German-Tamil boy in Dubai earns Guinness record for musical excellence

A six-year-old student born in Dubai has earned a Guinness World Record for identifying 16 classical music composers by ear in just one minute.

Shivankh Varun Varadharajan, a German–Tamil child prodigy, achieved the feat on September 14 in Dubai. During the test, random excerpts from classical works were played and Shivankh correctly recognized pieces by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Dvořák, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Richard Strauss, Johann Strauss, Rossini and Brahms.

Guinness World Records described his ability as “an extraordinary musical gift”, noting his rare skill in distinguishing complex compositions entirely by ear.

According to his mother, Yalini Varadharajan, music was a constant presence at home, with symphonies and instrumental pieces often playing from his infancy. By age three, Shivankh was already responding to rhythm and melody with precision, developing the ability to recognize composers by their distinctive styles.

Observers at the event noted his calm focus during the one-minute challenge, where he successfully identified all 16 composers, earning applause from the audience and official certification from Guinness World Records.