Philadelphia Orchestra Instrument Drive

by Juliet Fletcher

While giving the gift of music to a child -- such as an MTV-fed niece and nephew -- may still involve a trip to the rap-metal aisle of a CD emporium, this year you can pass on the artifacts of your musical childhood to a child who'll really appreciate them. For the first time, Strings For Schools, an organization that brings instruments to local schools, has joined up with The Philadelphia Orchestra to harness the full generosity of its classical-music audience. Throughout the run of the Orchestra's Winter Wonderland concerts, donated instruments, in mint condition or in need of a tune-up, will be accepted; the lucky recipients will be five local schools: D.N. Fell School, Francis Scott Key Elementary, George Thomas Middle School, Meredith School, and Abram Jenks School.

The beauty of the program, which has been running for 28 years, is that it fills the void left by cutbacks in music education in the classroom: Once-ignored strings, keyboards, flutes or any other music-making equipment are given to children ready to learn how to make the most of them. The wider scope of the program also includes musical classes and workshops, helping kids to develop their own unusual musical tastes: So far, this year's appeal has already collected five instruments, including a concert accordion -- which organizers say has already been eagerly assigned to a school which can use it. So, though the lucky parents may not get much sleep once their little darling gets his or her hands on a trumpet or full drum kit, you'll sleep easy, knowing you passed on a rare kind of inheritance.

Philadelphia Orchestra Instrument Drive, in conjunction with Winter Wonderland concerts. Instruments can be dropped off Wed.-Sat., Dec. 18-21, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., Dec. 22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., The Kimmel Center, 260 S. Broad St., 215-875-7644.