A Not So Comprehensive List of Great Gift Ideas for the Music Student

Stocking Stuffers                                                                                                     
For All Music Students:

• Recordings of professional artists on your child’s respective instrument, or voice.
• Recordings of professional orchestras, choirs, or bands. See the list below for suggestions.
• A music stand
• Private Lessons

For Band Students:

• A tuner and a metronome (Now available as apps)

These items are very useful for your child to use during their home practice sessions.  The tuner aids the student in centering pitch, thus focusing sound quality, and the metronome aids the student in keeping steady beat. Several Apps are now available for touchscreen devices.

• The ultimate stocking stuffer, or gift under the tree, would be a step-up/intermediate, or professional model instrument! It will help your child sound and play better! If this is not possible, a better quality mouthpiece would also be very practical for many intermediate students.  Please ask your band director for details!

Suggested Recordings

Soloists
Flute                               Jean Pierre-Rampal, James Galway                                                                          
Clarinet                         Richard Stolzman, Pete Fountain, Benny Goodman                                                  
Saxophone                   Branford Marsalis, Dennis Deblasio, Joe Lulloff, John Harle, Don Sinta                          
Trumpet                       Maurice Andre, Wynton Marsalis, Doc Severinsen, Chuck Mangione, Chris Botti           
Horn                              Dennis Brain, Phillip Farkas                                                                                   
Trombone                     Arthur Pryor, Tommy Dorsey, Steve Weist                                                        
Euphonium/Baritone  Leonard Falcone, Rich Matteson, Steven Mead                                                 
Tuba                               Arnold Jacobs                                                                                                   
Percussion                    Gary Burton, Buddy Rich                                                                                           
Vocalists                        Beverly Sills-Soprano, Denyce Graves-Mezzo-Soprano, Marian Anderson-Contralto, Luciano Pavarotti-Tenor, Sherrill Milnes-Baritone,                                                Samuel Ramey-Bass

Ensembles
Canadian Brass (quintet), Empire Brass (quintet)
Nuclear Whales (saxophone orchestra)
​The Manhattan Transfer (a capella/doo-wop/jazz vocal)

Orchestral
Leonard Bernstein-Overture to Candide, West Side Story
Benjamin Britten-The Young People’s Guide to the Orchestra
Aaron Copland-Applachian Spring, Rodeo, Fanfare for the Common Man
George Gershwin-Rhapsody in Blue, Porgy and Bess 
Gutav Holst-The Planets, 1st and 2nd Suites for Band
Modest Mussorgsky-Pictures at an Exhibition
Sergei Prokofiev-Peter and the Wolf, Lieutenant Kije Suite
Camille Saint-Seans-Carnival of theAnimals
Igor Stravinsky-The Rite of Spring
Peter Tchaikovsky-The Nutcracker, 1812 Overture
Nicoli Rimsky-Korsakov-Concerto for Trombone, Flight of the Bumblebee

Musicals
The Music Man, Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music, West Side Story 
                   
Movies 
Fantasia, Fantasia 2000, Star Wars (all), E.T., Star Trek, Harry Potter Movies

Students love music clothing items. Do a web search for “school band clothing” or your "instrument/voice shirts."