Alec van Kajadurian, a small but mighty talent from Los Angeles, is all set to showcase his skills on a prestigious NYC stage this Sunday.
“I can’t wait to perform at Carnegie Hall for everyone,” he exclaimed with palpable excitement. “I’m so excited!”
Alec will take the spotlight as the youngest performer at the New York Classic Debut Award Gala Concert. This event will feature elementary and middle school musicians from ten countries, including places like Turkey, Macedonia, and Poland, all gathering at Carnegie’s Weil Recital Hall.
“Alec is our youngest talent,” noted Pietro Morteni, the founder and artistic director of the Gala. “According to my records, he might be the youngest performer in Carnegie Hall’s history.”
Yet, a Carnegie Hall representative mentioned that “there’s no complete record of the Hall’s early days, so we can’t verify that he’s the youngest performer here.”
Interestingly, a three-year-old pianist named Bridget Sea from Ridgefield, Connecticut, received invitations to several prestigious venues in 2021 but couldn’t follow through due to COVID-19 setbacks.
Alec’s path to this moment has been pretty impressive as well.
Gifted with perfect pitch, a rarity that only about 0.01% of people possess, Alec started playing piano shortly after he learned to walk. “When he first took his steps, he headed straight for the piano and started hitting some notes,” shared his father, Joe Kajadurian. “You should have seen his smile.”
At four, Alec began to refine his natural talent with some lessons.
By March 2025, he had already clinched first prize at the Charleston International Music Competition. He then went on to excel at the 2025 NY Classic Debut Awards in April.
While many kids were daydreaming about summer, Alec was busy shining at the 2025 Los Angeles Golden Classical Music Awards, which led to an exclusive invitation to perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Now, he’s set to make waves at this iconic venue, where notable artists from Antonin Dvorak to Jay Z have graced the stage.
“I’m really proud of Alec and all he’s accomplished,” Joe added. “It’s an amazing time for him.”
Both Alec and his mom, Diana Sanders, have received special permission to be backstage during the show, a rare exception to Carnegie Hall’s usual policy, as noted by Morteni.
“The Carnegie Hall team, especially concert manager Lorella Bergamo, understood how special this situation is and handled it with great professionalism,” Morteni explained, emphasizing the need to support promising young talents like Alec.
“Performing on such a revered stage encourages these young musicians to envision themselves reaching the pinnacle of their craft,” he said. “It’s a significant motivational boost for artists who dedicate endless hours to mastering music.”
Diana also chimed in, saying, “It’s wonderful to see Alec sharing his passion for music with so many, inspiring other young kids to explore their musical interests.”
