Xavier’s girl to perform at global music fest

Sumitra Badrinathan (17) will be the first Indian to perform at an international youth music concert to be held in Azerbaijan this week.

Sumitra Badrinathan (17) will be the first Indian to perform at an international youth music concert to be held in Azerbaijan this week.

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Badrinathan will give a performance in Carnatic music at the International Youth Mugham festival to be held in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, on October 8 along with young musicians from countries like Turkey and Uzbekistan.

Badrinathan, a class XII student of St Xavier’s College, had conducted a presentation on Carnatic music and Bharatnatyam last year in Baku where her mother, Carnatic vocalist Vasumathi Badrinathan, was performing.

“Their traditional music, called Mugham, and ours is not very different. Their interest in Carnatic music got me a chance to perform in my first international concert,” said Badrinathan, who has been performing in concerts in India since 2002.

Since the age of five, she has been training in Carnatic music.

“I enjoy listening to English rock music too, but have had a great influence of traditional Indian music because of my mother. With this concert, I will get a chance to meet musicians from different backgrounds and that should be a great learning experience,” she said

To prepare for the concert, Badrinathan has been practising for two hours every day. “I have had to juggle between my music and my studies since I have an exam to give immediately after I return,” she said.