The ancients say that music is a gift from above, from the realms of heaven and the stars. Whether or not one follows spiritual or religious beliefs, it’s clear that music is a sublime gift given to humanity so that we may celebrate and exalt our existence.
It makes perfect sense, then, that one should consider giving the gift of music for the holidays. Doing so can enhance connections to your friends and fellow people, providing the gift-giver with a heightened sense of purpose while imbuing those who receive such musical gifts with an opportunity to really celebrate who they are and what they themselves can experience during the holiday season and well after.
Although it's not always easy to choose this lofty gift, the rewards are manifest in the joy and years of enjoyment such demonstrations of love and devotion can bring.
With that in mind, here’s a simple yet authoritative guide to giving the gift of music this year for the holidays.
Pimentel and Sons Guitars
Let's start with beautiful handcrafted guitars as a timely gift. Albuquerque offers several choices in this regard, but the luthiers at Pimentel and Sons guitars offer elegance, beauty, playability, and excellent quality to make such a choice noteworthy and memorable. The Pimementel family has been making guitars in New Mexico since 1951; nearly 75 years later, “The family name is known around the world as one of the best family guitar makers alive. They make each instrument completely by hand, “tailored specifically to each customer”, according to the guitar-makers themselves. Taking a quick look at what this local cultural treasure has to offer reveals several beautiful options, gift-wise. These guitars are hand-made by renowned brotherly craftsmen. They are luxurious and a luxury, too.
“The Pimentel Brothers craft classical, flamenco, and acoustic guitars, as well as mandolins and ukuleles," says Rick Pimentel, one of the chief artists responsible for the brand. The luthier says that the prices for such amazing instruments range from $3,500 to $4,500 for the M-1 classical guitar made with mahogany to their famous Flamenco guitar, complete with European spruce body, ebony fretboard, and Spanish cedar neck for $12,000. The classical Grand Concert Jacaranda Indo Dream Catcher, featuring a body fashioned from Amazon Rosewood and featuring intricate inlay, is priced from $8,000 to $45,000. For more details and to order these magnificent musical instruments for the holidays, contact Rick Pimentel at 505.884.1669.
The Professor of Violins
Peter White, a professor emeritus at the University of New Mexico’s English Department, also makes “some of the finest American Violins available”, as he puts it. Professor White writes that he “started the study of professional violin making in 1980 with Jan Pawlikowski in Krakow, Poland”, where he learned traditional crafting methods using ages-old European processes. Up to this date, he has made over 250 violins, violas, cellos, and mandolins. Whites’ violins are famous for their smooth and vibrant sound, intense beauty, and heirloom quality. To enlist White in the construction of your next favorite symphonic-quality instrument, it’s necessary to contact him by telephone or email so that he can begin the design and fabrication process to your liking. Whites’s custom violins all have a base price of $12,000; this includes three different models, including the Peter White Stradivari “Tuscan”, and the Stradivari “Messiah”. Reaching out to Professor White is as easy as dialing 505.280.7601 or emailing peter505white@gmail.com.
All That Jazz!
While it's certain that the previous gift ideas are luxury items that may appeal to a specific audience, it’s important to note that the gift of music is still accessible to all if one knows where to look in this tune-filled town.
Jazz has always been big in Albuquerque, and some of our city’s lauded ensemble and solo performances are available to make the holidays and new year brighter and more boldly musical. Here, a tuneful research session provides the following idea for a jazzy stocking stuffer.
New Mexico Jazz Workshop has been producing top-quality concerts in the 505 since 1979, when a group of jazz musicians in Santa Fe moved south to Albuquerque to spread the word about the beauty and elegance of jazz music. By becoming a member of this organization, local listeners and concert-goers can access this amazing world, and membership can be quite a gift. There are three levels of membership here, including the Hall of Fame Membership for $250. This level of membership includes one half-pass for Friday & Saturday shows in the Summer Concert Series (8 punches total, up to two punches per show), Early entry (6:15 pm) for the Jazz Workshop’s Summer Concert Series, and discounted concert tickets and adult education classes for two adults. The next level is called the All-Star Membership for $500; benefits include one full pass for Friday and Saturday shows in the Summer Concert Series (15 punches total, up to two punches per show), early entry (6:15 pm) for their Summer Concert Series, and discounted concert tickets and adult education classes for two adults. The ultimate level of membership is known as the ‘Jazz Patron’ membership, which costs $1,000. This essential key to listening in Albuquerque includes two full passes for Friday and Saturday shows in the Summer Concert Series (15 punches total, up to two punches per show), Early entry (6:15 pm) for the Summer Concert Series, and, of course, discounted concert tickets and adult education classes for two adults. For more information, contact the fine folks at NM Jazz workshop, 505.362.4073.
With these kinds of luxurious musical choices available here in our bustling city, we hope that you will be able to ring in the holidays harmoniously, melodically, and with a sense of the power and beauty that resides in the music all around us.
Those who receive such musical gifts have an opportunity to really celebrate who they are.
Music is a sublime gift given to humanity so that we may celebrate and exalt our existence.