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David A. Rickels is currently pursuing his doctorate degree in music education from Arizona State University’s Herberger College of the Arts.  In addition, he teaches in the music department at Mesa Community College.  Mr. Rickels has previously taught in a wide range of settings, from K-6 general music and beginning band, to high school marching, concert, and jazz bands, to college music theory and band courses.  Most recently, he served as the Director of Bands at Westwood High School in Mesa, Arizona where his students achieved Superior (I) ratings in the areas of marching band, concert band, and chamber ensemble performance.  Mr. Rickels holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education (Instrumental) from Arizona State University.  His performance experience on woodwind and brass instruments includes the Tempe Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the Arizona Wind Symphony, and the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps of Denver, Colorado.  Mr. Rickels has also been active within the Arizona Music Educators Association as a concert and marching festival host, workshop presenter, and Solo & Ensemble Festival chairperson.  His research pursuits include studies on marching band festival scores and the music career choices of high school students.  Mr. Rickels has been an adjudicator for marching bands, winter guards, and winter drumlines for the past six years.
 

Curriculum Vitae

David A. Rickels

 
EDUCATION:

Doctor of Musical Arts, Herberger College of the Arts, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
            Music Education, specialization in Instrumental Music, cognate in Conducting
            Degree in Progress, Expected ABD May 2008

Master of Music, Herberger College of Fine Arts, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
            Music Education, concentration in Instrumental Music
            May 2005

Bachelor of Music, Herberger College of Fine Arts, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
            Instrumental Music Education
            December 2001

 

TEACHING/EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE:

Adjunct Faculty, August 2006-Present
            Mesa Community College, Mesa, AZ

  • Courses taught as primary instructor:
    • MTC 103: Introduction to Aural Perception (Fall 06, Spring 07)
    • MTC 101: Introduction to Music Theory – online internet section (Fall 06, Spring 07)
    • MHL 153: Rock Music and Culture (Spring 07)
  • Assisted with Day Concert Band – Robert Hunter, Director
    • Taught breakout sectional rehearsals
    • Conducted full ensemble rehearsals and performances

Graduate Assistant, August 2006-Present
            Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

  • Research Assistant to Dr. Jill Sullivan, School of Music
    • Assisted principal investigator with projects including research on World War II all-women military bands and American normal school music ensembles
  • Graduate Staff, ASU Sun Devil Marching Band, James Hudson – Director
    • Assisted the director with preparation of marching and musical skills at the section and full ensemble levels
  • Music education department responsibilities
    • Supervised undergraduate and post-baccalaureate student teachers
    • Assisted with instruction and supervision of masters degree students’ independent study projects and thesis portfolio preparation

Director of Bands, June 2003-May 2006
            Westwood High School, Mesa, AZ

  • Duties included: concert bands (2), marching band, jazz ensemble, beginning steel drums, beginning guitar, winter guard, and winter drumline
  • Ensembles achieved Superior awards in marching band, concert bands, and solo and ensemble events
  • Guest clinicians included: Patrick Sheridan, Karl Swearingen, Robert Spevacek, Deanna Swoboda, and the U.S. Navy Band Southwest (San Diego)

Director of Bands, June 2002-June 2003
            North Canyon High School, Phoenix, AZ

  • Duties included: concert bands (2), International Baccalaureate music theory, marching band, jazz ensemble, beginning piano, beginning guitar, and winter guard

Music Teacher & Band Director (Long-term substitute), January 2002-May 2002
            James Madison Elementary School, Mesa, AZ

  • 30 general music classes ranging from kindergarten through 6th grade, and 5th and 6th grade band

Student Teacher, August 2001-December 2001
Corona del Sol High School, Tempe, AZ – mentor teacher: Bill Richardson
Kyrene Aprende Middle School, Chandler, AZ – mentor teacher: Tracy Werner
Other observation/internship assignments:

  • Coronado High School – Jon Gomez, Director of Bands
  • Booker T. Washington Elementary School – Kathy Copeland, Music Teacher

Band Director, January 2001-June 2001
The TesseracT School, Paradise Valley, AZ

  • Taught 4th through 6th grade first year beginning band of 19 students

 

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTED PAPERS:

Rickels, D. A. (Ed.). (2007). Symphony for the Schools! Concert Education Guide (May 8th-9th, 2007). Phoenix, AZ: Phoenix Symphony Orchestra.

