Tag Archives: NKU School of the Arts

Lecturer Position in Applied Low Brass Available at NKU SOTA

NKU_SOTA logoNKU School of the Arts – Lecturer Position in Applied Low Brass
(Full-time, non-tenure track)

The School of the Arts Music Program at Northern Kentucky University invites applications for a full-time, lecturer position in Low Brass, beginning Fall 2019. This is a full-time, standard nine-month, 1-year contract faculty appointment. The successful candidate will demonstrate enthusiasm and interest in cultivating a thriving low brass studio, and will work with faculty colleagues to enhance the offerings of a dynamic and growing Music Program in the School of the Arts.

Secondary teaching responsibilities include classroom teaching of aural skills or music theory. Faculty responsibilities include teaching, recruiting, program and school-level service, and academic mentoring.

The School of the Arts at Northern Kentucky University offers a wide array of degree programs in the visual and performing arts. The Music Program within the School of the Arts offers the B.M.E. in Music Education, the B.M in Performance, Jazz Studies, and Composition, and the B.A. in Music with tracks in audio production and music technology. The Music Program is a fully accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music. See the music web site at music.nku.edu for additional information.

Located seven miles from downtown Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky University is a 14,000-student nationally recognized metropolitan university committed to active engagement with the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region of nearly two million people. Greater Cincinnati has one of the most vibrant and multifaceted cultural scenes in the Midwest, with The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops, The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Ballet, a large community of working artists, musicians and designers and a variety of theaters. It offers an outstanding quality of life and an affordable cost of living. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, but especially from individuals who contribute to the diversity of our academic community.

Primary Responsibilities
Full-load teaching requirements will include applied studio teaching in Trombone, Euphonium, and Tuba. The position will include commitment to brass area performance classes, auditions, juries, and recital hearings, and attendance at degree recitals. The position will also include classroom teaching, including courses such as Music Theory, Aural Skills, and Brass Chamber Music and other courses commensurate with the candidate’s areas of strength.

The ideal candidate will:

  • be committed to being an outstanding teacher both in the applied studio and classroom;
  • have both applied low brass and classroom teaching experience in Aural Skills and or Music Theory with prior teaching at the collegiate level being highly desirable;
  • be driven to create, implement, and to effectively execute recruitment and retention activities on and off campus for current and prospective students (i.e. Band Symposium, Audition Days, Workshop Days, School Visits & Clinics, Masterclasses, etc.);
  • effectively engage with NKU’s commitment to student success in the following areas: access, completion, community and career engagement
  • additional duties include participating in SOTA and Music Program faculty meetings, some University/Program service and committee work.

Qualifications  

  • Master’s degree in music required; DM/DMA preferred;
  • Successful record of both applied and classroom teaching in the college setting;
  • Significant experience as a performer in solo, chamber, and large ensemble settings;
  • Demonstrated proficiency teaching in at least two of three primary low brass instruments;
  • Commitment to recruitment, retention, and developing relationships with local music educators and students;
  • A strong commitment to undergraduate teaching, mentorship, and development is essential and is in keeping with the needs and mission of the area/program.

Preference will be given to candidates with the ability to effectively teach all three low brass instruments (trombone/euphonium/tuba), with additional experience in teaching classroom aural skills and/or music theory.

Please include the following in the application:

  • Cover Letter
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Three Current References
  • A statement of your personal philosophy on diversity and inclusion and why they are important in higher education. Please include specifics regarding your commitment and/or experience promoting and fostering a learning environment that is supportive of individuals from diverse backgrounds.
  • Link to performance video(s)
  • Link to applied teaching video(s)
  • Link to classroom teaching video (optional, but preference given to theory or aural skills classroom teaching video).

In order to ensure full consideration, applications should be received by July 7, 2019. Applications will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled.

Any candidate who is offered this position will be required to go through a pre-employment criminal background check as mandated by state law.

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Four Positions Available at NKU SOTA

NKU_SOTA logoFull Time Visiting Assistant Professor of Violin (3-year contract, non-tenure track)
The NKU SOTA Music Program invites applications for a full-time, three-year Visiting Assistant Professor position in violin, beginning Fall 2019. The successful candidate will demonstrate enthusiasm and interest in cultivating a thriving violin studio and string area, and will work with faculty colleagues to enhance the offerings of a dynamic and growing program in the School of the Arts. Secondary teaching responsibilities include classroom teaching of aural skills or music theory. Faculty responsibilities include teaching, program and school-level service, and academic mentoring.

