The Last Day.

Today is the last day of the academic year and I have successfully submitted all my works for all modules across the year at the first attempt. I am particularly pleased with this as I can be comforted by the fact that if there were any issues with any of my work I would have the opportunity to resubmit my work for a capped evaluation. Although I am confident that I have done enough in each area of my study I always like to be ready to prepare for the worst and look forward to finding out my marks in the coming months.
I took all week to complete these last 3 assignments focusing on the equality and from this have learnt how to manage my time and productivity better regardless of my current physical or emotional state.
The session reflections gained most of my time this week as I sought to present my thoughts and feelings in a professional evaluation which I feel I adapted well to as expression of thought is a personal strength. It was difficult to choose only 3 sessions to reflect upon and I feel I had the time and motivation to evaluate all of the sessions I took part in which has shown me the importance of a simple mental evaluation of all my projects and the processes involved in and honest appraisal.
The individual performance evaluation itself was very straight forward and was made easier in that my plans were executed quite well and any constructive criticism was aimed at the overall standard of the performance on the day.
The individual research was a little more difficult however the personal content of this project has made it easier for me to evaluate and research all aspects of the project. My intention was to present research that reviewed the level of influence from the 1960s songwriters who have inspired me as a writer and composer. The largest of the remaining assignments which was simplified by the work I had done earlier on structure and content.
Alas I sign off with the thought that I will more than likely be back on here in September producing some reflective writings on how my first week of the BA honours course was. In an attempt to please fate and not appear too arrogant I hope to be back again and if not I will certainly be around.

Loads Down, 3 To Go!

A great relief felt this week as my 5000 word dissertation was submitted with attachments and no extenuating issues. I now have only 3 assignments left on my degree course and am already looking forward to next year's study on the BA Honours programme which has been reviewed and renewed due to the changing nature of education and also the recent status change of my institution UHI.
Today I submitted my digital multimedia project which included a DVD with cover, Audio CD with cover and supporting documents. The DVD contained the data files for the website I have created along with the master files for all the audio and visual content that was produced to be included in the website whilst the Audio CD was a copy of the EP I produced to feature within the website. I was very pleased with the website which was produces from scratch using Dreamweaver and also with all the content which was all original and planned and produced by myself. The supporting documentation was also well presented and detailed which I feel should give me a decent mark across all aspects of this module.
I now have 1 week remaining on this degree course and have 3 assignments to submit which include my session reflections, individual project research and my individual performance evaluation which all must be submitted by 5pm next Friday. Although these are not greatly challenging I do feel I will be challenged in maintaining the motivation required to see it all through.

Dissertation Week!

This week was the last week of college before my dissertation is due to be submitted and in all honesty I have not used my time as wisely as I should have and am now faced with the lonely task of compiling my dissertation and required attachments over the weekend before submission on Monday which is perhaps not as daunting and lonely as I would like to portray.
Despite the fact that I have maintained a good level of weekly work with my research I feel that I have lost direction and focus within my argument and should have spent more time researching and debating argument before committing ideas to paper. I also feel that I better from well researched notes from which I can compile a greater argument and recognise that in future research I will used my preferred system which offers the continuity I would want featured in any research I have presented. Although I am lacking confidence in the content of my research I can take comfort in the fact that I have also spent a lot of time ensuring that my grammar, spelling and referencing are all accurate and that all the required attachments and bibliography are also in good order which will contribute to my overall mark.
The digital multimedia project is due for submission a week today and I have all I need to prepare this project which will start next Tuesday after the submission of my dissertation. I am very pleased with the independent approach I took with this project and with very little guidance I have managed to produce a website and multimedia content using some professional hardware and software that is featured across many areas of digital media industries.
Again no session class this week and I believe that we are to be left now to complete our 3 session evaluations which are to submitted by the last day of the course.
Overall a quiet week of college which was dominated by the sound of keyboard tapping and mouse clicking as music students across all courses hurry to finish of their assignments.

The Big Show!

This week saw the main event of my degree programme which is my individual performance and although every little unit is important in my overall achievement I have chosen this as my personal favourite and a great opportunity to showcase the different talents I have been developing over the past few years.

