Maharashtra students excel at Vienna arts fest, take home silver, bronze medals

Mumbai: The Vienna International Arts Festival, a prestigious music competition that attracts talented musicians from across the globe, concluded its 2024 edition with a Grand Finale Concert at the Ehrbar Hall on August 10. Among the many winners in various categories, four Indian students stood out, securing two silver and two bronze medals across different age groups.
The competition, which unfolded in two rounds, began with participants submitting video recordings of their performances. The second round took place in Vienna from August 5 to 10, 2024.
In the 10-14 years Voice category, Ira Shinde and Vanshi Mudaliar clinched silver medals, while Alabhya Kamble earned a bronze in the same category. Pratibha Kadu secured a bronze medal in the 15-19 years age category. All four winners were trained by Rahel Shekatkar, who runs Raheloveena music academy.
The competition encompassed several categories, including Piano, Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Chamber Music, and Solo Voice. Each category had specific repertoire requirements spanning various musical periods such as Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary.
Open to musicians across different age groups, the competition imposed specific time limits for each performance. According to the festival’s website, solo instrument and chamber music performances ranged from 3-5 minutes for the youngest age group (6-9 years) to 15-25 minutes for the oldest (20-27 years). Voice solo performances had similar gradations, with the youngest category allotted 4-5 minutes and the oldest 12-16 minutes.
A panel of professional artists and educators served as the jury, not only judging the performances but also selecting pieces for performance. The judging criteria included overall musical impression, adherence to the original score, technical ability, and the performer’s charisma and energy. Scores were awarded on a scale of 1 to 100, with participants receiving certificates, medals, and other awards based on their performance.