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Head of the Jazz Department

6810 Koninklijk Conservatorium 's-Gravenhage Vast 40 uur p/w

On behalf of Royal Conservatoire The Hague in The Netherlands, DUX International is searching for a:


Head of the Jazz department

Organisatie | Organisation

Royal Conservatoire
Students at the Royal Conservatoire are studying at the oldest conservatoire in the Netherlands, where experiment and innovation are inextricably linked with tradition and craftsmanship in an inspiring learning environment. They are taught by leading international musicians and dancers. The education and research is dedicated to the creation, recreation and presentation of art, inside the conservatoire and in collaboration with many external organisations, institutions and professional partners, both locally and internationally. As a result, there is a strong connection between the learning environment and the professional music and dance world. The courses are based on an intensive combination of the three core elements of the institute’s DNA: teaching, research and production.

The Royal Conservatoire and the Royal Academy of Art together form the University of the Arts The Hague. They offer Bachelor’s and Masters’ courses at HBO level, a range of preparatory courses and, in association with the University of Leiden, a variety of electives and a PhDprogramme. The Royal Conservatoire is located in the new house for culture Amare that opened its doors in September 2021.

Jazz is one of the most international of music genres. Rooted in deep traditions and constantly reinventing itself, jazz is a vibrant style of music. That is clearly reflected in the Royal Conservatoire’s curriculum. The jazz students come from every region of the world and bring their own musical and cultural influences with them, which produces a programme that creates exciting musical crossovers. Many of the musicians currently performing at the top venues in the Netherlands and abroad are graduates of the Royal Conservatoire’s Jazz department. Because of the lively interaction between the department and professional practice, students already perform frequently during their studies. The Royal Conservatoire’s Big Band gives performances in the Netherlands and abroad, and students win prizes at international competitions. During the bachelor’s programme the students devote much of their time to studying repertoire and developing their own artistic profile as a jazz musician. In the two-year master’s programme , the students focus on developing their research skills and the entrepreneurial qualities they need for a career as an independent jazz musician. In the process they gain further stage experience and refine their personal artistic vision and style.

Due to the departure of the current manager for an exciting international position, the Royal Conservatoire has a vacancy for the position of Head of the Jazz department (0,8 – 1,0 fte).

Functie inhoud | Tasks and responsibilities

Tasks and responsibilities
As head of the Jazz department you will guide the further development of the bachelor’s and master’s programmes. Under the current head, an intensive process has been started in order to strengthen the profile and enhance education in the department. Developments have been made in the area of curriculum development and in the field of international cooperation, such as the ASPIRE Programme with renown international guest professors. We expect that you, as the new head, will continue this path and develop it further. Respecting the existing qualities of the curriculum, you will develop it further into a progressive and outstanding programme that keeps abreast of the latest trends in the professional practice. You will create a balanced team of teachers and attract outstanding teachers to the programme. You will be responsible for the day-to day management of the department, with the support of a coordinator for educational management and production. If feasible, you will teach classes yourself. Together with the heads of the other educational departments, you will formulate policy on learning, teaching and research at the Royal Conservatoire and advise the conservatoire’s management on matters regarding curriculum development.

Wij zoeken | Job requirements

Your profile:

  • You have a thorough knowledge of international developments in the discipline and able to translate it into an innovative curriculum;
  • You have experience as an active jazz musician and broad specialist knowledge and academic expertise in the field of music;
  • You have an extensive national and international network to call on;
  • You are aware of and have an affinity with international developments in the performing arts and contemporary (jazz) music;
  • You have experience in teaching music, developing a curriculum, conducting research and preparing students for professional practice;
  • You possess strong didactic skills and a vision for innovation in education;
  • You have managed a department and preferably also have experience in change management;
  • You are an inspiring leader who can communicate clearly with teachers and you have the ability to inspire young people and help them to achieve their ambitions;
  • You are organized and possess good organizational skills; as well as being a motivating and charismatic team-builder;
  • You have a good command of Dutch (or willing to learn) and English.

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