Palm Beach Atlantic University Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Sean Radford

As Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we're proud to spotlight members of our community-beginning with Sean Radford, assistant professor of commercial music. Music has been a significant part of Sean's life since he was born, so it was no surprise he ended up pursuing a career in it. He came to PBA in 2020 after receiving a call from Associate Dean of the College of the Arts Mark Aliapoulios, and he has been teaching music at the University ever since. To learn how Sean's heritage impacted his music and teaching philosophy, where his passion for music and teaching came from, and more, read the Q&A below.

Where did your passion for music and for teaching come from?

My family has been in the music industry and involved in music education since the 1940s. Both of my paternal grandparents were professors of music at various universities, mostly on the West Coast of the United States, and my father was a touring guitarist, who also taught music since I was a child. So, it's really not a giant shock that I'm a music educator too. I suppose it's a good thing, but unlike a lot of people, I never saw music as optional when I was young.

Are there any contributions you have made at PBA that you are most proud of, or favorite moments from your time here?

For the last few years, I have overseen the development of the Popular Music and Worship Leadership degree plans in the Department of Music, and I feel like every year we have moved these programs closer and closer to where we want them to be. But there are a few key things that we have worked towards that have been of particular importance, I think. Dr. Michael O'Connor and I worked very hard to revise the Worship Leadership degree plan and to get that approved by the University and passed through the National Association of Schools of Music, and I'm very proud of the work we did on that. It might seem like a small thing, but I'm also very happy that we created the Worship Music Ensemble, so students in the Department of Music who are interested in that type of music or that style of worship have an area to develop those skills, whether that's just from personal interest or as a part of their music-related studies. Also, in January, I got to take several PBA music students to California for the music industry's biggest trade show, the NAMM Show, which is put on by the National Association of Music Merchants. I was so proud of the students that got to go, since they received scholarships to go from the NAMM Organization, which recognized their musical talent and academic excellence. Last month, I was extremely proud of all the students in the Pop Rock Ensemble that I direct, who had a fantastic performance at the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center, where we performed a whole show of music from the year 1985. That was a definite highlight!

Do you think your heritage has impacted your music or teaching philosophy? If so, how?

My mother was born in Thailand and then moved to Japan before coming to America, and my heritage as an Asian-American has definitely impacted my approach to making music and the way I teach. Coming from a culture that can be highly suspicious of "following your dreams" and pursuing a career in an industry as uncertain and volatile as music, the first people you have to convince about your career plans are the people in your household. Though there are many musicians on my father's side of the family, I grew up with a classic "Tiger Mom," which - in case you don't know - is a term we often use for an Asian mother who stresses having a relentless work ethic, studying hard, eliminating distractions, making zero excuses, and developing extremely high levels of self-discipline and self-motivation. This describes my mom perfectly, and this very much rubbed off on me! As a kid, I practiced guitar and studied music relentlessly. Six to eight hours a day was normal for me. I did voice lessons, music theory class in high school, and private guitar lessons, but it was never torture. I knew I was investing in myself and my future. I knew I wanted to play guitar for a living by 8th grade.

What advice would you offer to young individuals aspiring to pursue a career in music?

I think young musicians today are entering an industry where the old model of gigs and record labels has been significantly disrupted by the internet, streaming, and social media. This is the new industry, and young musicians need to have an iron stomach, be adaptable to change, and learn how things like social media monetization work. But some things don't change, and I encourage musicians today to focus on the things you have a lot more control over. Namely, learning everything you can, becoming the best musician you can be, and making meaningful music that can actually touch people on an emotional level and become a part of the soundtrack to the listener's life. The other thing I think musicians need to know is that "making it" can have so many different meanings. A career in music is anything but predictable, and you might find that you aren't the singer you thought you were, but you are a brilliant songwriter. Or a guitar player might find that he's an even better music director. Someone might hate touring but be a really great audio engineer or producer. Life will take unexpected turns, so buckle up! You have to remember that can't control the outcome; you can only control your input. So, get back to work!

What does AAPI heritage mean to you?

For me, my work as a musician gives me a chance to help erode some stereotypes about Asian-Americans, who are significantly underrepresented in most parts of the music industry, except perhaps in certain areas of Classical music.There are very few Asian or Asian-American artists who are prominent in the West in popular music and worship music, which is the focus of my career. There has been some improvement in this area recently, like with the explosion of Korean groups from the K-Pop scene, and singers like Lisa, who is Thai, like me, or Laufey, who is part Chinese, or even Japanese bands like Babymetal, who have a huge U.S. tour this year. So, it's getting better. What I would love is for people to realize that you can't put people in boxes. As educators our job is to throw those boxes in the recycling bin! I work every day to help my students get rid of the limits that get imposed on them and help them reach their potential. Hopefully, they see from my life and career that if you want it badly enough, it doesn't matter where you come from. If people underestimate you, you can always just go prove them wrong!