 

Full Time Non-Tenure Track Temporary Lecturer Design and Technology (9 month contract)
The NKU SOTA Theatre + Dance Program seeks applications for a Non-Tenure Track Temporary Lecturer in Scenic Design and props design for a nine month contract.

 

Full Time Academic Advisor / Lecturer
The NKU SOTA Visual Arts program seeks applications for a Non-Tenure Track Renewable Lecturer/Academic Advisor beginning Fall 2019.

 

Full Time Visual Communication Design, Professor of Practice Position and NTT Temporary Lecturer Position
The NKU SOTA Visual Arts Program invites applications for two positions in Visual Communication Design for its selective-admission BA and BFA Visual Communication Design (graphic design) program. The positions begin August 2019. We are seeking two designer/educators to teach across levels in our dynamic, professionally-oriented program, including one Professor of Practice (non-tenure track, 2 year appointment) and one Lecturer (non-tenure track, one year appointment).

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NKU SOTA Welcomes Meghan Bennett as Assistant Professor of Woodwinds

NKU_Meghan Bennett

Meghan Bennett.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University’s School of the Arts has announced the appointment of Meghan Bennett, DMA, to the position of Assistant Professor of Flute Performance and Woodwinds Coordinator. Dr. Bennett previously served as Instructor of Flute at Prairie View A&M University and on the faculties of OrchKids, a program of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Floot Fire, the Longhorn Music Camp and the Carolina Summer Music Conservatory. Bennett’s appointment will officially begin on August 2019.

Meghan Bennett is an award-winning flutist leading a diverse career as an educator and solo, chamber and orchestral musician. She was awarded first prize in the South Carolina Flute Society Young Artist Competition and Morning, Afternoon and Eau Claire Music Club Competition and has been a prizewinning finalist in the Atlanta Flute Club Young Artist Competition, the Flute Society of Kentucky Young Artist Competition and the Greater Philadelphia Flute Society Collegiate Young Artist Competition. In August 2019 she will compete as a quarterfinalist in the National Flute Association Young Artist Competition.

“There is something really special happening at NKU and I am thrilled to join this wonderful institution,” said Bennett. “I am so excited to work with everyone and generate experiences that really lend themselves to the development of the complete artist – mind, body and spirit.”

She has been guest soloist with Chamber Music International in Dallas, TX, joined the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players on tour and was flutist with Spotlight on Opera in Austin, TX. In addition, she has performed with the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra, Waco Symphony Orchestra, Round Rock Symphony and the Palmetto Opera Orchestra. Dr. Bennett has been a recipient of fellowships to attend the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Brevard Music Center, Marrowstone Music Festival and the National Music Festival.

Bennett is an active chamber musician. She is a founding member of both Prismatx Ensemble, a contemporary music ensemble based in Austin, TX, and Li5ten quintet, 2017 quarterfinalist at the Fischoff Competition and recipient of the Chamber Music Residency Fellowship at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Dr. Bennett is also a member of Emissary Quartet [4 flutes], who recently performed a recital at the DiMenna Center featuring three winning compositions from EQ’s 2017 Call for Scores Competition, a workshop and recital for the New Jersey Flute Society and a workshop for composition students at Princeton University.

Bennett received a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The University of Texas at Austin, Master of Music degree from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of South Carolina.

About NKU School of the Arts
Created in 2015, the School of the Arts is the creative engine of NKU, showcasing dance, music, theatre, and visual arts and preparing students to be creative trailblazers in the Arts and in their careers. With 33 degree options, SOTA students find creative intersections that reflect their passion and their career goals. Additionally, minors within SOTA come from every college on campus from Nursing to Mathematics, Political Science to Construction Management, bringing varied viewpoints into each classroom and fueling creativity and collaboration campus-wide. SOTA’s Prep programs, including the nationally recognized String Project, engage students from children to adults annually, engaging the community and creating the musicians and performers of the future. To learn more, please visit nku.edu/sota or follow on social media @NKUSOTA.

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NKU Opera Brings Laughs with Menotti’s OLD MAID AND THE THIEF

NKUO_Old Maid and the Thief logoHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University’s School of the Arts Opera will be staging Gian Carlo Menotti’s one-act comedic operaThe Old Maid and the Thief on April 12 & 14 in Greaves Concert Hall at NKU.

When a beggar appears at their door, Miss Todd and her maid Laetitia swoon and allow him in. But little do they know, a dangerous thief has escaped from the county jail that very night. While keeping the town gossip Miss Pinkerton at bay, the ladies decide the fate of their new friend. Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief is a fast-paced and melodramatic comedic opera which tells a twisted tale of morals that will satisfy audiences of all ages.

