Gabriel was born in New York to Dutch and French parents. Gabriel is 13 years old and attends 9th grade at the Packer Collegiate Institute. Gabriel has been participating in the Suzuki program at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music since he was five years old and has had the privilege to be taught by Junko Nagai over the last six years. Thanks to Ms. Nagai, Gabriel has had the opportunity to perform at piano recitals and piano festivals not only at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music but also at outside venues, such as the Opera Center and Steinway Hall. In 2024, Gabriel started participating in several piano competitions. He was awarded first place in the Little Mozarts International Music Competition in 2024 and second place in the Music Life Competition in 2024, allowing Gabriel to play at Carnegie Hall. Gabriel also received first prize at the Nouvelles Etoiles International Competition in 2025 and was invited to perform in Paris. Gabriel is close to his older twin sisters. He is bilingual in English and French and likes to learn about geography, spend time with his friends, and play tennis in his spare time.
Watch Gabriel Van Kwawegen perform La Fleur Que Tu m’Avais Jetée from the Opera of Carmen by Georges Bizet on the piano for the 2026 Classical Music Competition as part of the Charleston International Music Competition.