Do you have a distinctive creative voice and a commitment to artistic excellence?
Can you work independently and maintain a focused compositional practice over an extended period?
Are you an established composer or sonic artist with a proven track record of substantial and sustained creative activity?
Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role
Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is currently recruiting a Composer-in-Residence to join Te Kōkī - New Zealand School of Music (NZSM) on a 9-month, fixed-term contract
Applicants for the Creative New Zealand/Te Kōkī - New Zealand School of Music Composer-in-Residence at the Lilburn Residence should be established composers working in any genre (including sonic arts, jazz composition, soundtrack composition, classical composition, taonga puoro composition, etc) who have a track record of sustained, substantial compositional activity over a period of years.
The successful candidate will be housed at the Lilburn Residence, the former home of Douglas Lilburn ONZ, in Thorndon, Wellington. A small rental covers basic maintenance and some utilities.
The position is jointly funded by Creative New Zealand, Lilburn Residence Trust (LRT) donors and the NZSM Composer-in-Residence Endowment Fund, with the NZSM and LRT acting as host organisations. This position fosters and develops the New Zealand musical landscape by:
Providing an established composer with the opportunity to write full-time for the period of tenure.
Facilitating greater engagement between the resident composer, the academic communities at NZSM/VUW, the Thorndon arts precinct, and the wider Wellington arts community.
Providing numerous professional development, networking and collaboration opportunities to a creative artist.
Key responsibilities:
The appointee will be expected to devote the residency period primarily to creative work, contributing meaningfully to the New Zealand musical/sonic landscape.
While there are no formal teaching obligations, engagement with Te Kōkī - New Zealand School of Music community (staff and students) is encouraged.
Reside at the Lilburn Residence in Thorndon, Wellington, for the duration of the residency (with short absences permitted), maintaining respect for the historical and cultural significance of the house.
Engagement with the Thorndon arts community and with the wider Wellington arts communities is also encouraged.
Ō pūmanawa - About you
Applicants must be established composers/sonic artists of proven merit, with a track record of substantial and sustained creative activity spanning a period of years. Creative output may be in any sound-related field, including, but not limited to, classical composition, jazz composition, sonic art, taonga puoro composition, sound installation practice, film scoring and choral composition.
Applicants must not be studying as a university student during the period of the residency and should not be employed in a permanent or substantial fixed-term role with any other employer during the period of the residency (one-off third-party contracts particularly of a musical nature, such as gigs, festivals, tours, commissions, etc., are acceptable).
Key requirements:
A strong track record of sustained and substantial compositional activity over a number of years.
A distinctive creative voice and a commitment to artistic excellence.
Able to work independently and maintain a focused compositional practice over an extended period.
Willing to share ideas and engage with the NZSM/VUW community and beyond.
Open to informal mentoring, discussion, and public engagement opportunities.
Click here to see further information, including salary details.
If this link is not available, click 'apply' to view this on the University careers page.
Close date for vacancy: 9 October 2026.
Contact details for vacancy: If you have any questions regarding this role, please get in touch with Michael Norris (michael.norris@vuw.ac.nz).
Please also see accompanying document:
How to apply: Please ensure you are applying for this role directly on our careers page and not via email. Candidates must submit supporting documents along with their resume, such as a cover letter.
We can only consider applicants who are citizens or residents of New Zealand or Australia or on a current working visa. Applications from recruitment agencies are not accepted.
Mō Te Herenga Waka - About Our University
Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is renowned for its high-quality research and exceptional teaching. We attract people from around the world. Our university campus spans Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington - the creative, scientific and political centre of Aotearoa New Zealand - and our students thrive on the connections we have made here.
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