BEYOND THE BOOTH # 6: Ethan Levy

I’ve been on this journey for as long as I can remember. I still remember getting off the bus and running inside, excited to sit down at the piano and play for hours. Friends would be outside wanting to hang out, but I was glued to that piano bench.

It started with talent shows, chorus concerts, and eventually my first original performances.

Those early moments led to tours, playing in different states, colleges, and some truly incredible venues. I’ve been fortunate enough to share my music with people from all walks of life, and every stage taught me something new.

But the biggest thing I’ve taken away from all of it isn’t the shows or the miles traveled—it’s the people I’ve met along the way. The friendships, the connections, and the community that music creates have meant more than anything else.

Over the years, I’ve planted my roots here in the Hudson Valley, and that has led me to my next chapter:

The Ellis.

A place to inspire. A hub for creativity. An experience.

For a long time, I’ve felt that the Hudson Valley needed a space where people could truly express themselves. Somewhere you can show up exactly as you are. Somewhere you can create, connect, celebrate, dance, perform, and simply… be.

One of the coolest parts of that has been Emo Night. What started as an idea has turned into a room full of people singing every word to the songs that shaped us. The Ellis has given us a place to relive the music we grew up with—the songs we blasted in our bedrooms, burned onto CDs, put on our iPods, and used to get through some of life’s biggest moments. Watching hundreds of people come together and share that feeling has been something I’ll never forget.

The Ellis is becoming my home court. The place I think of when I want to create something meaningful and special. Every event feels like an opportunity to bring people together and build something bigger than ourselves.

It’s been a wild ride so far, and I genuinely get chills knowing that this journey—from that kid racing home to play piano, to touring and performing, to helping build nights that bring people together at The Ellis—has led me here.

And honestly, I feel like we’re just getting started.