The show itself took place yesterday and although the overall standard should have been higher I was very pleased that all I planned was directed positively and executed well. I do feel that I should have improved my practice schedule and involved the participants more and will consider these failings in future projects. Due to an over run sound check I decided to move the set list around at the last minute to accommodate some of the participants who had their own shows to perform in later. Although I made a minor change it did not affect the overall aura of the performance and amidst a strange atmosphere and test conditions I feel that everyone involved did very well and I hope that my own contribution was rated highly enough to pass the module. I now have to prepare an evaluation along with a relevant research paper to complete all the attached modules for this part of the degree.
The focus from the end of my show was turned to my dissertation which is due for submission in 10 days!!! Although I have worked fortnightly on this I feel I have over developed my evidence and create a conflict of interest in my findings. I am finding it very difficult to include my evidence in a structured way that accommodates the set word count for this assignment but know I will progress and prioritise as required and submit a satisfactory piece of work.
I have readied all the materials for my digital multimedia project and once I have submitted my dissertation I can then focus on preparing this project for submission. The proposal itself is finished and the template for the website is ready for the content to be included leaving only this and a small project evaluation report to complete in order to finish the module.
There was no session class again this week due to the individual performances from all the music students and in that there is only some written work to be completed for the conclusion of this module. Despite this small amount of written work I have thoroughly enjoyed this practical module and feel that I have learnt a lot from the different tutors and students involved which at times derived from simple discussions in the control room regarding everyone’s differing experiences.
Another good week of college which was routinely different from my usual week and with only 3 weeks left of the course I must prepare myself and my action plan to ensure I complete all remaining tasks on time.

On Until The End.

I arrived back at college this week after the spring break faced with a meeting to discuss the terms and conditions proposed for the next instalment of study on the BA Honours final year. I found the meeting very interesting although it was a huge distraction from current goings on but one must learn in life to look ahead as well as look around, and I am learning!
I used most of the holiday to plan the final execution of tasks in relation to my degree modules and bearing in mind the different deadlines for each assignment I have devised a structured plan to deal with the different responsibilities I have across performing, recording and written work.
My first concern is my individual performance project which takes place next week in the form of a 45 minute performance that will then be followed by a written evaluation to finish the module. I have done well in the ensemble session in this module and hope to elevate this success by achieving a higher mark. Due to the nature of my performance the next week will be filled with individual practice with the different acts before a final run thorough of the show early next week.
Although I have another deadline before this I have already submitted all the work for this and have been checking weekly for any changes to the requirements from the tutor and have ensured that if any I respond in an according and timely fashion. I am confident that all of the works I have submitted for the presenting a portfolio module is satisfactory whilst creating a great foundation for me to progress on with this type of relevant graphic design work in my professional music career.
I continue to work on my dissertation and have found it very difficult in recent weeks to maintain focus and structure within my argument which I feel has been over developed to a point that it can almost be viewed as contradictory. Although I have this new difficulty to manage I know I must push forward and find a good structure to present my work whilst maintaining relevancy in my argument.
The digital multimedia project has been outlined and template with all the content ready for embedding and I am confident that the proposal and subsequent practicalities are well researched and deployed with regard to music industry standards. Rather than depend on tutor experience and college facilities I have independently researched my topic thoroughly and used all my own home facilities to produce a website rich in multimedia content which has given me great confidence for future projects.
Overall I feel it has been a productive start to the last session of study on the course although I am left with concerns regarding the ever decreasing time left for all of these projects and can see how the past 2 years study experience will now help me finish off the year.

Last Break Before I Break!

