What Gift to offer to a Violin Teacher
I am wondering what gift a violin teacher appreciates from his student. Any idea?
Replies (20)
You can make one from paper or wood if you are good with tools for less expansive! But it is great! Teachers generally love candies or chocolate! My parents are wine lovers and thus offer this to everyone but I suggest once they give chocolate and my teacher went crazy. So, when we can give chocolate, we do! In general, violin people love animals but I don't suggest to arrive with a new pet for your teacher!
Anne-Marie
ps: avoid nail polish, nice jewelry, wonderful fluffy turtleneck sweather lol!
As a violin teacher, I love all kinds of gifts! To me, the best part of receiving a gift, is simply receiving the gift. This tells me that my efforts towards the child are being felt, and that the child and family are thinking of me outside the lesson, and that makes me feel very special. Some of my favorite gifts in the past include homemade christmas ornaments, cards, and home baked goods. I also love gift certificates to bookstores and coffee shops, of course, but the best gift doesn't have to cost much at all. Some people may disagree, but I am such a sucker for something sentimental. I always save the cards my students give me if they include a personal note, because one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is touching people's lives.
Since Anne-Marie pointed to chocolate..........
Chocolate musical novelties:
Violins, "notes", keyboards etc.
My teacher has been very appreciative of receiving CDs previously missing from her library. This year she's getting a boxed set of Oistrakh's complete EMI recordings, which I found on sale at Amazon several weeks ago for $20 less than I paid for my copy.
Coffee punch cards, bottle of wine, anything homemade--especially homemade cards made by the students themselves. I don't care how old you are, I will always appreciate your homemade cards! And snowflakes...
A nice card.
Chocolate is good. Ghirardelli is the best, naturally...
12 Billion Dollars
11 Crates of Chocolate
10 Green Musafia Enigma violin cases (only green - don't even think about another color)
9 Concerts of James Ehnes playing solo Bach
8 Trips to Europe
7 Private violin lessons with Arnold Steinhardt
6 Van Goghs (including The Potato Eaters)
5 Darnton violins
4 Tourte bows
3 Del Gesus (not picky)
2 Strads (The Auer and The Soil)
And Permanant World Peace.
But a nice card is always the best. (Insert smiley face here).
Anne Horvath- As I was reading your list the song "12 Days of Christmas" was humming in my head!
Prune Butter by Simon Fischer!
Greetings,
why don`t you guys just send me your presents and I`ll tell you which I liked best so next year will not be a problem. If the earth lasts that long...
Cheers,
Buri
Oh Anne,I love your list--you considered everything--great work !
Last year me and a group of my friends pitch in to buy my teacher a new set of string, Kun Bravo and a Bogaro Carbon fiber tuner. He was so happy and still has everything including the string package with our names sign on it in his case.
I was very pleased when one of my students gave me an Itunes gift card.
Am I the only one who can't stand treble clef socks, keyboard ties and violin playing mice?
Chrostopher,
You mean you don't love all these things here?
http://www.allmusicgifts.com/violin-gifts.htm
How about something that is an indication that you recognize there is a person behind the violin? I think the best gift could be something that relates to other non-violin pursuits or discussions; they always occur. Since my instructor drives a performance convertable, maybe a print of a classic Porsche?
Violin cufflinks! Wurghhh!
I would say strings are always a good idea, and if bought in the right place can be pretty affordable ;) (might check if IUStrings has what you're looking for)
Anything personally made will also be very much appreciated as well I think. could be anything from a handmade card out of pressed flowers to cookies. My mind really doesn't think far beyond strings these days though.
-Emmanuel
Anne, I suggest you to go teach at Monaco or some places like this if you want these presents lol! Does Bill Gates have a son or daughter that needs a violin teacher? Then, I would recommend you!
Have a nice day!
Anne-Marie
Now that violin lessons are done until January, I would like to say that of my list of 12, #11 was answered brilliantly. I got sooooooooooo much chocolate this year!!!
Now, here is hoping that the students don't keep the violin cases closed for the next couple of weeks...
For my high school orchestra teacher, we all pitched in and bought a "white" unvarnished violin. They come with a fingerboard so we painted in school colors "Seniors '08" (we were graduating) and all signed our names in pencil. So that the colors and pencil didnt fade), I sprayed it with a matte-clearcoat which ended up bringing out the wood's natural flame. It turned out really beautiful. I still saw it on display in her office.
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December 14, 2008 at 07:17 PM ·
I'm sure he would love a couple new sets of strings.
There's also a famous pencil among musicians called Magic Writers, they love them.
Im sure he would like this though.
http://www.sharmusic.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=VG1