Matthew Sadowski has served as Director of Bands at UC Berkeley since 2018. In this capacity, he directs and conducts the University of California Marching Band and Wind Ensemble programs, teaches leadership and arts administration skills, and serves on the Music Department’s Undergraduate Committee. He is proud to have mentored and premiered the works of several undergraduate composers at Berkeley, including Pranav Sivakumar’s Thórsmörk, Sergio Cabada’s Peruvian Suite, Kai Boennighausen’s The Bells, and Tom Pan’s Song of White Snow. From 2020-2023, in addition to Director of Bands, he also served as Interim Department Manager for Student Musical Activities.
Sadowski holds conducting degrees from the University of Georgia (DMA 2018) and Ithaca College (MM 2015), as well as a music education degree from Michigan State University (BM 2007). His principal conducting teachers include Cynthia Johnston Turner and Stephen Peterson. Originally from Michigan, Sadowski has taught up and down the US West Coast, first directing high school band programs in Newport and Beaverton, Oregon and Federal Way, Washington from 2008-2013. He is proud to have served as a founding member of the Beaverton Friends of Music advocacy group, which has successfully reversed cuts made to Beaverton School District’s K-12 music programs. While residing in the Pacific Northwest, Sadowski performed on euphonium with the Southwest Washington Wind Symphony and served as Vice President of the Northwest Association for the Performing Arts.
From 2014-2018, Sadowski taught conducting and music theory courses at the Ithaca College Summer Music Academy. While a student at Ithaca College, he was honored with an invitation to participate in the Frederick Fennell Memorial Conducting Masterclass at the Eastman School of Music. He has appeared as a guest conductor with the Auburn Chamber Orchestra (Auburn, New York), the Gwinnett County Youth Wind Symphony (Gwinnett County, Georgia), and San Francisco All-City Honor Band (San Francisco, California) among others.
Beyond Berkeley, Sadowski conducts the Walnut Creek Concert Band, the official band of the City of Walnut Creek, California. He is a member of the California Music Educators Association, the College Band Directors National Association, the National Association for Music Education, Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society, Kappa Kappa Psi Music Service Fraternity (honorary), and the Blue Key Honor Society. He enjoys spending time with friends and family, following college football, traveling, and being outdoors.
Matthew Sadowski, DMA
Director of Bands
43 Chavez Center #4280
Berkeley, CA 94720-4280
510-643-9644
msadowski@berkeley.edu