The competition, open to students and adults worldwide, spans a range of instruments, including piano, strings and voice.
Hundreds of talented musicians submitted video performances on YouTube for a chance at the highest honours.
Edison performed Chopin’s Mazurka in A minor – an advanced piece he tackled as a personal challenge, not expecting to place highly.
Last month, Edison’s mother, Mandy Liu, received an email announcing he had won third place in the young musicians category (ages 5-10).
The email also included an invitation for Edison to perform at Carnegie Hall on June 22.
“I was just so overwhelmed I couldn’t sleep that night. I couldn’t wait to tell him in the morning,” said Liu.
It was a special moment for the family, as they were able to share the news with Edison’s cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents while on holiday in China.
“We were just so thrilled,” Liu said.
Edison said he is feeling “excited and nervous” about performing in the Big Apple.
He had spent four months perfecting his piece for the competition, but in October, a health setback nearly derailed Edison’s progress.
He was hospitalised for a week due to a low white blood cell count, but instead of hindering him, the experience fuelled his determination.
"He gets really determined when he wants to do something,” said Liu.
His musical journey began when he was a typical energetic five-year-old who couldn’t sit still, so Liu and Edison’s father David Li signed him up for piano lessons.
Initially reluctant to practise, Edison’s attitude shifted after scoring 84 out of 100 in his grade 1 examination.
When it came time for his grade 2 exam, he achieved the top mark in the country – 98 out of 100.
In addition to being a skilled pianist, Edison is a parkour athlete, hip hop dancer, basketball player, footballer, and drummer, where he also earned a distinction last year.
But Edison says the piano remains his true passion.
