Dean, School of Music

University of North Carolina School of the Arts 

Winston-Salem, NC

Search for the Dean

School of Music

The Search 

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) seeks a committed, creative, community-focused, and forward-looking leader to assume the role of Dean of the School of Music. UNCSA is North Carolina’s only university devoted entirely to training talented students to become professional artists. Offering a transformative conservatory experience that combines intensive individual study under artist mentors, along with a rich variety of performance opportunities, UNCSA seeks a Dean of Music who understands the evolving landscape of performance and the music industry, along with a passion to engage and manage an academic unit supporting the next generation of musicians. The next Dean will optimize the School of Music’s existing assets to help shape, drive, and implement a long-term strategic vision for its next chapter, engaging faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the larger community.

Founded in 1963 as America’s first public arts conservatory, UNCSA has since developed a justly deserved international reputation. Located within Winston-Salem’s vibrant visual and performing arts community, UNCSA provides gifted emerging artists with the experience, knowledge, and skills needed to excel in their disciplines and in their lives. UNCSA enrolls more than 1,300 students across its five arts schools, which includes the schools of Dance, Design & Production, Drama, Filmmaking, and Music, as well as the undergraduate Division of Liberal Arts and the High School Academic Program.

The School of Music is an integral member of the UNCSA community, and it offers an immersive experience that combines intensive individual study under artist faculty with a rich variety of performance opportunities — more than 150 recitals, concerts, and operas each year, including collaborations with other UNCSA arts schools. In addition to its competitive undergraduate and graduate programs, it is one of the nation’s only four-year arts residential high school programs. The School enrolls 90 high school students, 114 undergraduate (Bachelor of Music) students, and 55 graduate students (Master of Music and Professional Artist Certificate). The School offers summer music intensives and works in close collaboration with the Community Music School and its Preparatory Division. The School of Music is also home to the renowned A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute, a tuition-free graduate-level professional training ground for exceptional young vocalists, and the Chrysalis Chamber Music Institute, which is dedicated to the development of outstanding chamber musicians.

Reporting directly to the Provost, the new Dean of Music will be a respected leader in the field of music who can build and support the faculty in delivering an excellent education to its students and enhance the School’s resources, with an eye toward shaping a range of forward-looking programs for the next era of excellence in training, musicianship, and an inclusive exploration of the classical repertoire. This leader will be committed to the School of Music’s long-term success and will also work in partnership with UNCSA to deepen the Music School’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts. Finally, the next Dean will be expected to foster collaboration both within the School of Music and in strong partnership with the other UNCSA schools.  The Dean will additionally create meaningful connections to the greater UNCSA community, including alumni, and throughout the artistic and creative industries nationally and internationally.

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this international search. All applications, inquiries, and nominations, which will remain confidential, should be directed to the search firm, as indicated at the end of this document.

Inquiries, nominations, and applications (a CV or resume and cover letter) may be directed online and in confidence to:

Rebecca Swartz, Partner

Ryan Leichenauer, Senior Associate

Isaacson, Miller

www.imsearch.com/7678

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts strives to cultivate an environment that is diverse, inclusive and free from discrimination. UNCSA is committed to prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, political affiliation, National Guard or Veteran status, genetic information, or a disability. 

UNCSA also is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for faculty, staff, students and visitors, and publishes an annual security and fire safety report.

Thank you for your interest in UNCSA and our job opportunities.

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