Dr. David Rickels

David A. Rickels was appointed to the faculty of Boise State University in 2009, where he serves as Assistant Professor and Director of Music Education. He has previously taught in a wide range of settings from kindergarten through college, including general music, beginning band, marching bands, concert bands, jazz bands, music theory, and music education courses. 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. Dr. Rickels holds Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Music Education from Arizona State University’s Herberger College of the Arts.

Dr. Rickels has an extensive and varied background in the marching arts as a performer, instructor, designer, and adjudicator. He has contributed in many areas, including high school and college marching bands, drum & bugle corps, winter guards, and winter drumlines. As a visual designer for marching bands, Dr. Rickels is in yearly demand for creating drill designs and teaching clinics across the United States. He previously taught on the staff of the Arizona State University Sun Devil Marching Band, and he regularly adjudicates marching band, winter guard, and winter drumline competitions.

As a conductor, Dr. Rickels has performed with the Mesa Community College Day Band and the Arizona State University Concert Band in addition to his high school ensembles. 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. Dr. Rickels has also maintained an active professional involvement with MENC: The National Association for Music Education and its state affiliates by serving in various roles, including adjudicator, festival chair, and state board officer for technology. He is a regular presenter of workshops and professional development seminars on a variety of topics.

Dr. Rickels’ interests as a researcher have centered on music teacher recruitment and issues surrounding competitive processes for bands. He has presented his research findings at national conferences of MENC: The National Association for Music Education and the Society for Music Teacher Education. His work has appeared in the Journal of Band Research, and he has written regularly for the Arizona Music News.

Send E-Mail to Dr. Rickels (davidrickels@boisestate.edu)
Phone: 208-426-1813