August Student Spotlight: Avi Margolis

Our August 2024 Student Spotlight is shining on a passionate piano player who has a huge heart for animals – Avi Margolis. Avi studies with several teachers at Stages, including Shannon Czapla, Emily Gradowski, Brennan McShane, Molly Garrett and Evan Cooper,

When asked to describe Avi as a student, Brennan shared:

Avi is a stellar and extremely dedicated student of music, and truly embodies the mission of Stages day in and day out! Avi often takes several lessons per week on multiple days with multiple instructors, constantly searching for new insights and perspectives on the music he is studying. He always shows up with a positive attitude and an innate passion for music and learning.

Avi always finds time to set aside for lessons even while balancing his veterinary studies and working hard as a vet tech. He has dedicated so much over the past year to the piano, and can learn and retain music that I transcribe for his lessons about as fast as I can even figure it out with him!  

What is your instrument and how long have you been playing?

My instrument is piano and I’ve been playing for 6 years now. I started my sophomore year of high school where I learned how to play through my music class and many YouTube tutorials. I was self taught for quite awhile but when I started my senior year and after I graduated from high school my music teacher was kind enough to start privately teaching me. That went on for about a year and a half and then I went back to being self taught. Then in May of 2022 I found Stages and it was the best decision I ever made.

Who is your teacher and what do you appreciate most about them?

There is no single teacher that I learn from. I learn from 5 different teachers and I’m going to mention them all because I appreciate every single one of them. I take lessons with Evan Cooper, Molly Garrett, Shannon Czapla, Brennan McShane, and Emily Gradowski. To say that these five are fantastic would be an understatement. They are kind, patient, encouraging, and just downright amazing people. While all of their teaching methods are different, I can absolutely say with 100% certainty that I’ve benefited from every single one of them. It feels amazing to not only work with so many amazing people, but learn a bunch of unique strategies. All 5 of them are 11/10 teachers and I look forward to continue to work with all of them for many years to come.

What kind of music do you listen to or play? Who is one of your favorite artists?

I like to listen to a variety of different songs. I primarily enjoy VGM (Video Game Music) as well as music from my favorite movies and tv shows. There’s not one specific genre I’m interested in but a few popular artists I enjoy listening to include Fallout Boy, Skillet, Ace of Hearts, and Linkin Park.

What inspired you to start playing music?

All my music teachers from elementary school to high school have been an inspiration to me but I have to give a large majority of the credit to my father. He sang opera at synagogue and played a bit of piano as well and I am eternally grateful to have picked up his love for music. He is without a doubt the biggest inspiration to me when it comes to music.

What are some of your interests other than music?

My hobbies include playing video games, movies, and animals. I’m a big Nintendo fan and an even bigger Pokemon nerd. I know just about everything there is to know about the franchise. I also enjoy playing the Pokemon games competitively and managed to hit top 15 in the world in May. However, animals are my #1 passion of all. I’ve loved them ever since I was a toddler and always work hard to improve on my understanding of them so I can one day achieve my long term goal of being a zookeeper/aquarist.

Who are the musicians that inspire you?

A musician that’s been a very big inspiration to me is a piano player on YouTube named Marcus Veltri. When I watch him play, it reminds that the possibilities when it comes to music are endless.

What’s your favorite thing about Stages or do you have a favorite Stages memory?

It’s so difficult to pick my favorite thing about Stages. Everything about them is phenomenal. This place truly is one of my homes away from home/happy places. As someone who learns differently, I really wanted to make sure that wherever or whoever I learned from could teach the way I learn. To say that my first experience went well would be an understatement. During my very first lesson over a year ago, I immediately felt like part of a family. Everyone there is very encouraging, makes sure I’m completely comfortable when learning, and always push me to do the best I can do. I am eternally blessed to have found Stages and to be a part of this phenomenal community. As for my favorite memory, I’m probably gonna have to go with performing at this April’s open mic. It was my first time getting to perform like that in 2 years and it felt amazing.

What are your musical goals? 

Right now, my musical goals are to just learn new piano techniques so I can learn how to play all the songs I love so much. While I don’t want to pursue a career in music, it is still a hobby I am extremely passionate about and I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for me.                                                             

What do you love most about playing music?

What I love about playing music is that whenever, I play, I feel like I can be myself. In the past I’ve had a lot of trouble showing people who I really am. But now, even when I’m not playing, I’m incredibly happy with the person I see when I look in the mirror. Music is always going to be a passion of mine. It motivates me, reminds me to look at mistakes as learning opportunities instead of failures, and has helped me become a better person overall. I will always cherish the memories I have and will continue to make as I continue this musical journey.

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Do you know a student who deserves to be recognized? Nominate them for our Stages Student Spotlight!