Decorating the Band Room

Mike Finn · Post by **Mike Finn** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 8:13 pm

So I find myself, after a few years out of the loop, directing school band (and orchestra!) again. I teach in a small Catholic school which has no instruments, and no funds. I'm lucky to have a room for rehearsal, the previous "Band Director" held group lessons in the faculty lounge.

The room is quite barren and depressing, I'd really like to get some nice looking posters up on the walls. Posters showing people, kids or adults, playing band instruments and looking like they're enjoying themselves. Or even just artsy pics of instruments. (I've already got some music theory type stuff, and class rules, but they're no fun...) Anyone have some sources for free swag? I've seen some fancy posters from Yamaha, with their featured artists... any idea how to get a hold of some of these? Also, I'm pretty sure the top military bands have some posters, and maybe even some recordings, how do I go about getting these things?

Thanks in advance!
MF

ai698 · Post by **ai698** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 9:04 pm

Contact Conn-Selmer and Yamaha. They should give you a bunch of posters of their artist holding instruments.

porkchopsisgood · Post by **porkchopsisgood** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 9:31 pm

Hey Mike,

Good luck, and I hope things go well for you this coming semester!

I'll send you a another email about the mouthpieces....I'm picking up the Yamaha YFB-621 tomorrow! I can't wait....and I can't wait to get your pieces.

Cheers!

AVC

Mike Finn · Post by **Mike Finn** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 10:00 pm

Thanks for the ideas so far! Here's a pic from our Christmas concert (I like being able to call it that) in the gym, with yours truly directing from the top of the key. Bonus points to anyone who can identify the tuba. (Look familiar, Chuck?) The decoration in the foreground was provided by the school.

Most of the material was straight from the method book, but I've spent all break arranging simple songs for small ensemble. Anyone with Finale files for beginning bands they'd like to share would be greatly appreciated! Perhaps that's another thread...
MF

chipster55 · Post by **chipster55** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 10:03 pm

Mike, here's a link to Yamaha for some posters.

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/Con ... WS,00.html

Good luck!!

trseaman · Post by **trseaman** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 10:27 pm

Looks Great Mike! Keep up the good work!

Tim

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 11:21 pm

Sorry, Mike, but your feet are inside the three point line, so I hope you were conducting in duple!

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 12:22 am

MartyNeilan · Post by **MartyNeilan** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 12:46 pm

Don't complain too much, now

A) You have a tuba!!!
B) You have brass players!!
C) The students are reading music!

The Big Ben · Post by **The Big Ben** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:58 pm

Good lookin' bunch of kids....

The rows are kinda close together, though... My grade school band teacher always wanted our rows to be wide apart- so he coulod "walk down the rows with his dog". Never saw him do that but, whatever.....

You might try military recruiters for military music posters. They are a pretty eager bunch. I'm an HS teacher and we have a few posters up talking about joining the Army band. A graduate of the next HS over is a featured vocal soloist in one of the Marine Bands and was honored when the band played here a few years ago.

Jeff

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 7:16 pm

Carroll · Post by **Carroll** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 8:05 pm

In my old bandroom (concretre block walls) we projected stylized instruments on the walls, then traced and painted them. The kids had a blast and it looked cool. Our new room has carpeted walls (not shag, so no 70's refernces) so I use cublicle clip hangers
http://www.keysan.com/big/piccavt1027.html
and paper decorations, i.e. posters, signs, audition announcements, J. Roybal paintings, etc.
http://www.art-liquidation.com/roybal.htm
and hook side Velcro for other stuff.

We also have a drop-in ceiling with 2x2 tiles. I get foam board cut and let each section decorate with sharpies then put the foam board uner the tiles (tiles kept for insulative qualities). After we fill each ceiling tile, we will start flipping them and decorating the backs.

KevinMadden · Post by **KevinMadden** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:09 pm

I've always loved the decoration in my former bandroom (granted, this is high school and is not really appropiate for middle school or younger)
we as seniors would get a 3foot by 3 foot square to paint whatever we wanted (school appropiate of course) it was a signature that would remain until there was no more room, and oldies had ot be painted over, or until the school felt it necessary to repaint the rooms, whichn happened right before my graduation, so my square is still on the wall.

pierso20 · Post by **pierso20** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 12:06 pm

Don't know how extensive the music/arts program your school has, but we had used old props from school musical's to decorate as well as painting on the walls music related things. As always, get the students involved and make them feel as if it really is their musical home.

Oh, and I actually happen to write music for middle school/beginning ensembles so if you were interested I could probably dig up something from my finale for you to hear/see. Those Band books are a blessing and a curse, as I am sure you know...

and "good" beginning player music is very hard to come by. Good luck!

sinfonian · Post by **sinfonian** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:55 pm

If you budget can handle it you can try some of pictures from notableimages.net

http://www.notableimages.net/showcat.asp?catid=4