2025 Radda Rise International Vocal Competition
Sahana Kumar
2nd Prize
•Category 3
Sahana Kumar, 16, is a mezzo-soprano and violinist from Coppell, Texas, whose musical training bridges Western classical, South Indian classical, and musical theatre traditions. She has studied voice for three years under Emily Spencer and has trained in Carnatic vocal music for ten years, alongside six years of classical violin study under Diego Campos. Her musical journey began in a family and community deeply rooted in music, and she quickly found it to be a universal language through which she could connect with others, express herself, and tell meaningful stories.
Sahana’s performances reflect both technical versatility and emotional nuance. As a finalist in the City of Irving’s “Irving’s Got Talent” competition in 2023 and 2024, she showcased her vocal talents in front of a live audience. Her theatrical credits include leading roles such as Ms. Honey in Matilda the Musical and Belle in Beauty and the Beast Jr. She earned First Chair – Soprano 1 in the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Middle School/Junior High All-Region Choir for 2022–2023. She has also performed in masterclasses with esteemed educators including Dr. James Rodriguez and Dr. Heather Hawk.
She is a two-time superior-rated soloist at the Texas Thespian Festival, earning a perfect score and MainStage callback in 2024. Her passion for using music to advocate for social and environmental causes led to her Notable Award in the 2024 Bow Seat Global Ocean Awareness Contest for her original composition on climate change. A dedicated instrumentalist as well, Sahana served as a violinist in the Lone Star Youth Orchestra (2022–2024), performing works by Beethoven, Saint-Saëns, and Stravinsky, and made her Carnegie Hall debut in the Middle School Honors Junior Orchestra.
Sahana is also deeply engaged in community work. She is the founder and president of Music for Medicine, a student organization that brings live music to hospitals and memory care facilities across the DFW area. Her interest in the healing potential of music also extends to academics with her recently published research paper on music therapy’s impact on infants and older adults in a peer-reviewed journal.
Looking ahead, Sahana is auditioning for the YoungArts program and hopes to continue performing in larger musical theatre productions and major concert venues, including returning to Carnegie Hall as a vocalist. Outside of music, she enjoys spending her time reading a wide variety of genres from classics to fantasies and dystopias.