MELLON PROFESSOR FACULTY POSITION IN MUSIC
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
The Department of Music of the University of Pittsburgh invites applications with exceptional ability for an endowed Mellon Chair in Music. Mellon Chairs are the most prestigious academic appointments at the University of Pittsburgh. We seek a visionary composer to begin on August 15, 2027, pending budgetary approval.
Position: Associate or Full Professor in Music; full-time; tenured. Advanced junior faculty with exceptional records may also be considered.
Qualifications: Ph.D. or D.M.A. in Music, or a comparable record of professional artistic achievement. Applicants should have an outstanding body of creative work, evidenced by commissions, recordings, premieres, performances, and festival or residency invitations, and be acknowledged leaders in their fields. Record of teaching composition and related subjects. Scholarly or creative expertise in any of the following additional areas: music technology, multimedia, popular music, contemporary music studies, music theory, sound art, improvisation or other related interests. The candidate should have strong research and writing skills appropriate for serving on Ph.D. committees.
Duties: A teaching load of 3 courses per year, including courses and individual composition lessons. Additional duties include assisting faculty in organizing concerts and guest artist visits; advising and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students; serving on graduate dissertation and comprehensive exam committees; and sharing in departmental service. The appointee should be committed to a collaborative leadership role in advancing the artistic profile and the national and international reputation of the Department of Music, both within and outside the University. We seek candidates whose interests complement those of current faculty, and who can work across sub-disciplines within the department and potentially with colleagues elsewhere in the University.
The Department: The Department of Music offers the B.A. degree in a liberal-arts curriculum and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees with concentrations in Composition/Theory, Ethnomusicology, Jazz Studies, and Musicology. The undergraduate program provides students with instruction in music history, world perspectives, theoretical frameworks, performance, and composition. Further information is available at the Department’s website: http://www.music.pitt.edu/.
To Apply: Candidates should submit a letter of application; a complete curriculum vitae including a list of original compositions with links to recordings and scores (if relevant) of two to three representative works; the names and contact information for three references. To ensure full consideration, complete applications should be received by December 7, 2026, but applications will continue to be accepted for the duration of the search.
Questions: contact Professor Amy Williams and Chair of the Search Committee (amywill@pitt.edu).
The University of Pittsburgh is an equal opportunity employer / disability / veteran.
Assignment Category: Full-time regular
Bargaining Unit Eligibility: This position may be bargaining unit eligible
Campus: Pittsburgh
Child Protection Clearances: Not Applicable
Required Attachments: Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae, Other (see posting for additional details)
