How do you get a college teaching job?

[tubalex]

MaryAnn:

I think you've got some storylines mixed up. Not only was Kelly tenure-track at UA, he was tenured and then promoted to full professor before he left. He left UA for extremely compelling and admirable family reasons, and it's not my place to put any more detail about that here, but trust me, it was a tremendously and inspirationally dignified move on his part to come to UT. The people who took over his jobs at UA (Matt Tropman, formerly of the US Marine Band) and UT (me) are both currently tenure-track in those positions.

You might be thinking of my old job at NAU, which has never been a tenure-track position, but that's a considerably smaller state school than UA.

[mceuph]

I'll pop back in for a sec for this. Outside if Alex, there's s Tom of incorrect conjecture and opinion here. Having made my way as a full time and adjunct prof for over 13 years I have a few things to add:

-true: dms are a dimeca dozen now. If you want to get your foot on the door, get some experience. Likely adjunct,

-"college job" doesn't necessarily mean tuba-euph job. In fact very few of those exist anymore. Music theory, conducting, marching band, etc. be able to do one if you want to be more marketable

-win something. It won't get you a job, bit will possibly get you in the door


-for full time in 2017, doctorate degree is hands down absolute must have. End of story

- playing/teaching is about 50-70 % of wha earns tenure. Each situation/school/faculty is an individual situation. Pick the type of university that suits your skills and personality. Navigating the tenure maze can be extremely complicated. You must have the temperament and organizational skills and possibly research skills to match the institution.

- don't just be good at euphonium...trust me

[UDELBR]

- don't just be good at euphonium...trust me

That speaks for itself. (sorry euphers...)

[Eflatdoubler]

I began my doctorate in 2001, ABD in 2006 and finally finished in 2012. I was teaching adjunct at a community college mainly for the sake of being more marketable most of that time. The faculty were great as were the classes offered to the students. Unfortunately most of the students there were below the level of a high school 3rd band. I was also freelancing quite a bit and teaching a bunch of HS students. Like others have said it has to be something you really want. I was pretty well rooted in Houston playing and got married and had kids during that time so it wasn't quite as easy (I didn't really want to) to pick up and relocate again. I wasn't interested in going to a situation that lacked the variety and number of performance opportunities that I was enjoying and the pay was not exactly something that would make up what I would be giving up (in my mind). I stopped teaching at the two year school because it was only a means to get to a four year school, and I realized there were very few I would enjoy teaching at regardless if I was found to be qualified or not. I have been teaching elementary music these past 11 years which I have enjoyed, both for the chance to work with the kids and for the freedom it gives me to perform, along with a paycheck that I was content with.
The ladies and gentlemen who have been tenure tracked or are in the process have paid their dues if you look at what they have done. I will say this, the longer you stay out of actively searching for a position the more detrimental it will be, unless you augment your activities by publishing articles or doing something to show scholarly research.
I still teach privately, but now only teach who I want to, and like Bloke referenced- only those who are willing to put in the work.
I would recommend being comfortable teaching all low brass and perhaps having a web page to showcase your talents along with being well diversified as the studio portion of the gig is often not even the majority of what is asked. Research the institutions you are applying for and learn what you can of the school and how you can add to the success of it. Of course, have recent recordings available along with being ready to showcase your playing. A short solo recital of 30 minutes to demonstrate your abilities that you can safely perform successfully and show your artistry. Be prepared to teach a masterclass to a few students of varying levels along with interviewing with the committee. You should keep a CV updated along with having references and transcripts ready. Make sure the people you choose for your references are ones that know you well and can speak well of you.
Good luck!

[CC]

Some interesting opinions being expressed in this thread. As someone who has a DMA and almost 10 years of adjunct teaching and full time performance experience prior to landing my own current tenure track position, "easy" isn't a word I would use to describe the journey. To those aspiring to attain these positions, the information expressed already by my colleagues Alex, Justin, Dennis (and others) is on point and you'll find is a common experience for many of us. To add to the conversation, like any good stock portfolio, professional experience works best when it's been diversified; there is a great deal of truth to the statements made that you need to bring something else to the table besides being a great [insert instrument here] player. Committees tend to ask themselves that question when the rubber meets the road, especially since they do hear a great many quality recordings. Though my time in school was invaluable, I will happily admit that most of the skills I learned to attain my current position were acquired after my time in school and developed through trial and error, interview experience and developing a multifaceted professional identity. True, It's simply not enough to have DMA these days to "get a gig", it is however a necessity in the eyes of many university administrators who tend to be the gate keepers in today's higher education employment market. Respectfully, this is yet another level to the conversation that I feel may not be getting the attention it requires, so blanket statements may be an oversimplification. Just my opinion, take it or leave it as it may be.

[Micah Everett]

What a topic. Theoretically, I should have an answer. After all, I've had four college jobs: one adjunct, one non-tenure-track, and two tenure-track, and was awarded tenure in both of the latter two positions. What did I do? I got a DMA, learned to wear a lot of hats, entered competitions and won some of them, wrote and edited articles and reviews, taught a lot (not just low brass), and freelanced as much as possible.

Why, then, do I not have an answer? Because tons of people that never get college gigs have done all the same stuff. Maybe there's something special about me that I'm not seeing, but I feel very blessed to have had the opportunities I have when from what I can tell there is no shortage of folks out there that could do equally well or better.

I do know something about *keeping* a college job; these are probably an extension of how I got them in the first place:

1. Keep growing. Play better today than you did yesterday. Teach better today than you did yesterday. Same for writing, arranging, class preparation, etc.
2. Keep adding new skills. I taught all the trombones, euphonium, and tuba for over ten years before I started playing tuba seriously. Now I play it, too, and am an unsurprisingly better tuba teacher for it.
3. Play and/or lecture at as many conferences as possible. This looks good to university-types.
4. Freelance as much as possible.
5. Write and arrange things--publish. Make a recording if funding is available. These things pay little or nothing but the powers that be like them.
6. Get to know the high school band directors around you, hang out with them if possible, and enjoy it when you do. If the nearby band directors like you, recruiting is easy. They're probably great people, too.
7. Again, never stop growing and learning.
8. View music as a SERVICE profession. Seek to SERVE your students, your colleagues, your community, and your profession. If you view music as a vehicle for self-aggrandizement you won't help yourself or anyone else.
9. Be a kind, helpful, easy-to-get-along-with person. So much of getting and keeping a good job--ANY job--comes down to being a pleasant person with whom to work.
10. Have a life/hobby outside of music. This will keep you sane while you are working on all of the above things.

A tenured college gig is great if you can get it. Not perfect, but great. The contraction in this part of the business was probably inevitable, sadly, following its rapid expansion a generation or two ago. Like Alex, I am happy to be at a place that doesn't offer a DMA. My students become band directors, and they pretty much all get jobs right out of school. I get to be part of their preparation without losing sleep about their job prospects. I like that.

[ohrlund]

I think one important thing to note is that a lack of experience as a newly graduated DMA can be a good thing. You can be hired cheaper than someone with more experience.

[Cthuba]

I have to say, when I first read the title I thought this thread would be ripe with jokes and BS...

Glad to see I am wrong and it is great to see that tubenet is a valuable resource. Thank you watchman for posting the question and thank you to the professionals who answered these questions both thoroughly and passionately.

-Mark

[tubalex]

I'm thinking of proposing a panel discussion on this topic at ITEA's UNC-Greensboro TEC in March 2018. There have been several of these at ITEA conferences through the years, but it seems like a good time to revisit the topic in-person with people who have gotten a variety of types of college positions involving tuba/euph in the past ten years or so...