Students from Maharashtra's Mumbai achieved remarkable success at the Vienna International Arts Festival 2024, winning two silver and two bronze medals in singing across various voice categories. The competition, which was held in Vienna from August 5 to 10, featured participants from over 20 countries.
In the 10 to 14-year-old voice category, Ira Shinde and Vanshi Mudaliar won silver medals, while Alabhya Kamble secured a bronze. In the 15 to 19-year-old voice category, Pratibha Kadu also earned a bronze medal. All four girls were trained by Rahel Shekatkar.
The music competition consisted of two rounds. It began with participants submitting video recordings of their performances, followed by the second round, which took place from August 5 to 10, 2024. In the 10 to 14 years age category, Ira Shinde and Vanshi Mudaliar clinched silver medals, while Alabhya Kamble earned a bronze. Pratibha Kadu secured a bronze medal in the 15 to 19 years age category. All winners were trained by Rahel Shekatkar, who runs the Raheloveena Music Academy.
The competition featured 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.
According to the official website of the Vienna International Arts Festival, 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 followed a similar structure, with the youngest category allotted 4-5 minutes and the oldest 12-16 minutes. The prestigious music competition, which attracts talented musicians from around the globe, concluded its 2024 edition with a Grand Finale Concert at the Ehrbar Hall on August 10.