning employees (staff and 12-month faculty) who work at least half of the working days of their first month of employment will begin accruing vacation and sick leave immediately. Paid parental leave after 12 months of continuous service.

WCU offers an abundance of training and development programs, certifications, workshops and conferences - many of which are offered free of charge.

Position Summary

The primary location of this position is on the main Cullowhee, NC campus.

The Western Carolina University School of Music invites applications for an Assistant Professor of Music - Tuba. This is a nine-month, tenure-track position with an anticipated start of August 2027. We seek a dynamic teacher and accomplished performer and educator who can engage and inspire students while modeling the depth and breadth of musical experiences essential to success in today's evolving arts landscape.

Responsibilities include teaching in and recruiting for an active studio of applied tuba students across degree programs in performance, music education, and commercial music and in a variety of performance styles. Additional responsibilities include teaching applied euphonium lessons and may include courses in brass methods, low brass ensembles, coaching chamber ensembles, or other courses consistent with the expertise of the candidate and the needs of the School of Music as determined in consultation with the Director and Dean.

Western North Carolina is a region rich in the arts, and WCU's David Orr Belcher College of Fine and Performing Arts brings together the traditions and resources of the region with the talents of our students to serve as the heart of art and culture in WNC. The Belcher College combines training and performance with community engagement, business, and entrepreneurship skills to prepare young musicians, actors, writers, filmmakers, directors, visual artists, and designers for diverse careers in the arts, film, and performance industries. The faculty, students, staff, and leadership of the Belcher College strive to create an artistic and scholarly home that reflects the people we serve now and in the future-one in which everyone feels empowered to realize their full, authentic selves as valued and contributing members. We believe in the power and passion of the fine and performing arts to positively and proactively influence our changing world, and we are committed to leveraging that power to help create the inclusive world we desire.

The WCU School of Music faculty and students perform 150-200 concerts and recitals each year on Western's campus and on tours throughout the region and nation. Our student ensembles offer traditional and innovative performance opportunities, including bands, choirs, chamber music, and a wide variety of technology-enhanced ensembles that explore jazz, commercial, and experimental styles. The School of Music offers degree programs in Performance, Music Education, Commercial Music and Audio Production, and Music in the Liberal Arts, all of which are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities Required for this Position Minimum Qualifications

• A completed DMA or PhD in Music at the time of application.
• A record of demonstrated excellence in tuba teaching and performance indicative of the capacity to fulfill the responsibilities listed above.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least two years of postsecondary/collegiate teaching experience in applied tuba.
• Proven expertise as an innovative performer and teacher, conversant with a variety of repertoire and styles, and skilled in a range of tuba pedagogies.
• Potential for national recognition as a tuba performer and collaborator in professional and educational settings.
• Evidence of the ability to recruit, retain, and inspire students across multiple areas of interest.
• A commitment to being part of a highly motivated and student-centered faculty that prioritizes student learning and engagement.

Position Type Permanent Full-Time Number of Hours Per Week 40 Number of Months Per Year 9

Posting Text

Open Date 10/20/2026 Close Date Open Until Filled Yes Special Instructions to Applicants

Application materials must be submitted online. Review of applications will begin November 16, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

Please include the following:

• Letter of application/cover letter that addresses the listed responsibilities and requirements of the position and outlines a vision for teaching an undergraduate studio at a regional comprehensive university.
• Current CV.
• Document with links to recordings of live performances from within the past three years that display a variety of repertoire and styles. Please submit no more than 20-25 minutes of music.
• List of five professional references with complete contact information.
• Unofficial transcripts showing degree conferral dates for all degrees at the master's degree level and higher*.

For questions or additional information please contact Jeananne Nichols at nicholsj@wcu.edu

• All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript of their highest attained degree, showing all completed coursework and the date the degree was conferred. The transcript must state Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or a similar phrase. For candidates who are ABD, please submit your most recent doctoral program transcript along with your master's degree transcript, if you hold such a degree. The master's degree transcript must have a notation such as Degree Awarded, Degree Conferred or similar phrase, to verify it as your highest completed degree.

Background/E-Verify

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks.

Western Carolina University uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. Proper documentation of identity and employability are required at the time of employment.

Credential Verification

All new employees are required to have listed credentials/degrees verified within 30 days of employment. All new employees who will be teaching are required to provide official transcripts within 30 days of employment. Transcripts should be provided for the highest earned degree and/or the degree which is being used to satisfy credential/qualification requirements.

EOE

Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; ethnicity; religion; sex; pregnancy; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; political affiliation; National Guard or veteran status, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies, and the policies of The University of North Carolina. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call (828) 227-7218 or email at jobs@email.wcu.edu.

University Safety

The Western Carolina University Annual Safety Report is available online at University Annual Safety Report or in hard-copy by request at the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, 227 HFR Administration Building, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7147) or the Office of University Police, 111 Camp Annex, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7301). The report, required of all universities participating in Title IV student financial aid programs, discusses crime statistics, procedures for reporting suspicious or criminal activity, security, police authority, crime prevention strategies, university policies on substance abuse and sexual offenses, workplace violence and fire safety.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Cover Letter/Letter of Application
• Curriculum Vitae
• Portfolio
• List of references
• Unofficial Transcripts

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).