Shaping the musical voice of NIDA’s performers, the Head of Music Performance leads music and singing training across Acting and Performance programs. Driving excellence in vocal craft, repertoire, and interpretation while fostering cross-course collaboration and contributing musical expertise to NIDA’s artistic planning and productions.

About Us

The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is Australia’s premier training ground for future leaders and practitioners in the dramatic arts. Located at Kensington in Sydney, it is a Centre of excellence in education and training. NIDA is unique in the world for its practice-based and industry-relevant training in the range that it offers which includes Acting, Design, Costume, Properties and Objects, Technical Theatre and Stage Management, Scenic Construction, Writing for Performance, Directing and Cultural Leadership.

About the Role

The Head of Music Performance leads outstanding teaching, curriculum development, and student support across NIDA’s Acting and Performance programs. The role integrates music and singing into training pathways, overseeing rigorous assessment and feedback, supporting student wellbeing, while contributing to practice based research and industry informed learning. Working collaboratively across disciplines, productions, and artistic planning, the position also ensures academic quality, effective resource and people management, compliance, a safe, professional learning environment aligned with NIDA’s values.

About You

The ideal candidate is an accomplished musician/musical theatre practitioner and educator, bringing advanced professional or postgraduate training, deep musicianship, and substantial experience in professional theatre. They combine proven excellence in higher education teaching, curriculum leadership, and people development with advanced skills in conducting,



accompaniment, arranging, and vocal coaching. A team-oriented, articulate, and adaptive leader, they champion inclusive practice and thrive in dynamic, interdisciplinary environments. Desirable attributes include formal teaching credentials, experience across vocational and higher education settings, creative leadership in productions, compositional practice, a recognised professional profile, and familiarity with Australian education standards and compliance.

Please download the full position description here for more information about this role.

Summary

This is a full-time 2-year contract.

The base annual salary is between $121,845 - $136,899 + 12% Superannuation, based on a 38-hour working week.

Please include a brief cover letter that demonstrates your understanding of and capacity to undertake the role, including your ability to meet the selection criteria.

Closing Date

5:00pm, Monday 20 April 2026

Only applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted.

Considerations

- You are required to have the right to live and work in Australia to apply for this role. This role is not suited to a working holiday visa holder.
- A valid Working with Children Check for NSW is essential. Having one or being willing to get one and to support and implement NIDA’s Child Safe Strategies is necessary to undertake this role.

Further Information

For further information about this role, please contact Andrew Comrie at

As part of NIDA's commitment to equity and inclusion, we strongly encourage applications from people who identify with historically excluded communities such as First Nations, culturally and linguistically diverse, LGBTQI+ and people with disability. All applications will be considered without regard to race, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital or disability status.

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📌 Head of Music Performance (City of Sydney)
🏢 National Institute Of Dramatic Art
📍 City of Sydney