Rickels, D. A. (2007 April). Perceptions of a career choice in music education: The high school student’s voice. Poster session presented at the ArtsWork Arts Education Graduate Student Research Symposium, Tempe, AZ.

Rickels, D. A. (2006). Marching band: The hidden context of festival scores. Arizona Music News, 50(3), 33-35.

Rickels, D. A. (2006). A comparison of contributing variables in Arizona marching band festival results.

    • (2006 April). Poster session presented at the biennial conference of MENC: The National Association for Music Education, Salt Lake City, UT.
    • (2006 March). Paper presented at the ArtsWork Arts Education Graduate Student Research Symposium, Tempe, AZ.
    • (2006 January). Poster session presented at the annual conference of the Arizona Music Educators Association, Mesa, AZ.

Rickels, D. A. (2005). The Star-Spangled Banner: Music activities for secondary teachers. In Celebrate Constitution Day. Mesa, AZ: Mesa Public Schools.

Rickels, D. A. (2005). Sousa and his music. In Arden, A. (Ed.), Symphony for the Schools! Concert Education Guide (April 28th-29th, 2005). Phoenix, AZ: Phoenix Symphony Orchestra.

 

RELATED TEACHING AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Officer, Arizona Music Educators Association

State Board Member, Music Technology Chairperson, January 2007-Present

Member, State Committee on Teacher Recruitment and Retention, 2005-Present

Festival Chair, State Solo and Ensemble Festival – North Central Region, 2003-2005

Site Host, West Region Honor Festival of Performance, February 2003

Site Host, Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Area Concert Festival, February 2003

Festival Host, North Canyon Marching Invitational, ABODA, October 2003

Invited Workshop Presentations

Bush, J. E., Rickels, D. A., Sanchez, L. & Sharer, M. (2004 January). The first three years: New teacher discussion. Panel discussion presented at the annual conference of the Arizona Music Educators Association, Mesa, AZ.

Ramos, R., Rickels, D. A., & Cortney, J. (2003 April). Experiences of first-year music teachers. Panel discussion presented for the Arizona State University CMENC chapter, Tempe, AZ.

Rickels, D. A. & Gendvilas, L. (2000 February). Using Finale® for advanced users. Seminar presented at the annual conference of the Arizona Music Educators Association, Tempe, AZ.

Rickels, D. A. & Gendvilas, L. (2000 February). Using Finale® for intermediate users. Seminar presented at the annual conference of the Arizona Music Educators Association, Tempe, AZ.

Rickels, D. A. & Gendvilas, L. (2000 February). Using Finale® for beginning users. Seminar presented at the annual conference of the Arizona Music Educators Association, Tempe, AZ.

Rickels, D. A. & Gendvilas, L. (1999 January). Using Finale®. Seminar presented at the annual conference of the Arizona Music Educators Association, Tempe, AZ.

Rickels, D. A. (1998 August). At ease with Finale®. Seminar presented at the annual conference of the Arizona String Teachers Association, Scottsdale, AZ.

Rickels, D. A. (1998 August). Using internet resources for music educators. Seminar presented at the annual conference of the Arizona String Teachers Association, Scottsdale, AZ.

Rickels, D. A. (1998 June). At ease with Finale®. Seminar presented at the annual conference of the Music Teachers National Association, Arizona chapter, Scottsdale, AZ.

