From the time of his 2019 appointment as Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Music, Dr. Edward Jurkowski has led the faculty during an exciting period. His tenure has seen the completion of funding for the Desautels Concert Hall, the hiring of multiple professors and instructors, and the hiring of the Clearwater Quartet as the Desautels Faculty of Music's current chamber ensemble-in-residence. He is an advocate for cross-disciplinary collaboration, and was recently named as the Acting Director of the University of Manitoba's School of Art.

Education

Academic career

Dr. Edward Jurkowski, a strong leader and passionate advocate for music and the arts, has been appointed dean of the Desautels Faculty of Music, effective January 1, 2019.  
Dr. Jurkowski received his undergraduate degree in musical composition from the University of Manitoba before earning his doctorate in music theory from the University of Rochester.

For 22 years, Dr. Jurkowski served the University of Lethbridge, most recently as its dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts – home to the department  of music. He has disseminated his research in several books, journals, and conferences and his teaching excellence has been recognized by two Distinguished Teaching Award nominations. Dr. Jurkowski has garnered the reputation of being a valued collaborator and a strong administrator.

During his tenure at the University of Lethbridge, Dr. Jurkowski held several administrative roles and served on various university-wide committees. Outside of the academy, he has served as president of the Canadian University Music Society, chair of the Standing Committee of Institutional Members of MusCan, and is currently vice-chair of the Canadian Association of Fine Arts Deans.