Jazz pianist, Joey Alexander burst onto the scene at the tender age of ten, wowing the crowd at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s annual fundraiser in Manhattan with his interpretation of the Thelonius Monk composition, Round Midnight. Joey went on to become the youngest musician ever nominated for a jazz Grammy Award and followed that with three other Grammy nominations.

Now, at sixteen, Joey is a seasoned performer, having toured internationally since that first triumphant performance in 2014. Like any young person, who’s found their passion early in life, Joey is enthusiastic about his art and happy to talk about it. What I found unusual about Joey, is his gratitude for the opportunities he’s had, which have allowed him to develop his music and grow as an artist, an awareness and gratitude not always displayed by your typical teenager. But then, Joey is anything but typical.