Fifth-grader Nathan Paek, of Sammamish, won a national elementary student composition competition.

His winning composition “Australian Suite: The Land and Ocean Down Under” will be performed on March 21 during a winner’s concert at the Music Teachers National Association National Conference in Las Vegas.

Paek began composing it two years ago on his own. He wanted to capture the majestic beauty of the manta ray gliding around the Great Barrier Reef, according to a MTNA press release.

He was inspired by impressionist composers like Claude Debussy and Camille Saint-Saens.

Paek has studied music composition and piano with Sharon Van Valin.

He’s been playing the piano for three years and  won Best of Piano Division award at the Performing Arts Festival of the Eastside competition in 2013.

MTNA competitions begin at the state level. State winners must make it through a division competition before moving on to the national competition.