Another productive week of endeavours has allowed me to look forward to the Spring break with some enthusiasm and enough confidence to see the finishing line. As always when one finds oneself in this position it is wise and logical to proceed with the same caution that has brought one this far. Although I have left myself with little work to complete in the coming weeks it is imperative that I adhere to my planned schedule that will ensure that I have more than enough time to review and edit any of my submissions as required.
I have continued with my dissertation and a review of recent research has brought the addition of 5 new articles to my bibliography. Having shaped my research in a topical structure I have realised that there are one or two holes in my argument and the research I have compiled has become stretched thus resulting in the need for some fresh and specific research. These new articles are from a range of popular music magazines and contain information not readily found in the generic Beatle’s publications available. With most of the research structured I have now only to shape and connect my argument with satisfactory consistency.
My individual performance has been working to plan so far and hopefully this continues throughout the holidays. I have finalised the set list and personnel as well as communicating the date and time of the show and preceding rehearsals. Upon return to college I intend to finalise the last few rehearsals with the different acts which will see me practising in Perth and Dundee to ensure comfort for the participants.
The digital multimedia project I have been working on is in its final stages as I look to complete my proposal after tutor appraisal and also finish the video content which is to be featured within the website. This project has been stagnant of late although a recent resurgence into it has brought back the desire to complete it soon. Once I have completed the video content I am confident that across 2 Monday classes I can complete this project which is ample as I have 5 Monday classes left in the course.
I have heard no further news on the portfolio class but have noted in my diary to meet with the tutor to ensure that this project is complete and I have passed satisfactorily. I intend to do this upon return to college and will report back on my findings.
The final class of the week was the session environment module which I am really enjoying at the moment despite the hindrance of weakening the high range of my voice. I had been rehearsing all day with different acts including a blues project which needs some vocal grit and power to express the songs. Without an effective warm up I allowed myself to loss this feature of my voice by overdoing my initial efforts and damaging my vocal chords. It is very important that I maintain good health with regards to my breathing and vocal chords as well as being aware that I always need an effective warm up before commencing any vocal work. I have suffered with this naivety in the past and have taken steps to ensure I always include a vocal warm up in the organising of any vocal work I have scheduled.
A good week to finish of this part of semester 2 and when I return to college on the 25th April 2011 I have 5 weeks remaining to finish off the 5 assignments I have left. Wish me luck!

I Had The Time Of My Life!

Another FUN week at college and as I push myself past the doubt, disappointment and loss of faith I regain the focus needed to continue with the tasks I have scheduled to successfully complete my degree. I have become very confused regarding the requirements of the degree and after being warned twice regarding my attendance I feel I must clarify the boundaries of each module which were initially communicated as self-driven projects. Hopefully I will clear up this bureaucratic problem and gain enough motivation to complete the course with this particular institution.
I have progressed well again this week and have begun completing a first draft of my dissertation which I hope to present to my tutor before the holidays commence for feedback when I return. I have made plans to complete my assignments which include consideration towards tutor’s available time and although I could have made better use of their time in the early stages of the course I am confident enough in my own abilities to work from module descriptors which eliminates any perceived harshness from my critical character.
Having completed most of the work for my digital multimedia project I am still waiting on feedback from my tutor regarding my project proposal and now I am planning to design the website at home on my own computer system rather than use the college facilities which are extremely flawed and unstable. I have suspended all practical work on this project in the meantime as I dedicate all my time to the development of my dissertation with plans to complete this project across the up and coming holidays.
The individual performance I am planning has began to take shape and with individual rehearsals taking place each week I am confident that I will be more than ready to deliver this performance as planned. Along with my solo act I have 3 other acts involved with my show and have had to coordinate different rehearsals for each act rather than have one weekly practice that has a lot of people waiting to be involved in activities. This method has proven to give more interest in the project from these other acts and has also allowed me the time to focus solely on the act’s individual involvement in the overall performance. The next 3 weeks will continue in this way before I spend the last 2 weeks before the show implementing the order of the performance.
As far as I know I have completed all the parts of my portfolio project however I have remained in contact with the tutor until I have official confirmation that all parts of the module are complete satisfactorily. The last 3 weeks have been taken up by presentations and as I went first I have had a lot of spare time during this class to work on other projects which I planned and successfully executed.
The first time I have had 2 session classes in a row which helped bring a bit of consistency within the performance of the students as we worked on an unknown song with no briefing on the client’s requirements. Although this song was unknown the music was very simple and as an experienced songwriter I assumed that the lyricist perhaps felt uncomfortable expressing themselves through words in music. I did feel that with dynamic tempo modulation throughout the song that the lyrical content may have been expressed with more sincerity. Next week our original tutor Pete Honeyman returns and I have also some session reflection to complete in the form of written evaluations.