Brandon Martell is a well-rounded musician who is skilled in the arts of music education, music composition, music arranging, and music performance.
As a music educator, he has had a diverse career. During the 2012-2013 school year, Brandon was on faculty at the Eastman Community Music School teaching a course called “Theory In Motion,” which develops aural skills, music literacy, and musicianship skills for children grades K-6. He has also been employed as a music instructor by The Salvation Army, and as adjunct music faculty at Clearwater Christian College. Currently, Brandon is serving in his twelfth year on faculty at Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater, Florida as their Choral Director. Under his direction, the Calvary Choir has performed in the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT seven times, and received Superior ratings at the Florida Vocal Association State Music Performance Assessment in 2022 and 2023. The Calvary Choir has also received Superior ratings numerous times at the District level, earning back-to-back “Critic’s Choice” recognition as the adjudicators’ favorite SATB choir from District 9 in 2023 and 2024. Calvary’s elite vocal ensemble, the Warrior Voices, has performed the national anthem for the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field four times. Beyond Calvary Choir and the Warrior Voices, he teaches Beginning Choir, Music Theory Honors, and assists in the Warrior Band class. Additionally, he is the Music Director of the school’s annual spring musical. In 2017 and 2024, Brandon was nominated for “Outstanding Music Director” for Calvary’s productions of Oklahoma! and Meet Me In. St. Louis respectively, and the pit orchestra was nominated in 2024 and received the “Outstanding Orchestra” award in 2017 in the Broadway Stars of the Future Competition hosted by Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts. He earned Calvary Christian High School’s “Partnering with the Home” Teacher of the Year Award in 2023.
As a composer, Brandon has three works published by Excelcia Music Publishing: “The Moon and Sun,” an original composition, “How Can I Keep From Singing,” an arrangement of the beloved hymn, and “Bye Bye Blackbird,” an a cappella jazz arrangement that earned a “Editors Choice” distinction from J.W. Pepper. As an arranger, Brandon’s work has been performed at such institutions as the University of South Florida, the Eastman School of Music, and the Dickens Carolers. In 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023, the field show he composed and arranged for the Warrior Marching Band earned 1st place in the 1A Division at the Florida Marching Band Championships.
As a performer, Brandon is a former member of The Dickens Carolers, a vocal quartet for holiday occasions servicing the greater Tampa and Orlando areas of Florida. As a trombonist, Brandon has performed with The Florida Orchestra, the Eastman Wind Ensemble, the Helios Jazz Orchestra, and with the funk/reggae/rock band Ājëvā. Brandon has received many honors and awards for his trombone performance, including being named the winner of the American Trombone Workshop’s Tenor Trombone National Solo Competition for ages 18 and under in 2008, and being a member of the winning trombone choir, the Eastman Trombone Choir, for the International Trombone Association’s Trombone Choir Competition in 2011. Brandon also recorded tenor and bass trombone for “The Essentials,” an independent film which received numerous awards at the 2012 Hollywood & Vine Film Festival. As an electric bassist, he served as a member of the BridgePoint Band at BridgePoint Church from 2016 to 2017, and regularly lead worship at their Tyrone and Downtown St. Petersburg campuses.
Brandon graduated with Distinction from the Eastman School of Music in 2013, where he was a Rogers Scholar. He received Bachelor of Music Degrees in Music Education and Applied Music, and a Performer’s Certificate. He lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife Shaye, their daughters Raina and Holly, and their dog Claude.
