IN-DEPTH 1 RICKEY BADUA professor, CONDUCTOR, Traveler, outdoorsman By Teresa Kelly Dr. Rickey Badua has joined the Cal Poly Pomona Music Department as a tenure track faculty member where he will offer leadership in the instrumental music area. He will be teaching Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, , and other instrumental related classes. Dr. Badua received his Bachelor of Music in Music Education and his Master of Arts in Wind Conducting from the University of Puget Sound, and his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Georgia. Prior to that he taught at the Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor, WA as the Director of Bands, Arts Department Chair and District Music Coordinator. He is an avid trombonist and pianist.

What first got you interested the trombone quickly and was you in music? immediately moved into the I grew up in Honolulu, HI and advanced band. By age 14, I began lessons at age 4 with began private trombone lessons my mother’s best friend, Estrellita with the principal trombonist Goulart. After one year of being of the Honoululu Symphony in her piano class, she asked me and trombone professor at the if I enjoyed music and would like University of Hawaii, Jim Decker to continue. I said YES! Music (currently teaching at Texas and playing piano was fun and it Tech University). came natural to me at that age. From that point on I was involved What is it about this instrument with a lot of music throughout my that makes you want to pass it education in school. on to the students? The piano is the instrument I When did you start playing the recommend for a young child trombone? (age 4-7) to start with because it I learned to play the euphonium provides such a strong foundation jazz, pop, rock, classical. Also, in the 6th grade band and was for further musical study. You it is the closest instrument to the later converted to trombone by learn everything! Notation, pitch, human voice in range and timbre my middle school band director clefs, rhythm, etc… The trombone which transfers well to because I could play in more is such a versatile instrument and teaching natural musical ensembles like jazz band and and is utilized in almost any expression. . I started to excel at genre of instrumental music:

CAL POLY POMONA MUSIC DEPARTMENT 2 DEPARTMENT

Would you consider venturing guest conducting residency at the Bates, Steven Bryant and into another type of instrument? Sydney Conservatorium of Music Michael Gilbertson. I also enjoy Yes, I’ve picked up acoustic in Australia sometime in the next Stephen Sondheim’s musicals as from teaching guitar class when two years! I also support live music well, some of my favorites of his I taught high school. I also play by attending LA Philharmonic are Company, Sweeney Todd, and the clarinet, tuba, euphonium, concerts and other concerts by Into the Woods. With Pop music, and horn. I’ve always colleagues in the LA area. I’m I sometimes tend to gravitate wanted to learn the beyond a proponent of music advocacy towards an artist that exhibits the methods class I took in my through involvement with the tremendous artistry or undergraduate education. Southern California School Band incorporates many genres into and Orchestra Association, their style. I enjoy listening to Why did you decide on a California Band Director’s Adele, Sufjan Stevens, Beyoncé, teaching career instead of Association, California Music Maroon 5, the Beattles, Katy another area in music such as Educators Association and working Perry, John Mayer, Stevie Wonder, performance or composition? with middle and high school band Coldplay, Parachute and so many I wanted to be a conductor! programs in the region. others to name! However, I am most passionate about sharing my knowledge What kind of music do you How do you enjoy spending and love of music with students listen to and who is your your “off time”? and other musicians. I was favorite artist within that genre? I enjoy being active in the fortunate to have had great music This is always a hard question to outdoors, I love running, hiking, teachers througout my life; I want answer! I think all genres of music camping. Being born and raised to perpetuate those inspiring are valuable and worth listening to in Honolulu, I especially enjoy the moments with my students it really just depends on my mood. beach and bodysurfing. Recently, as I was given by my former I like listening to jazz and enjoy I’ve started Crossfit and find it a teachers. Although performing and playing lots of jazz piano to relax; true test of personal fitness and composing are something I still do, I particularly love bebop, ballads, endurance. I also enjoy traveling I wanted to reach more students latin and acapella vocal jazz. and have been lucky enough to and have an immediate influence Jazz artists I enjoy listening to are see much of the U.S. and parts on their music education. Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, of Europe (France, Italy, Monaco, Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, Arturo Switzerland, Russia), I’d like to Professionally, what is a Sandoval, Poncho Sanchez, Frank explore Asia, Australia and South typical day like for you outside Sinatra, Manhattan Transfer, New America in the next few years. of Cal Poly Pomona? York Voices and Diana Krall. I enjoy being active in the music In classical genre, I love all the community through performing great composers especially Bach, and conducting through various Mozart, Dvorak, Debussy, Ravel, engagements with my friends Strauss, Mahler, Mussorgsky, and colleagues abroad. For Holst, Vaughan Williams, Grainger, example, I have an upcoming Stravinsky, and Copland. I’m also guest conducting residency a huge advocate of new music in October at the University of and enjoy such living composer’s Illinois-Chicago and plan on music as Joseph Schwantner, doing similar activities like this Michael Colgrass, Michael throughout California and the U.S. Daugherty, Michael Torke, John I’m most excited for a pending Adams, Carter Pann, Mason Photo: Clark Little

Teresa Kelly is a Communications Specialist II for the Music Department. She is the editor of and contributor to the department E-Newsletter. Her duties include writing, graphic design, social media moderation, publicity, media relations, website content management, event production, and student mentoring.

CAL POLY POMONA MUSIC DEPARTMENT