The Old Maid and the Thief is a one-act opera written specifically to be aired on the radio,” said director Kimberly Lazzeri. “Because the opera was originally meant to be heard and not seen, all of the action is vividly portrayed in the music! The music is melodic and totally accessible. Audiences might even leave whistling one of the beautiful arias featured in the production.”

Sarah DeMoor, a senior vocal performance major, is portraying the cunning and conniving maid Laetitia on the April 12 performance. She considers the music as both a highlight and challenge. “It is beautifully written… I have found an appreciation for not only my character’s portion of the score but the entirety of the orchestration as a whole. It is a masterpiece.”

Senior vocal performance major Ashley Patak, who is portraying Laetitia on April 14, has enjoyed playing the character and learned a lot in the process. “If someone has never seen an opera, this would be a really great one to start with because it is in English, and it’s hilarious… watching the different dynamics between each character and seeing their tactics to get what they each want would be entertaining to anyone.”

Kaitlin Fierro is landing her first big role in opera as Miss Pinkerton. The junior vocal performance major considers this her most challenging role in balancing the reality of the character with the general hilarity. “There is a fine line between good and bad comedy. I have such fun making people laugh that sometimes I have to pull myself up and do a mental check.”

Fierro knows the opera is not especially deep or philosophical, but everyone is going to go home laughing. “It is one of the most accessible operas I have had the pleasure of encountering. Menotti presents a quirky, fun story which the audience will fall in love with. My hope is that everyone will remember that one scene where they could not stop laughing.”

The NKU cast features Maria Bales (Miss Todd), Tyler Smith (Bob), Sarah DeMoor (Laetitia – April 12), Ashley Patak (Laetitia – April 14), and Kaitlin Fierro (Miss Pinkerton). Performances take place Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 14 at 2 p.m. in Greaves Concert Hall at NKU. Tickets range $10-$17 and can be purchased at nku.edu/sotatickets or by calling 859-572-5464. Parking is available in Lots D & I on campus. For more information about NKU’s School of the Arts, please visit nku.edu/sota or follow on social media @NKUSOTA.

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New Music Ensemble Celebrates Imagery and Artistry at NKU SOTA

NKU_Zohn Collective

Zohn Collective.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY – Northern Kentucky University’s School of the Arts welcomes new music ensemble Zohn Collective on March 20, who will be performing an evening of modern piano trios in collaboration with videographer José Camacho and famed, Mexican cartoonist, José Ignacio Solórzano (a.k.a. “Jis”).

All works on the program relate to the idea of music as a powerful gateway to memory. Audience members may recognize the Ives Trio, which is flecked with numerous quotations of American folk and popular music. Ives evokes memories from his own personal life as well as memories from the collective American consciousness. Other works on the program were written by Daniel Pesca and Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon, both members of Zohn Collective, and also deal with the idea of music and memory.

“The performance will stimulate audiences to respond more creatively to contemporary and 20th-century chamber music while creating an experience to reflect on the relationship between music, imagery, and memory,” said Hanna Hurwitz, co-director of Zohn Collective and lecturer of violin at NKU SOTA. “The information about the works will be integrated as an artistic, rather than descriptive, component of the event. The intention is to refract that information through a combination of visual and auditory means that gives space for individualized reflection and fluid interpretation.”

Founded in 2017, Zohn Collective is a contemporary music collective, which seeks to produce and perform artist-driven projects generated by its members. For this reason, the diversity of backgrounds, interests, and expertise of each member is an essential and vibrant element of the group’s model. The ensemble core is comprised of nine members, which includes instrumental performers, composers, and a conductor, however, the group may expand or contract as dictated by the repertory of each project. The group recently performed with internationally recognized puppet company, La Coperacha, at the Festival de Mayo in Guadalajara, Mexico, and has given performances and workshops at the University of Kentucky, Belmont University, Oberlin Conservatory, Notre Dame, and University of Chicago.

“Jis” José Ignacio Solórzano is a renowned cartoonist, conceptual artist, and radio personality born in 1963 in Guadalajara, México. He has been a longstanding contributor to many of the preeminent newspapers and magazines in Mexico (La Jornada, Milenio, Galimatías, among others) and is co-author of the fabled comic strip “El Santos”. He has presented numerous exhibits of his work at noted galleries in Mexico and abroad and published several books with his drawings, comic strips, and cartoons, for including one in English, titled Cats don’t exist for Fantagraphics.

Zohn Collective will perform Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at 7 p.m. in Greaves Concert Hall at NKU. Admission is free and open to the public. Parking is available for patrons in Lots D & I on campus. For more information about NKU’s School of the Arts, please visit nku.edu/sota or follow on social media @NKUSOTA.

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