Alec Van Khajadourian performs to his strengths.
And the five-year-old, a piano prodigy from Los Angeles, is poised to indicate off his sturdy swimsuit — on one in all NYC’s most storied phases this Sunday.
“I can’t wait to get on stage at Carnegie Hall and play for everyone,” little Alec enthused to The Publish. “I’m so excited!.”
The ivory-tickling tot would be the youngest virtuoso performing on the NY Classical Debut Awards Gala Live performance this weekend, when elementary and center college age youngsters from 10 international locations — together with Turkey, Macedonia, Macau and Poland — will showcase their abilities at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Corridor.
“Alec is our youngest performer ever,” mentioned Pietro Molteni, the founder and creative director for the Gala Live performance. “And, according to my records, the youngest performer in the history of Carnegie Hall.”
Representatives for Carnegie Corridor, nevertheless, instructed The Publish they might not “confirm anyone to be the youngest person to perform here since we don’t have complete records of the Hall’s earliest days.”
In the summertime of 2021, at age 3, pint-size pianist Brigitte Xie, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, was invited to carry out on the world-famous venue after after successful a prestigious worldwide music competitors — however the top-of-her-game Tri-Stater reportedly wasn’t capable of make it resulting from a COVID-19-era snag.
Alec’s triumphant journey to Carnegie began on the same word — besting his pint-sized friends at not one, however three main occasions.
Armed with good pitch — the power to appropriately determine or produce a musical word, a rarity present in just one in 10,000, or .01% of individuals, per stories — the bitty Beethoven buff started operating his fingers throughout the piano keys shortly after taking his first steps.
“He would walk over to the piano when he first started walking, punching a few notes,” dad Joe Khajadourian, beforehand instructed ABC7. “You could just see the huge grin on his face.”
At age 4, the proficient tyke started fine-tuning his innate knack with piano classes final 12 months.
In March 2025, he gained first prize on the Charleston Worldwide Music Competitors in South Carolina. He then dominated within the Massive Apple, securing high honors on the 2025 NY Classical Debut Awards Worldwide Competitors in April.
And whereas most youngsters had been busy dreaming about summer time trip, Alec was taking the gold on the 2025 Los Angeles Golden Classical Music Awards Worldwide Competitors.
The win earned him an unique invitation to carry out at Walt Disney Live performance Corridor within the Metropolis of Angels on July 1.
The mini maestro will proceed his success streak at Gotham’s acclaimed live performance venue, the place artists, from composers equivalent to Antonín Dvořák and Gustav Mahler, to modern-day hitmakers like Jay Z, have, too, made their mark.
“I’m so excited and proud of Alec for all his hard work,” Joe tells The Publish. “It’s such an amazing time for him.”
Each he and Alec’s mom, Diana Sanders, have been granted permission to accompany the little luminary behind the curtains forward of his W. 57th St. showcase, says Molteni.
“[The NY Classical Debut Awards] and the Carnegie Hall staff made a few exceptions to the venue’s strict rules — for instance, the policy prohibiting parents backstage,” Molteni defined, citing Alec’s younger age.
“The incredible Carnegie Hall team, including our amazing concert manager, Lorella Bergamo, immediately understood the uniqueness of the situation and accommodated it with great professionalism,” he added earlier than emphasizing the significance of spotlighting gifted go-getters like Alec.
“Taking the stage at such a prestigious venue allows these young musicians to see themselves as capable of achieving the highest levels of their craft,” he mentioned.
“It’s an extraordinary motivational boost for a young artist, who devotes countless hours to studying music in their room and pursuing one of the most demanding careers in the world.”
Mother Diana agrees.
“It’s beautiful to watch Alec share his love for the piano with so many people,” she gushed, “and to inspire young kids to pursue music.”
