Jan 25, 2022 2 min read

An Upper St. Clair student was awarded first place in the 2022 Crescendo International Music Competition at Carnegie Hall in New York City Jan. 15.

Boyce Middle School fifth-grader Arjun Kairi earned top honors in the flute category. He started his flute studies at the Pittsburgh Music Academy at age 3. He currently participates in fifth-grade band at Boyce, led by Craig Madge.

“Arjun is very accomplished for his age, largely because he started so young. However, he’s also a very diligent worker,” Madge said. “I”s remarkable for a student this age to place first in this competition.”

In addition to performing at an advanced level, Arjun provides support and encouragement to his middle school classmates.

“What I find most notable about Arjun, beyond his advanced skills, is his humility and support of his flute peers,” his teacher said. “He’s clearly performing at a much higher level.

“But rather than being impatient or negative with his peers, he’s so supportive. He’s always helping them and sharing his knowledge and skills to help them improve. He’s a true team player and brings a real positive mood to every class.”

The Crescendo International Music Competition is open to students ages 5 to 22. The first round of the competition includes a live or video recording evaluation. Successful candidates are invited to perform in the second round at one of three recitals in New York City. Competition diplomas are issued following the second round.

Students have the opportunity to win monetary prizes ranging from $150 for third place to $1,000 for the grand prize. Decisions on monetary rewards are based on accumulated audition score, composition complexity and contestant’s artistic maturity.