8-year-old Kitchener boy wins 3rd place in international music competition

Jonah Gallas and his family were surprised when he came in first at the regional level of the 34th annual Music for Young Children competition. When they heard he had taken third place internationally, they couldn't believe it.

Back in March, 3,400 hundred entries were submitted to the competition by children from around the world between the ages of three to 12.

The competition encourages young children to learn how to compose their own music. Gallas's music teacherJanice Longsays it's a great opportunity for kids to showcase their talent.

"Every year it's just so exciting to see students take ownership of a song that they have come up with"Long said.

The eight-year-old had originally started working on another piece, which he intended on playing for his mother until, unexpectedly, he started playing something else.

"She got her phone, and then I didn't remember that song," Gallas said. "So I played a different song and that's the song that she recorded."

Afterwards both Gallas and his mother worked together to write down what he had just played. By the end of the day, his winning composition Lightning was complete.

"It only took one day. I started it at 1:30 [p.m.], and then sort ofkept playing. Then I started playing the first half of the song and then I just got into the music."

LISTEN |Hear Jonah Gallas's winning composition 'Lightning' on CBC's The Morning Edition

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