Episode 20: Chatting with Cadets (Mason Hicks and Braedon Baumgardner)

TAMS Percussion Podcast

Welcome back to Episode 20 of the TAMS Percussion Podcast! Today, hosts Michael, Sky, Sui-Lin, and Taylor are joined with two outstanding individuals from the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corp, Mason Hicks and Braedon Baumgardner! We are thankful to have had the chance to sit down and talk about the world of marching (not just marching percussion) with these two and specifically The Cadets, the pros and cons of marching, fun pre show rituals and other fun memories, and even ways to make the marching activity a more enjoyable and safe place for all members of the community!

"Mason's career in the marching arts began with his first year of drum corps at the age of 16. He marched with Jersey Surf in 2015 and 2016, then joined The Cadets in 2017, where he continued to march until 2021. Mason holds a degree in Music Education from Shenandoah University. While there was no marching ensemble at SU during his time there, Mason helped pave the way for the formation of a marching band immediately after his graduation. He formed an indoor winds group for a Conservatory-sanctioned project. In addition to directing and drill design, he also performed in the group. Currently, Mason spends his time as a drill designer in Northern Virginia, both designing shows and teaching visual technique to performers of all calibers." (https://cadets.org/mason-hicks)

Braedon is a percussionist and educator from Hutchinson, Kansas who’s been a musician for roughly 15 years. Braedon has been apart of multiple performance groups including the Cadets Front Ensemble, and 2 concerto performance with the Kansas State University Wind Ensemble and the Indiana University Wind Ensemble. Braedon received his degree in Music Performance from Kansas State University in 2021, and is currently getting his masters degree at the Indiana Universities Jacob’s School of Music also in Percussion Performance. Braedon is also currently a technician at Center Grove High School.

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