Last Second Gifts for Musicians

December 12, 2017

The holiday season is closing in, but we’re sure you’ve already done all of your shopping, right? What’s that? Oh just a few more things to get? Still trying to figure out what to get the musician in your family? Oh you haven’t even started… Ahhh.. OK well we’re here to help.

Sunburst Gift Cards

Redeemable for lessons, group programs, band coaching and summer camps, Sunburst gift cards are the perfect gift for your friends, family members, neighbors, and neighbor’s friend’s family members.

Vibes Hi-Fidelity Ear Plugs

Ear plugs are totally essential for drummers or musicians involved in a band program but for other musicians, a nice pair can be really useful for concert going and walking past construction sites. Vibes are a low cost alternative to the fancy custom molded kind and compared to the standard foam ear plugs, do a great job of just lowering the volume without muffling or changing the sound

Musician’s Dice

musiciansdice Roll these simple and brilliant dice to find your way into a scale or chord progression that you never would have thought of or expected. Gamify your practice, start a prog rock band, write new songs or just see where the music takes you with Musician’s Dice available from Amazon.

Turntable, Amplifier & Speakers

Teach your young musician the magic of music listening the old fashioned way with a vinyl listening setup. Getting into vinyl makes us more mindful about our music listening, reduces screen time, and makes for some fun trips to our neighbor in Squirrel Hill, Jerry’s Records! We recommend going with a separate turntable, amplifier and speakers over an all-in-one unit so that you can upgrade pieces individually later. Here is a buyer’s guide.

Spotify Subscription

spotify …and/or if your favorite music listener is more of a streamer, a subscription to Spotify is the best way to give the gift of endless, ad-less listening. Once you’ve got them signed up, make sure they follow and playlist their favorite Sunburst instructor’s bands ;)

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Sunburst News - August 2025

August 1, 2025

August- Issue #96

5 Reasons to Start Playing in a Band

July 30, 2025

As summer break comes to a close, we’re gearing up for the next term of the Sunburst Band Program and would love to see some new faces this fall. Playing in a band is one of the best ways to progress as a musician, so we put together a list of five reasons why we encourage our students to seek out opportunities to play in groups—whether it's starting a band or jamming with a couple of friends. Progress Your rhythm, timing, and listening skills improve quickly when you start playing in a band or group setting. While private lessons and solo practice are essential pieces of the puzzle, playing with others introduces new variables—like tempo changes, dynamics, and coordination—that challenge you to stay in sync with your bandmates and adapt to each other. We’ve seen so many students level up after just a couple months in the Sunburst Band Program–the progress happens fast! Friends and Connections We love watching our students and their families become friends and our band program has been a natural starting point for many of those relationships. Some of our current bands have stayed together for years, and it's awesome to see them hang out outside of lessons and support each other at shows. Plus, one of the best ways to get gigs is through connections with other musicians! Motivation Playing in a band is super motivating because you're part of a group working toward an exciting shared goal. Whether you're learning a new song, building a set list, or getting ready for a show, the process becomes more exciting and rewarding when you're making music you love with people you enjoy being around. That shared energy turns practice into something much more fun and meaningful. Performing Performing can be nerve-wracking, but it gets easier the more you do it, and being on stage with your friends makes it less scary. We love seeing how our students' stage presence and confidence grow with each performance—it’s one of our favorite parts of being teachers! As we mentioned, shows are a great place to make connections with musicians who you’d like to collaborate with in the future. Simply put, playing more shows leads to playing more shows. Creative Outlet Music is a powerful tool for expression, and it’s important to have outlets for that at any age! Life is very fast paced for many of us, and it can be tough to pause and do the things you enjoy. Band practice can be a consistent anchor in your week—something you can rely on for connection, processing, and creating with your bandmates. As corny as it sounds, playing music is good for your spirit! If you’d like to know more about the Sunburst Band Program, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us for more information. We also recommend talking with your private lessons instructor so that they’re aware and can help you prepare.