Pianist Joey Alexander, the 12-year-old who has been called a "genius" by Wynton Marsalis and jazz publication DownBeat, is set to perform at the Esplanade Recital Studio on May 24.

Tickets at $168 each go on sale through Sistic (www.sistic.com) on April 14. According to concert promoters Greenhorn Productions, around 200 tickets will be available for the performance in the intimate venue.

The Indonesian boy's debut album My Favorite Things, released in May last year, topped both Billboard's Jazz Albums and Traditional Jazz Albums charts.

At this year's Grammy Awards in February, he was nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo for Giant Steps, and he also performed his original composition City Lights.

Born to parents who are both jazz fans, Alexander taught himself how to play on a miniature electric keyboard at the age of six. A fan of jazz greats such as Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and Bill Evans, he developed his early skills by jamming with jazz musicians in Bali and Jakarta, as well as by listening to records and watching YouTube videos.

At the age of nine, he won the grand prize at an an all-ages jazz competition in Ukraine.

Together with his family, he moved to New York City in 2014. That same year, he made his American debut with an acclaimed performance at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Gala, at the invitation of Marsalis, the centre's artistic director.