The document is a work log for Brandon Ferrell detailing his activities conducting the marching band and assisting with other bands from August 2011 to March 2012, including sectional rehearsals, full band rehearsals, and finally recording and editing a video of himself conducting for his final project. He notes areas of improvement and receives feedback from others on developing his conducting skills over time.

1. Product Work Log
Name: Brandon Ferrell____________________________________Date: April 18, 2012
Product: Video Performance of River Of Life, Conducted by Me.
Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
August 22, 2011 Marching Band Sectional Rehearsal Individual practice
3:45-6:00 has been stressed and
will continue to be
stressed for the entire
season- I can’t
Commentary:Not much conducting memorize this music
today, just learning parts of the opener for them! (although
that have been forgotten since band I’m doing a decent
camp in July. job)
Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
August 29, 2011 Marching Band Sectional Rehearsal Pushups will be
3:45-6:00 assigned if due
progress is not
Commentary:Frustrating. The section apparent in weeks to
has obviously not practiced- much of come.
what was done today was review from
last week, preventing them and myself
from further learning.
Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
September 5, 2011 Marching Band Sectional Rehearsal I have to learn how to
3:45-6:00 keep time with one
Commentary:Got to conduct for all of hand and conduct
the woodwinds today! (flute, clarinet, entrances and
saxophone, piccolo, etc). It went well dynamics with the
until Dominic took the saxophones to other- maybe consult
go rehearse the Ballad, because they drum majors?
were holding up the other sections. I’ll
work with the other section leaders on
that.

2. Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
September 12, 2011 Marching band sectional rehearsal Working backwards is
3:45-6:00 okay! Playing through
to the end and
working back section
by section seems most
Commentary:Worked on memorizing effective.
the opener in sections starting in
measure 76, also on correcting rhythms
in tenor saxophones.
Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
November 28, 2011 Assisting Mr. Carter at 8th grade band Before trying to play
4:00-5:30 rehearsal through an entire song
for the first time, I
think it would be better
to take the tempo down
a considerable amount
Commentary:We worked on a march to allow people to
called The March of Ides, and the focus more on rhythms
clarinets were having trouble and key signature.
subdividing an eighth note rhythm, so I
took them aside and helped them with
it. Flutes had a similar problem in a
different part of the song that I
corrected.

3. Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
December 5, 2011 Assisting Mr. Carter at the weekly 8th As rough as Mr.
4:00-5:30 grade band rehearsals. Carter’s foot-stomping
conducting method is,
it sure does work for
Commentary:The flutes and clarinets keeping time.
have obviously been practicing- it Probably not a good
sounds great! I’m also feeling much idea for my final
more confident rehearsing sections of performance, though.
music with people and conducting it
for them.
Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
December 29, 2011 Computer research over various pieces Maybe talk to Mr.
4:00-6:00 of music and their difficulty as a Opitz or Carter about
conductor a piece for the final
Commentary:It seems like I’ll be okay performance- I’ll text
conducting pretty much anything as them!
long as the time signature is
reasonable.

4. Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
January 10, 2012 Saxophone Section Concert Rehearsals Okay, so maybe
7:45-8:15 conducting isn’t so
easy. If Liturgical
Commentary:Worked on the piece dances is a grade 6 I’m
Liturgical Dances. I tried my hand at probably looking at a
conducting (haha) but this piece is 4 piece for my project.
HARD!
Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
March 15, 2012 Practice session before recording of Tips from Mr. Opitz:
10:30-11:30 River of Life Don’t be so timid
Open up more when I
Commentary: After deciding on the conduct
piece, did some major practice. This Use less shoulder and
rehearsal helped me with the overall more arm
things that I needed to be with the
whole band to fix.
Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
March 16, 2012 Final Product Recording! Feeling very
10:30-11:30 successful! Absolutely
Commentary:The performance went flawless run by both
terrifically! Got the video uploaded- the band and myself,
it’s too long, I’ll have to edit it down. definitely feeling
good.

5. Date/Time: Activity: Comment/Suggestions:
March 30, 2012 Video Editing Finally finished! The
6:00-8:00 video looks great with
Commentary:Simply cut out the the little intro I made
beginning two minutes of the as well.
performance- they were too slow and
uneventful, the last four showcased
much more conducting technique.