Late Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau, famous for reading musical notes before he could learn to read words, said he tried to play "the way a cat jumps… completely natural." Arrau's statement comes to mind the moment you see Anthea Dias' violin bow in action. Exuding grace and tenacity, Dias was the recipient of the silver award in this year's edition of the International Piano, Violin, & Guitar Competition held by Progressive Musicians that gives her the opportunity to perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York. Having staged Pink Floyd as well as the New York Philharmonic, the venue is one of the world's most valued for artistes.

The winners of the competition will take the stage on July 10 next year at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall. Last month, they performed an online recital that is now available to watch on YouTube, across two categories: ages five to 14, and above 14. In the former one, Dias performed Preludium and Allegro 'In the style of Pugnani'. "My parents and teacher Winston Collaco, have always encouraged me to dream big, and Carnegie has always been my dream. I started practising in February-end. I learnt the piece a few years back, and chose it as it perfectly fit the time limit of five and a half minutes," she says, from her home in Margao, Goa.