Manolis Stagakis was born in Rethymno, Crete (Greece). He started to concern himself with the accordion at the age of 6. He attended the music school of Rethymno, while also deepening his accordion studies at the Hellenic Conservatory of Music and Arts. He continued his studies in advanced music theory and bayan at the Philippos Nakas Conservatory in Athens, Greece. During the same period, he took lessons from Giorgos Kyriakakis and Iraklis Vavatsikas.

During his studies in Athens he participated in numerous courses and master classes in Italy and Germany, including with Elsbeth Moser, Yuri Shishkin, Richard Galliano, Mika Vayrynen, and Luciano Bondini.

After receiving his diploma in both subjects, he continued his studies in 2008 at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media (hmtmh – Hochschule für Musik Theater und Medien Hannover) in Hannover, Germany with Prof. Elsbeth Moser. After graduating, he also completed the Master course receiving the degree with honors.

Since 2008 he has been working with many European music groups and orchestras and gave concerts in several cities in Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, and Greece.

In 2012 he founded the accordion quartet „Téssares“, with which he won the first prize at the international competition in Pula, Croatia.

In 2013 he became “Yehudi Menuhin” – scholarship holder at „Live Music Now“ (LMN) in Hannover.

In 2014 he started teaching at the musical school “Musikschule Schaumburger Märchensänger” in Bückeburg, Germany, to which he was appointed a director in 2019.

In 2015 he co-founded the Tango and Jazz Duo “ViAccord” together with Angelina Nalbantova.

In 2016 he participated in the program “Akkordeon im Klassenzimmer” and also in the “Akkordeon Festival” of “Musikland Niedersachsen” as project leader and performer. He is a visiting professor and teaches workshops at the “Hellenic Conservatory of Music & Arts” in Crete, Greece, and serves as a panel member for the youth competition “Jugend musiziert.”