Adjudicator
Concert Ensembles

  • Gilbert (AZ) District Junior High Concert Band Festival, 2007
  • AMEA Solo and Ensemble Festival – Central Region: Woodwinds, 2001, 2002

Marching Band

  • Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association (ABODA)
    • Visual Performance Adjudicator, 2005-Present
    • Visual Effect Adjudicator, 2005-Present

Winter Guard and Indoor Drumline

  • Winter Guard Arizona (WGAZ)
    • Color Guard Ensemble Analysis Caption Facilitator, 2005-Present
    • Percussion Visual Adjudicator, 2004-Present
    • Color Guard Ensemble Analysis Adjudicator, 2003-Present
    • Color Guard General Effect Adjudicator, 2002-Present
  • Attended Judges’ Academy for Winter Guard International, Dayton, OH – April 2005

Marching Band Instructor, Clinician, and Designer
Marching band drill designer

  • Mountain View H.S. (Mesa, AZ) – 2006, Superior with Distinction (I+) rating at AZ State Marching Festival; 2007
  • Thunderbird H.S. (Phoenix, AZ) – 2006, Superior (I) rating at AZ State Marching Festival

Staff member/clinician for high school marching bands

  • Corona del Sol H.S., AZ – Woodwind Caption Head, 2001
  • Gilbert H.S., AZ – Woodwind Caption Head, 2001
  • Deer Valley H.S., AZ – Visual Instructor, 2000 & 2001
  • Thunderbird H.S., AZ – Clinician, 2001
  • Arcadia H.S., AZ – Visual Instructor, 1999; Assistant Marching Band Director and Assistant Visual Designer, 2000
  • Mountain Ridge H.S., AZ – Visual/Music Technician,1997
  • Barry Goldwater H.S., AZ – Visual/Music Technician & Music Arranger, 1997

Instructional staff member (drum majors) for Star of Nevada Marching Auxiliaries Camp, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Thomas G. Leslie, Director), 1997-1999

Instructional staff member (drum majors) for Northern Arizona University Marching Auxiliaries Camp (Rick McEnaney, Director), 1999 & 2002

Private Instrumental Instructor
Freelance private lesson instructor (Clarinet), 1995-2006

Instrumental instructor for Music Works Academy, Phoenix, AZ (Clarinet, Trumpet, & Saxophone), 2001-2002

Instrumental instructor for North Phoenix Baptist Church Music Academy, Phoenix, AZ (Clarinet), 1998

 

CERTIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

Arizona Standard Secondary Teaching Certificate with K-12 Music Endorsement (Expires December 6th, 2011)

Music Educator’s National Conference (MENC)

Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA)

 

PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE:

Major performing instrument: Clarinet

Tempe Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Dr. Michael Willson, Conductor), 2003-Present (Clarinet)

Arizona Wind Symphony (Bill Richardson, Conductor), 2001-2005 (Clarinet); Guest Conductor, May 2003

Arizona Academy Brass & Percussion Ensemble, 2001 (Mellophone, lead)

Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps – Denver, Colorado, 2000 (Hornline: Mellophone)

Freelance performer for musicals and shows

 

AWARDS AND GRANTS:

Arizona State University Graduate Fellowship award – January 2007

Katherine K. Herberger Endowed Fellowship in Music – August 2006

ArtsWork Research Award for Graduate Student Research – March 2006

Westwood H.S. Winter Drumline State Silver Medalists, 2006 Scholastic Regional A division

Outstanding Graduate Student in Music Education 2004-2005 – ASU School of Music, May 2005

Westwood H.S. Winter Guard State Bronze Medalists, 2004 Scholastic Regional division

Tempe Kiwanis Club Grant, Westwood High School Band, October 2004

Wells Fargo Teacher Partner Program Grant, September 2004

Mesa Arts and Cultural Mini-grant, West Mesa Schools Recruitment Project, October 2003

Outstanding Student Teacher Award – ASU College of Education, December 2001

Sun Devil Star Award for Outstanding Campus Leadership, May 2000

ASU Medallion of Merit Award/Scholarship for academic achievement, August 1997

 

  
 
      Curriculum Vitae last updated 3-15-07.