-Paromita Sengupta (Bengaluru) Bengaluru-based Aarav Lad (9) was adjudged first runner-up in the 9-11 age group among 120 solo pianists in the fifth online edition of the International Festival-Contest ‘Music of the World,’ staged in Israel in March. The competition attracted contestants from 24 countries worldwide. Debuting in his first international competition, this pre-teen prodigy wowed the jury with his technical skills, creativity, and interpretation of the modern 1.5-minute composition of Kevin Olson’s Time Traveler followed by the 3-min Allegro of Danish musician Friedrich Kuhlau and Etude of Hungarian composer Stephen Heller. Open to soloists and ensembles in the 6-36 years age group, the objective of the annual competition — held in online mode — is to strengthen interest in culture and art, establish partnerships between contestants and musicians of Israel. The elder of two children of Kapil Lad, marketing head of a Singapore-based start-up, and Ankita, finance manager of a multinational, Aarav, a class IV student of Bengaluru’s Ekya School, JP Nagar, is quietly exuberant about his recent achievement. “I am very grateful to my teachers — Bengaluru-based concert pianist Natallia Kapylova and Belarus-based Liudmila Drazhnik — with whom I have trained in person and online over the past year. I am also lucky to have full school and parental support,” says Aarav, who has recently written the London College of Music Grade V exam. “Last year (2022) after we moved to Bengaluru from Mumbai, my parents bought me an upright acoustic piano, my most prized possession,” says Aarav, who follows a daily practice regimen of one hour and three hours on weekends. Other than music, young Aarav enjoys solving math puzzles, speedcubing, reading and playing badminton. “I intend to combine music and math in higher education. Although I enjoy playing Western classical compositions, I hope to compose my own music someday,” says the virtuoso in the making. Wind in your sails!
