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Finding graduation gift ideas for violin, viola, and cello players is tricky! Instead of endless searches, try some of these 18 gift ideas for violin, viola, and cello. Have another great idea? Leave it in the comments below!
Are you looking for graduation gift Ideas for violin, viola, and cello students?
Every year, around this time, we say goodbye to wonderful violin, viola and cello students who are graduating, and wish them well as they head off to college and out into the world.
It’s always a little sad, for us, but also exciting as we look forward to hearing about their future adventures, both in and out of the music world. But picking out a graduation gift for a musician can be a little challenging! Here are some gift ideas to get you started.
Whether you’re buying a gift for a student bound for conservatory or for a student who loves music but won’t be pursuing it as a career, this gift guide will help you set the right note for a young musician’s future!
Some of these gifts work well for violin, viola, and cello so make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom!
We don’t earn any affiliate money from this post! Clicking on these links supports Johnson String Instruments, which was the first store to carry our books, over 20 years ago!
Violin Supply Gift Ideas
This Cecilia rosin is a current favorite of mine, and it’s definitely a splurge that most students won’t buy for themselves! It even comes with a built-in rosin spreader, which is a very useful gadget that helps distribute the rosin more evenly. The Cecilia viola rosin is just as good for viola as it is for violin!
I have several of these Artino practice mutes, so I can keep one with every instrument. They have a rubbery grip, so they don’t fall off, but they are also heavy enough to really dampen the sound. This would be so useful for a student who might not want to disturb other people with their practicing. They work for violin and viola.
Violin Music Gift Ideas
Many students take a little break from practicing as they adjust to college life. When they go to pick up their instrument again, they often feel rusty and out of practice. This book is a fun and not too challenging way to enjoy playing again! Furthermore, a few students will find themselves gigging in college for extra money. These books are perfect for solo gigs! Flying Solo Book 1 is a little less challenging, but still a collection of fun and familiar pieces.
When a student is practicing and learning on their own for the first time, tackling a well-known work can feel intimidating. But with this Study Book for the famous Bach Double Violin Concerto, with targeted exercises for each passage, learning the piece is much easier! It reminds them that practicing can be fun!
Violin Book Gift ideas
There’s so much great information and insight in this book. It’s a perfect graduation gift idea for musicians beginning to navigate the professional world of music for the first time!
This book tells the inspiring story of the Guarneri Quartet, from the perspective of their first violinist, Arnold Steinhardt. Often hilarious, always fascinating, it is a must-read for young musicians!
Viola Supply Gift Ideas
This Liebenzeller Gold rosin works well for viola and violin, and it’s a fun upgrade that most students won’t buy for themselves!
A charming graduation gift for any string player, this puzzle box is a wonderful keepsake! Here is a similar one.
Viola Music Gift Ideas
These intensive open-string workouts are perfect for students working on their own. With a focus on tone and bow agility, players will notice an improvement in their own sound in just two weeks of playing these exercises, even after a break from playing their instrument!
This unaccompanied book of folk and fiddle tunes is perfect for playing for fun, or for easy gigs.
Viola Book Gift Ideas
This comprehensive book provides strategies for practicing, managing performance anxiety and nerves, and dealing with music-related injuries and physical challenges. Some great information from a seasoned musician!
Any musician who has played an opera or a Broadway show knows how pain can affect your enjoyment of your instrument. This book has a great perspective and helpful tips for managing the physical issues associated with string playing.
Cello Supply Gift Ideas
Hill dark rosin is a reliable cello rosin that gives just the right amount of traction and grip. If you’re looking for a graduation gift idea, this classic formula is sure to become a fave of your graduating cellist. This is the only rosin Cassia and her students will use!
Dycem matting is a wonderfully useful gift! Buy a roll and cut into squares for gifts. It’s washable and perfectly sticky and can go under endpin rests to make them much more secure. Cassia doesn’t do well with the Black hole because the endpin hole is so shallow that it sometimes flips while she’s playing. She uses this under her Vivacello rock stop for a great hold!
Cello Music Gift Ideas
This is a great book for cellists learning and practicing on their own. The specific targeted exercises tackle each challenge in the piece. Embellishments are explained in a clear and easy way. A must-have in every cellist’s library!
Whether it’s solo gigs, or playing for family and friends for fun, this book of intermediate level folk and fiddle pieces has you covered!
Cello Book Gift Ideas
Generations of cellists have been inspired by the passion and energy of this remarkable performer. This book is a chance to take a closer look at the legendary Jacqueline du Pre.
This book is a wonderful companion to the lifelong exploration of Bach that every cellist will find themselves doing. It has wisdom and fresh insight for every age, and every level! The perfect graduation gift idea for a cellist heading out into the world of music!
Choosing a graduation gift for a string student is an opportunity to celebrate not only what they have accomplished, but also the music they may continue making for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some other useful gifts for students continuing music in college?
Students continuing music in college often appreciate durable music bags, high-quality tuners or metronomes, practice tools, score organizers, music stand lights, and advanced technique or repertoire books that support serious study.
Can music books make good graduation gifts?
Music books can make excellent graduation gifts because they continue helping students long after graduation. Technique books, duet collections, scale books, and repertoire studies can inspire continued growth and enjoyment of music.
How can I encourage a student to keep playing after graduation?
Gifts that make music enjoyable and accessible can help students continue playing after graduation. Music that matches their interests, approachable technique books, chamber music, and fun performance opportunities can all encourage lifelong involvement in music.