Three young musicians from East Lyme Middle School recently played before a packed audience at Carnegie Hall.

Sixth-grader Richard Chen, and brother and sister Ilyas Syed, also in sixth-grade, and eighth-grader Nadia Syed won certificates of excellence from the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program and were honored at a concert for award winners in the tri-state area.

Joined by family and friends, they performed at the Weill Recital Hall at the Feb. 20 concert. They were three of the 14 Connecticut Award Winners in the program.

Richard, 12, who played Bach’s “Prelude and Fugue in C Minor” on the piano, said he ran through his piece at least hundred times, worked on tough spots, and practiced right up to the beginning of the performance.

“We literally had an electric keyboard in the car on our way there so I could practice,” he said.

Ilyas, 11, who performed “Minuet in G Major,” on the cello, and Nadia, 13, who played Franz Seitz’s “Concerto No. 2 in G Major, Op. 13” on the violin, also practiced daily for months before the concert.

They practiced at home, studied at lessons and held “dress rehearsals” for the event.

For the three students, who are in the middle school’s orchestra program, a love of music began early on.

Though Ilyas, who has been playing music for almost three years, initially considered playing guitar, the deeper and louder sounds of cello drew him in. Nadia asked for violin lessons after she tried out the instrument in third-grade.

The two different instruments enable them to play brother-sister duets.

“Since we’re both in orchestra we can play parts together,” said Ilyas.

Richard said he enjoys playing the piano, which he began when he was 5.

“I think it was simply just the intricacy of the music that drew me in and that you could express yourself through this music,” said Richard. He also plays the violin.

According to a news release from the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program, certificates of excellence are awarded to students “who achieve the highest standard of excellence in their respective state.” The students must also complete theory requirements and score a certain level on an examination.

Richard, who was awarded for Level 7 Piano, studies under Oxana Lauria. Nadia, who was awarded for level 3 violin, studies under Irene Rissi.

Ilyas, who was awarded for level 2 violoncello, studied for the exam with Barbara Metz, but she later moved out of state. He now studies with Julie Ribchinsky.

Nadia, who likes baroque music and also plays the piano, said she plans to continue reaching new levels in the program and wants to study violin performance in college. Music always came naturally to her.

“In the beginning, that was one of the things I was good at, and I grew and learned,” she said.

Ilyas, who likes both classical and modern music and plays the piano too, said he wants to be a biochemist, but will continue to play cello.

Richard said he enjoys challenging himself to hone his musical skills and particularly likes classical music. His three brothers also play instruments. While he doesn’t yet know what he wants to be when he grows up, music will definitely play a part in it, he said.

The students’ parents said they were excited for the performance.

Jikun Luo, Richard’s mother, said the family lived in New York City and used to pass by Carnegie Hall, before Richard was born, but the family never expected to be sitting inside the hall one day.

“We never thought we would be there,” she said.

It was also fun for the students to see familiar faces at the recital. Natalia Syed, the mother of Ilyas and Nadia, is a music teacher who served as an accompanist at the recital. In addition to the three East Lyme students, Mackenzie Welch, who is from Oakdale and studies with Natalia Syed, also performed at the concert.

“I was happy that my sister was actually playing there too,” said Ilyas. “Then when I found out Mackenzie got in and Richard got in, I was really happy.”

“[Music] gives them confidence that they can express themselves and develop their talents,” said Natalia Syed.

k.drelich@theday.com