Assistant Professor of Composition

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.

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.

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.

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 search.musicresearch@mcgill.ca.

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