Photo courtesy of the Bronxville School

By Blaine Malefatto, Syntax

May 15, 2024; Bronxville High School sophomore Gabriel Muraszczuk, a talented pianist, has earned a gold medal and diploma at the prestigious Golden Key Music Festival competition, where he performed at Carnegie Hall on April 27.

Muraszczuk, who has been playing the piano since he was 5 years old, shared the stage with other talented musicians from across the world. More than 548 musicians participated in the competition where they were judged by a panel of experts from Australia, Austria, China, Germany, Indonesia, South Korea and the United States.

He entered the competition by submitting a video performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2, which resulted in a gold-level award. He was praised by the judges for his excellent work with impressively perfect exposure and lyrical essence of this dramatic canvas.

“At school, Gabriel works hard in his classes and is a dedicated student,” school counselor Deana Hasandjekaj said. “I have seen a tremendous amount of growth in him as a student, and I am so proud of his amazing musical accomplishment.”

According to its website, the Golden Key Music Festival, which was established in 2002, is a major cultural event that attracts young instrumentalists and vocalists from across the world. Its mission is to give young musicians the opportunity to display their talents. Held annually in New York and Vienna, the competition is designed to inspire musicians to unlock their musical potentials, meet and hear other dedicated young musicians, and to perform on some of the most prestigious international stages.

This was Muraszczuk’s third time participating in the festival. He was previously the recipient of two Super Bronze awards and was invited to perform at Lincoln Center.

The talented musician takes private piano lessons and has been a student of the Music Conservatory of Westchester and the Ukrainian Music Institute of America for many years. He has performed at local Westchester and tristate area concerts, attended piano master classes and performed in the Music in the Alps festival in Austria, and successfully completed all six levels of the New York State School Music Association.