What Christmas gift do you buy for the culture-lover in your life who seems to have everything? Buying a thoughtful present that is appreciated and will be used – and not immediately regifted come the New Year – is the holy grail.
Bachtrack is here to help! Luckily our staff is made up of people who not only know a lot about the classical music, opera and dance world – but are all living it. I asked each of them what was on their cultural Christmas list this year, and here are the results. Maybe some of these ideas can help you buy for your family and friends, or perhaps inspire your own list.
Handmade viola-shaped chopping board from Smoky Mountain Bow Knife
Ever since I saw this at a friend’s house, I have dreamt of having one just like it! It is the ideal accessory for pre-concert aperitifs for music lovers... or post-rehearsal drinks for musicians who need to let off steam. And who hasn’t dreamt of cutting up the viola of the person sitting next to them, after a hard day’s work? (Yes, for my part, I think it is a viola, god knows why...). Tristan Labouret, French Editor and Principal Viola
Buy this gift
($ US site, ships worldwide)
Make Your Own Music Box kit
I’m not sure I would have the patience for this, but I love the idea, and that’s what Christmas is about, isn’t it? A personalised music box is such a nostalgic thing. Music boxes were very common when I was a child and every one, no matter how simple, would have a different melody. It seems that nowadays most of the music boxes I come across share the same few melodies. So in the hope of being patient enough and bringing out some basic composing skills, I’d like my own music box with as many melodies as possible! Katia de Miguel, Spanish Editor
Buy this gift
(€ Spanish Amazon site, ships worldwide)
Mozartkugel Musical Box, or a model mechanical celesta
Salzburg is a wonderful place to visit, and my Christmas present choice for the music lover in your life combines two of its finest exports: Mozart and Mozartkugeln, the spherical chocolate and marzipan confections named after him. The Mozartkugel Musical Box is made from waxed beechwood shaped like the chocolate and plays Cherubino’s aria “Voi che sapete” from The Marriage of Figaro.
Buy this gift
(€ Greek site, ships worldwide)
Staying with the Mozartian theme, in The Magic Flute, Papageno is given a set of magic bells to play should he find himself in danger. This was originally played on a keyed glockenspiel but a celesta is usually employed these days. For those who enjoy jigsaw puzzles and assembling things, why not buy them this model “mechanical celesta”? It is much more a keyed glockenspiel, really, and comes in hundreds of tiny parts (no glue required) to keep them occupied for hours. Mark Pullinger, Editor
Buy this gift
(€ German site, ships worldwide)
Every Valley: The Story of Handel’s Messiah by Charles King, or a singer’s music folder
If you want to understand how the literature, music, history and economics of an era intertwine, then Charles King’s Every Valley: The Story of Handel’s Messiah is a book you should read. It’s rare that an author has the courage to cover so many subjects in a relatively short work and to make it read like a novel, but if you are prepared to follow King down the rabbit holes he selects, this is a grand read.
The title doesn’t get across the scope of the book, which has appeal for music lovers, history nuts and anyone else curious. King gives a good sense of the contradictions of the time, when liberal thinkers frequented coffee-houses with speculators making vast profits from slavery, when Thomas Arne wrote Rule Britannia and Jonathan Swift published Gulliver’s Travels.
Buy this gift
(£ UK site, ships worldwide)
A really good black folder is a great present for any choral singer. It should have room for several bound scores or lots of one-page songs, and a strap you can slip your hand through at the back, so you can hold it safely with one hand for two hours without getting cramp. This would be a truly deluxe gift for me! Alison Karlin, Director
Buy this gift
(€ German company, ships worldwide)
Music Stand Light
The most useful item on my Christmas list this year is a clip-on light for music stands. I play the violin in an amateur orchestra, and the venue where we perform has pretty terrible lighting on the stage. I’m squinting at the page during every concert, cursing my lack of stand light. Mind you, it’s a good excuse for not quite getting all the notes right… Jo Johnson, Head of Marketing
Buy this gift
(£ UK site, ships worldwide)
Singing lessons, a Come and Sing day, or cinema vouchers
Give a singing lesson! Whether you’re going to join a choir or band, have a singalong with friends or sing a lullaby to your kids, I've found there’s nothing more life-giving than the joy of using your voice with confidence. Unsurprisingly, there’s a specialist website to find someone – online as well as in person.
Buy this gift
(£ UK site, in-person teachers in UK, US, Germany, Ukraine; online worldwide)
Or for experienced singers, a ticket for a “Come and Sing” event is the most fantastic way to learn a piece of music inside out. Obviously, the choice will depend on where you live, but here’s a great-looking example in Birmingham: I can personally attest that Simon Halsey does these things phenomenally.
