[2] He was the first prize winner in the senior division of the 2014 Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists in Austin, Texas.
He was also the fifth prize winner of the 2015 Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, Belgium.
[3] Born in America, with a twin brother and younger sister,[2] Waarts began his violin studies at age 5 and piano studies at age 8, with Krishnabai Lewis and Jenny Rudin, starting with Suzuki violin lessons.
[4][5] At 14, Waarts simultaneously graduated high school and the San Francisco Conservatory Preparatory Division studying with Li Lin and was accepted at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was a student under Aarond Rosand since 2010.
[3][6] He also studied piano with Annie Petit, while pursuing his Bachelor of Music degree.