WELCOME TO
A GIFT FOR MUSIC

Helping students reach their personal and musical potential!

Give the gift of music today!

Our students perform throughout the Central Florida area and practice new skills, teamwork, and more!

Who We Are

Our mission is to empower Orlando’s under-resourced youth to envision a positive future for themselves and discover their own creativity through music and music education.

Our vision is to help every child reach their musical and personal potential through music and arts education.

Our program was founded in 1999 and is A Gift for Teaching’s flagship arts education program. Designed to provide students with musical enrichment, practice, and performance, we utilize every available avenue to nurture a student’s musical growth from 3rd grade through their high school graduation. We offer after-school programs at five Orange County elementary school locations as well as a comprehensive orchestra program for our elementary through high school students, summer camp, and a host of performance opportunities – all 100% tuition-free!

Three smiling students holding string instruments

Who We Serve

Since 1999, A Gift for Music has worked with more than 11,000 under-resourced students in Orlando, providing them with tuition-free string music education. Approximately 90% of A Gift for Music’s students qualify for free or reduced lunches at their school, meaning that A Gift for Music provides music instruction to students who otherwise could not afford it.

Programs

AFTER-SCHOOL VIOLIN CLASSES

Our Elementary Strings Program is at the heart of A Gift for Music’s programming.

SATURDAY STRING ORCHESTRAS

A Gift for Music’s six Saturday String Ensembles rehearse each week during the school year and perform regularly throughout the community.

SMALL ENSEMBLES

Playing everything from jazz, salsa, and pop music to Tchaikovsky and Borodin, our ensemble performs all over Central Florida for community events.

“AGFM has helped me combine my passion in teaching and helping others. I have grown not only as a teacher but as a person. Seeing students from different walks of life coming together to work on and perform music is such a blessing and I am thankful for the opportunities AGFM has given me over the years. “

Cristina Garcia, A Gift for Music Instructor

“AGFM provided us an opportunity we would otherwise not be able to access without paying a small fortune. My sons do not have the option to learn to play an instrument at their elementary school. This was not only an incredible opportunity, but it was absolutely free! We are so thankful that AGFM exists!”

A Gift for Music Parent

“A Gift for Music has been a formative part of my life and I greatly appreciate everything the organization does for its students!”

Ananya, A Gift for Music Student

“It has completely lifted my daughter‘s confidence. Ever since she started playing with AGFM she began to love the time that she spends practicing her violin. It has made her more social and she gets that really great feeling that only playing with other musicians can give… it’s great to see them playing with so much joy!”

A Gift for Music Parent

“Whatever event in life we go through, there are a thousand years’ worth of music written by people who might’ve felt the same.”

Zulieka, A Gift for Music Student

“My experience teaching with the AGFM after-school violin program was amazing. The students were all in awe of the violin, and at first the majority said they never thought they would be able to play. This program brought them hope by showing them that anything is possible and that they can do whatever they want in life.”  

Daniela Sierralta, A Gift for Music Instructor