Description

Our mission at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music (WCM) is “Inspiring individuals and communities through exceptional music education, accessible to all.” Celebrating over a century of musical excellence, WCM is committed to inspiring students of every age and skill level by providing an accessible and exceptional music education. The Conservatory is descended from several Wisconsin music institutions and today is the largest independent non-profit community music school in the state. Over 100 faculty artists provide regular and rigorous music instruction to students in private lesson, small group lesson, ensemble, and classroom instruction settings to more than 10,000 students weekly.

At WCM, we recognize that careers in music are often uniquely shaped by the artists- and while teaching often plays a part in that career, a focus on performing at a high level can sometimes leave little room for early-career musicians to gain practical opportunities in teaching. With that in mind, we are pleased to welcome applications for the third cohort of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music Fellowship in Teaching Artistry.

We know teachers can have a positive impact through their presence by sharing their passion for music and the resilience that mastery of performance requires. We know from our own work teaching in any setting is an incredibly complex activity, and we believe teachers will be most successful if they have support and time to reflect on their growth. Intended for early-career Black and Latine artists in classical music, fellows commit to working for a period of one year at WCM, with an option for renewal in the second year.

The aims of this Fellowship in Teaching Artistry are:

to provide high-impact opportunities to teach and perform, particularly throughout underserved areas of Milwaukee and its historically excluded/marginalized communities
to provide career mentorship and guidance from teaching artists building a career for themselves that includes both teaching and performing.
to provide a stead salary to ensure fellows can continue to grow as artists.
to encourage and facilitate connections in the greater Milwaukee arts community and beyond.

Benefits and Professional Development:

Salary: $43,000.
Conservatory pays 75% of Health Insurance premium (employee pays 25% of premium).
Group life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance.
Short- and long-term disability insurance.
Conservatory matches up to a 5% contribution to 403(b) plan.
Cell phone stipend.
Moving expense stipend up to $1,000. Employee is responsible for all taxes on this benefit.
Conservatory provides access to office/practice space based on availability.
Audition recording assistance (reduced rate for collaborative pianist, free use of space for recording, access to recording equipment).
Professional organization membership (i.e. Suzuki Association of America, Music Teachers National Association, etc.).

Professional Development

Fellows will participate in professional development, teacher training, and observations from August through September of their first year as a fellow to prepare them for in-school teaching. Fellows will then be assigned in-school placements where they will teach music for three days a week in schools that otherwise would have no music teacher.

Simultaneously, Fellows will be paired with a WCM faculty mentor in order to observe lessons, co-teach, and eventually teach lessons under the supervision of those WCM faculty mentors. Beginning in November, Fellows will begin to receive weekly private students in their own studios, continuing to have scheduled meetings with their faculty mentors to review lesson plans and discuss student achievement.

Fellows will also have opportunities to network with musicians and leaders from several institutions around Milwaukee, including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Present Music, and Florentine Opera Company.

The Conservatory is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment in the conduct and operation of the Conservatory’s educational programs and activities, including admissions, hiring, scholarship placement, and other Conservatory-administered programs. The Conservatory prohibits discrimination based upon an individual's age, ancestry, citizenship, color, creed, mental or sensory disability, ethnicity, gender identity and/or expression, HIV status, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, national origin, race, religion or belief, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (characteristics collectively referred to as “Protected Characteristics”). This statement of nondiscrimination is in compliance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act and amendments, the Age Discrimination Act, and other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations relating to nondiscrimination (“Equal Opportunity Laws”).

Qualifications

Eligibility: To be eligible to receive the Fellowship in Teaching Artistry, applicants must have:

U.S. Residency or have a valid US visa for the duration of the Fellowship
a minimum of Bachelor's degree in Music with a preferred emphasis in strings, piano, or percussion.
a willingness to relocate to Milwaukee, WI for the duration of the Fellowship ( August 1, 2026-July 31, 2027)

reliable transportation.

Process: As part of your application, you will be asked to submit the following materials:

Cover Letter (please include a description of your journey in music)
Resume with contact information for two references who can speak to your artistic achievement and teaching ability with younger students
Unofficial transcripts documenting post-secondary study
Teaching Statement responding to one or all of the prompts provided in the application
Links to two samples of your artistic work that demonstrate your artistic work and passion for performance

Initial review of applications will begin on April 1, 2026, and will continue thereafter on a rolling basis until the position(s) are filled.

Once you submit your application, you will receive confirmation that we have received it. Following a period of review, selected candidates will move forward to an interview over Zoom. This 30-minute casual discussion with Teresa Drews, Director of Education, will focus on your submitted materials, particularly the following topics:

Your background in music
Your Teaching Statement
Your leadership experience
Questions you have about the Fellowship in Teaching Artistry

Following that conversation, selected candidates will have references contacted and move forward to an interview over Zoom. This 45-minute conversation will be with representatives of our administrative team, faculty representatives, and community representatives. This conversation will serve as the final evaluative step and will be focused on your development as a performer and potential as a teacher.

Wisconsin Conservatory Of Music

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Fellowship in Teaching Artistry