Margaret Goreshnik has her love – she has had it for a quarter of a century and more.
Goreshnik, a native Estonian and resident of Sarasota, loves music in every part of her being. It’s what she learned when her mother introduced her to the piano and violin and took her to take lessons. It’s what she came to love so much that after moving to Florida, she opened the Allegro Academy of Music, Etiquette and Dance in Sarasota.
The Goreshnik Music Academy recently celebrated 25 years of activity, a quarter of a century of sharing musical knowledge, etiquette advice, and dance crafts with hundreds of students. It is a milestone that makes Goreshnik proud, who has dedicated herself to this area with everything she has.
“I like teaching music to children,” said Goreshnik. “Is not it beautiful? What can be better? “
Goreshnik began her musical endeavors 30 years ago in Manatee County, where she taught students at a church. Over time, she opened her academy.
The school teaches students to play a range of musical instruments including piano keyboard, violin, viola guitar, acoustic electric bass, mandolin, banjo, ukulele part, saxophone, flute, clarinet, and others. The school focuses on classical music, but will move on to Christmas music and more modern pieces of music during the season if there is interest. Some students attend classes once a week, while others attend classes every few days or more.
It is important to Goreshnik that Allegro Academy hires an adequate level of teaching quality and ensures that their teachers have a bachelor’s or master’s degree to teach students.
Classes also require help for families in need. Goreshnik says she and her staff are working hard to make scholarships available to students. The academy director also donated her own piano, cello and other instruments to the school for the students.
“It’s not our obligation, but I feel like I have to give back to the community with all the love they’ve given me,” she said. “People have helped me and I want to give something back.”
The pandemic has brought new challenges and wrinkles for its employees to adapt to. What Goreshnik and her teaching staff once worked with 20 students in one classroom has now become a situation where only about five students learn musical crafts together while they are away from each other. Other school teachers teach the students virtually. It’s a necessary situation, but one that Goreshnik says is still difficult.
“It’s a lot more committed to us financially, but we’re doing it,” said Goreshnik. “That’s why our students come to us because they know we are a safe place … no student got sick in our school.”
All of the hard work and focus goes to a series of performances that Allegro students and community workers are putting on. The school used to have monthly shows but has moved on to quarterly events since the pandemic started. Students play a mix of music from South America, Russia, Thailand and other countries. Goreshnik thinks it is important that students play music from all over the world.
In addition to the musical craft and practice for each instrument, Goreshnik says her school teaches students how to have faith. Believe that with the right work and focus, they can play in orchestras and musical groups across the country and around the world.
That belief is needed now more than ever. Goreshnik says she’s just waiting for the day the pandemic spreads and she and her students can put on even more shows for people in the community.
“I’m excited,” said Goreshnik. “I love what I do.”