When everyone who knows him adoringly sings his praises, piano
professor Vitaly Margulis can’t help but crack a sly smile
and reveal the secret to his long-standing success as a piano
teacher.
“It is not important if I’m good or not,”
Margulis said. “When the students think I’m good, they
can learn faster.”
For the record, Margulis is plenty good ““ good enough to
receive critical acclaim for his numerous recordings, publications
and live performances.
His students have won more than 100 prizes at international
competitions over the last few decades, 28 of which were grand
prizes.
Piano enthusiasts can witness this piano guru’s expertise
this Wednesday night in Schoenberg Hall, where a gala concert
celebrating his 75th birthday will feature performances by Margulis
and family members Natasha, Alissa and Jura.
Colleagues and students have described Margulis as a benevolent
human being with seemingly no flaws. Does the man have any
shortcomings?
“Of course I have weaknesses I can improve on,”
Margulis said. “When an artist thinks he is great, he goes
down. But as a teacher, I don’t show my weaknesses to the
students.”
Playful response aside, Margulis teaches his pupils the
importance of being an “elegant person” and the duty of
being sensitive as musicians. According to third-year piano
performance student Michelle Lee, every lesson with Professor
Margulis is not only about music, but also about life.
“I was working on this slow, lyrical movement of the
Brahms sonata, and there was a duet between the left and right
hands,” Lee said. “I usually just listen to one melody,
but Professor Margulis said, “˜This phrase is about two people
in love. Now, if someone were in love with you, he would listen to
what you have to say instead of dominating the conversation.’
That is how most of his lessons work. He never directly says to me
that I am not listening to both melodies. The analogies he uses are
so much more useful because they stay with me forever.”
A native of Russia, Margulis immigrated to Germany in 1974,
where he established himself as a premier performer and teacher
throughout Europe before com ing to UCLA in 1994.
“He is the reason I came here from Japan,” said
Kanae Matsumoto, a D.M.A. piano student.
“He is basically one of the most famous piano teachers in
the world,” added fellow piano professor Jennifer Snow.
As Lee can attest, Margulis is still revered and remembered by
his students worldwide.
“I was in Russia with him for a master class, and we were
walking down the street,” Lee said. “Some random guy
stops us and exclaims, “˜Professor Margulis, remember me? I
was in your class 25 years ago in St. Petersburg
Conservatory.’ He was so happy to see Professor Margulis, and
it was just amazing to see how influential he is to his
student’s life.”
A wizened master, Margulis remembers a time when he was a
student of his pianist father.
“When I was four, my father taught only my older
brother,” Margulis said. “But I watched them and
learned to play even better than my brother. My father realized
that I had the talent, and he knew he had to teach me.”
Margulis’s brother would go on to become another kind of
artist ““ a painter. His paintings adorn Margulis’ piano
studio, where he regularly passes his gift on to others.
“An artist can express himself with no words ““ it is
intuitive,” Margulis said. “(Being) a teacher is about
thinking, (it’s) more like being a scientist. My job is to
diagnose what my students are doing wrong, what they’re
missing, what they need. I’m here to try to make them
better.”
Prof. Vitaly Margulis’ 75th birthday celebration is
tomorrow at 8 p.m. at Schoenberg Hall. Tickets are $10, $7 for
students.