SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — One of the many things students learn is how to overcome obstacles to succeed. A native of South America is proving that now in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Put Scranton High School Junior Fabio Zapata Morales in front of a piano and he is right at home, even if it is the school music room. He plays entirely by ear.
The 17-year-old native of Peru enrolled in the Scranton School District in the 2024-25 school year.
He explains how he first started playing the keyboard instrument as a four-year-old when his mother bought him one while his family lived in Lima.
Fabio not only has to overcome a lack of vision, but also a language barrier.
"Fabio came to us last year from Peru. He only spoke Spanish at the time. He's beginning to learn English, but he also plays the piano, and he's really developed a great relationship with students, staff, and everyone involved," Christopher Gallagher, a teacher of the visually impaired at the Scranton School District, explained.
Whether he is playing at school recitals or just in the music room, his passion for the piano is contagious.
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"It's been really cool to see how the students respond to him and how he responds to the students and the staff to kind of pair up and together it's been cool to see, like, how interactive they are with one another," shared Gallagher.
"The students are really impressed with by how he can just listen and take all that and just start playing," continued Gallagher.
Fabio is working on taking his musical talent to the next level.
"So, he will take a combination of what he learned. Some music is a little bit different, new songs, more challenging songs, with like maybe different notes using both hands, so he's beginning to kind of learn how to do that, whereas he's not used to doing that. He's kind of used to playing in one area," said Gallagher.
Fabio says that when people listen to him, they feel happy. It is safe to say they also feel inspired by every note he plays.
Fabio tells his teachers that he would like to work at a hotel someday and perform on the piano for guests.
Here's to you, Fabio.
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