Here is a range of music gift ideas for the music fanatic in your life, whether it friend, sibling, parent or partner.
From music-inspired bookends to a toy accordion for your budding maestro we have it covered
7 gifts for music-lovers, young and old
Fiona Maddocks's Music for Life – 100 works to carry you through
Whether you are a contemporary music enthusiast, or prefer core repertoire, Fiona Maddocks's book tells you everything you need to know about what fires you up when listening.
Choosing a hundred pieces of music - all appropriate for different stages and moments in a person's life - Maddocks explores what it is about each of them that inspires, delights or consoles. With facts, images, and quotes on each piece, it's a fascinating reflection on the power of music, and a great read for classical music novices and die-hard enthusiasts alike.
2000 piece orchestra puzzle
This 2000-piece triangular puzzle will provide hours, possibly days, maybe even weeks, of fun for both instrumentalists and non instrumentalists alike thanks to its size and the intricacy of its design.
The image - courtesy of the popular twentieth century French cartoonist Jean-Jacques Loup - is charming and once the puzzle's finished, it should look very striking in a frame. Word of warning: you do need a large table to lay the whole thing out on.
Musical bookends
These novelty vintage-look shelf tidies are an attractive addition to anybody's library, and, since they're made from a resin (weighing around 1.7kg in total), are strong and sturdy enough to hold up anything from books to vinyl records. With a hand-painted finish, they are also full of beautiful details; pianists can even have a go at reading the notes on the miniature music stand! A lovely, unusual present for both musicians and non-musicians.
Empire junior 6-in-1 bluetooth turntable music centre
With its handsome, dark wood design, this turntable music centre has oodles of vintage appeal. Yet it features a 3-speed turntable (33 1/3, 45, 78 RPM), Bluetooth connectivity to stream your favourite music, an FM Radio, CD and cassette player - with a refreshingly user-friendly design.
You can even connect it to your laptop to transfer vinyl to digital formats. Plus it's compact, portable, relatively affordable. And, by most accounts, the sound is great.
Colourful music stand
If the music is colourful, there's no reason why your music stand shouldn't be. If you want to add some extra va va voom to your concert, orchestra rehearsal or solo practice session (and who doesn't?), this stand-out music stand is a good way to start.
Toy accordion
A bright and fun starter accordion to help children begin exploring melody and rhythm. With seven keys and three bass buttons, it's easy to play, and makes a surprisingly big sound for a fairly small instrument. Plus it's durable enough to withstand many crashes.
The Musical Theatre card game
'Designed in London by theatre nerds, for theatre nerds' (as its creator Stage Insider puts it), this game puts Broadway fans through their paces, testing their knowledge of 52 musicals from classics like Les Misérables and My Fair Lady (some of the best stage musicals ever) to modern hits such as Six and Hamilton.
Luckily, though, you can choose whether you want intense one-on-one battles, or a more laid-back test of group knowledge. After a full Christmas dinner, I know which one I'd go for. Suitable for ages 4 +.
