Description
Stetson University seeks an outstanding musician and educator for a full-time, nine-month, tenure-track position as Director of Choral Activities (DCA) at the rank of Associate or Full Professor.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Essential duties include conducting Stetson’s premier choral ensemble, the Concert Choir; teaching classes (conducting, literature, etc.); and leading other choral ensembles as needed. In collaboration with the Associate DCA and other faculty, the DCA will:
Develop the strategy for, and lead the recruitment of, new voice and choir students;
Plan and oversee two established pre-college choral festivals during the academic year;
Produce and direct Stetson’s exceptional annual Christmas Candlelight Concert series;
Coordinate an effective, vibrant collaboration between the choral program and the Stetson community;
Promote a culture within and around the choral program that is aligned with the values of the university.
The candidate must maintain an active national professional profile, as well as collaborate effectively with Stetson ensemble directors, faculty, and community members. School and university service on committees is expected of all tenured and tenure-track faculty, as is contributing to advancing the mission of the school and promoting national prominence for Stetson University.
Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS
The successful candidate will bring a substantial record of choral program leadership, outstanding musicianship, university/community engagement, and effective teaching to Florida’s first collegiate music school. A charismatic leader with proven recruiting success, the candidate should have exceptional skills in leading choirs, expertise in choral literature, and effective administrative experience for touring and other activities that promote a strong national reputation. A completed terminal degree (DMA, PhD, DM or similar) is required and prior experience working as an Honor Choir / All-State clinician is desirable.
A current rank of Associate or Full Professor is strongly preferred, as the candidate’s experience and expertise should qualify them for appointment at the advanced rank of Associate Professor or higher, in accordance with Stetson University’s standards for senior faculty. For more information on Stetson’s expectations in teaching, scholarship, and creative activity, please see “Faculty Resources” on the Academic Affairs website: http://www.stetson.edu/administration/provost.
THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Stetson’s School of Music (http://www.stetson.edu/music) is an undergraduate-only program known for its excellence, depth, and long-standing reputation for the quality of its education. The school offers BM, BME, and BA degrees, with majors in performance, music education, music theory, composition, and outside-field areas. A faculty of 42 serves approximately 229 music majors and minors. The school has its own dean and holds full membership in the National Association of Schools of Music. Recent graduates of the School of Music are found on the stages of the world’s great opera houses (including the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, and Covent Garden), hold leadership positions in major symphony orchestras, serve as faculty members of the most prestigious colleges and universities throughout the nation, and matriculate in distinguished graduate programs in the United States and Europe. The School of Music is proud of the consistent placement of its BME graduates as teachers in K-12 school music education programs in Florida and throughout the nation.
THE UNIVERSITY:
Founded in 1883, Stetson University (http://www.stetson.edu) is a private, selective university comprised of a rich array of liberal arts and professional academic programs. Collectively, Stetson’s faculty works with nearly 3,800 students in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. The University’s historic main campus, located in DeLand, enrolls approximately 2,400 students in undergraduate programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business Administration, and the School of Music. Stetson University College of Law, Florida’s first law school, moved from the main campus to Gulfport in 1945, and, with the addition of the Tampa Law Center, serves approximately 1,000 students working full-time or part-time toward J.D. or LL.M. degrees. Graduate programs based at the main campus in DeLand include Business, Accounting, Education, Counseling, and Creative Writing, with Educational Leadership cohorts also offered at the Gulfport campus. Florida’s oldest private institution of higher learning, Stetson has regularly been ranked among the best regional universities in the Southeast and was the first private college in Florida to be granted a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Stetson University provides an inspiring education that engages students with rigorous academic and creative study grounded in liberal learning and promotes civic values of personal and social responsibility. Working closely with faculty and with one another, students cultivate
abilities to explore issues deeply, think critically, reason empirically, speak persuasively, and connect ideas creatively. Firmly committed to inclusive excellence, our vibrant community of teacher-scholars nurtures the potential of individual students to lead lives of significance and prepares each to meet the challenges of shaping the future—locally, nationally, and globally.
THE COMMUNITY
DeLand is a picturesque residential community of 38,000 located 20 miles west of Daytona Beach and 35 miles northeast of Orlando. The area offers extensive cultural as well as recreational activities.
SALARY
Salary is competitive.
STARTING DATE
August 10, 2026
APPLICATION
Qualified candidates should submit via email to DCAsearch@stetson.edu (1) a cover letter, (2) a curriculum vitae, and (3) a list of three references. In the cover letter, candidates should address the stated qualifications as appropriate for an advanced rank position and highlight their leadership activities and achievements in choral education.
Initial screening of materials will begin on January 9, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled. For full consideration, please submit all materials by the date listed above. Please direct inquiries and nominations to Dr. Noel Painter, Search Committee Chair, at npainter@stetson.edu.
Stetson University is an Equal Opportunity Employer that affirms inclusive environments and engaging across differences as a core value of academic excellence at Stetson University. We are committed to achieving equal access in education, employment, and participation through the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty, staff, and students from a tapestry of diverse backgrounds, and to meaningful academic and intellectual transformation in curriculum, research and service. We are dedicated to actions and policies that foster a community in which individuals with various identities, cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints work together to create opportunities for engagement through rewarding and fulfilling careers and personal experiences in an increasingly diverse society and a globalized world. We encourage qualified candidates across all backgrounds and identities to apply for employment, including members of historically underrepresented groups. Stetson University is an EEO, ADA, ADEA, and GINA employer.