Buy this gift
(£ UK only, check your local sites for others)
Or for opera diehards who don’t sing: how about cinema vouchers, or a Netflix subscription so they can watch Maria, the new biopic of Maria Callas with Angelina Jolie? David Karlin, Director
Maria is on Netflix from 11th December
In UK & Irish cinemas from 10th January 2025
In German cinemas from 6th February 2025
Lacrimosa board game
My husband and I have been thinking about upgrading our boardgame collection recently, and we came across the perfect board game to add to the list – Lacrimosa. It’s a splendid way to encourage non-musician friends to discover more about Mozart’s life and works, through a fun competition to become Mozart’s biggest patron. Maggie Kochoska Spiroski, Admin Officer and Listings Guru
Buy this gift
(£ UK site, ships to EU and US)
Musical dominoes from Hamtil & Söhne, Vienna
Each year families gather around their dining tables for a friendly evening of board games and Christmas leftovers. My family is no different. And we are competitive. But after years of going bankrupt landing on my sister’s Park Lane hotels, or getting trapped behind a wall of checkers, I know exactly what I want for Christmas: Musical Dominoes. With a rather unmusical family, I can not only smell mulled wine and Christmas cookies, I smell victory! Elisabeth Schwarz, Press Manager and German Editor
Buy this gift direct
(€ Austrian site, ships worldwide)
Musical Wine Glass
I spotted these quirky wine glasses at the Southbank Centre shop in London, and the printed music notes immediately caught my attention. I have always had a soft spot for unique design pieces, especially those crafted by innovative, out-of-the-box designers – and the Southbank Centre shop never disappoints! This musical wine glass could be a brilliant way to add a playful note to dinner parties with friends, combining drinks with some creativity! Clara Colotti, Sales
Buy this gift
(£ UK site, ships worldwide)
Ballet Scandals by Julian Braunsweg, or a Bunheads Footsie Roller
This is still a great read and full of humour! Published in 1973, it's about the challenges of founding and running a touring ballet company and the many dramas and hilarious situations that are a daily occurrence. Festival Ballet is now English National Ballet but I am sure that many of the tales told will resonate with anyone interested in the profession today, particularly if you like some gossip-worthy reading fodder (and who doesn’t?).
Buy this gift
(£ UK site, shipping dependent on individual sellers)
You don’t have to be a ballet dancer to realise your feet need some attention, so I would invest in one of these great Footsie Rollers, appropriately made by Bunheads, which really help get all the little muscles in your feet moving again when you stand on it. And if you’re working from home and on Zoom, no one will ever know.
Deborah Weiss, Dance Editor
Buy this gift
(£ UK site, ships to most countries worldwide, weight limit may apply)
Bach and Mozart Playmobil figures
Working from home is a solitary experience and I can always use some genius company and astute musical counsel. That’s why I decided that it’s time to treat myself to Playmobil’s charming Bach and Mozart figures. Bach brings his violin, quill, and some Baroque flair, while Mozart arrives in full-wigged glory with a violin and dazzling shoe buckles. These iconic composers and I are ready to make history… Stoyancho Bakovski, Sales
Buy Mozart or Bach
(Mozart: € Austrian site, ships worldwide; Bach: £ UK Amazon site, ships worldwide)
Bonus suggestions!
In researching this article we came across a few items that were too good to leave out:
PapeDuck
One for the fans of bass René Pape: now you can own his rubber duck doppelgänger!
Buy this gift
($ US site, ships worldwide)
Streaming site subscriptions
Lots of the video streaming sites are offering gift cards and subscriptions:
Stage+
Medici.tv
Symphony.live
Berliner Philharmoniker Digital Concert Hall
Marquee TV
Idagio
Gift vouchers for tickets or memberships
Orchestras, opera companies and ballet companies around the world offer various ways to give people access to concerts and performances or memberships for deeper involvement. Here are a few, but do get in touch with your local company to check what they offer:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra
Berliner Philharmoniker
Oper Frankfurt
BCN Classics (Barcelona)
Teatro Real (Madrid)
Opéra National de Paris
Opéra National de Lorraine
West Australian Ballet
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Musikverein, Vienna
Latvian National Opera and Ballet
Royal Swedish Opera
Grieghallen, Bergen
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
Bachtrack has not received payment to promote these items, and we do not earn commission from clicks to external websites.
