Two talented performers have just claimed top prizes at Unisa’s International Voice Competition!
Tshwane, South Africa (03 February 2026) – It was a big week for music at the University of South Africa as two women vocalists walked away with top honours at the 7th Unisa International Voice Competition.
Soprano Molly Dzangare won first place in the Classical category, while jazz singer and composer Maria del Mar Vilaseca took the Jazz title, following finals held on Unisa’s Muckleneuk Campus on 30 and 31 January.
“Unisa is the only African university with membership of the World Federation of International Music Competitions, and, outstandingly, the only member uniquely offering the jazz category in the federation,” says Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Puleng LenkaBula.
Over two weeks, vocalists from around the world gathered in Tshwane to compete across multiple rounds, with performances judged by a 14-member international panel. The winners were recognised for their musical maturity, interpretative insight and strong stage presence.
Dzangare, a soprano from Zimbabwe, has already collected several awards along her musical journey, including the Schock Foundation Prize for Singing and the David Aldred Memorial Prize for Sopranos.
Vilaseca, originally from Barcelona and now based in New York, sings, composes, and plays both piano and guitar. She has performed at a range of international festivals, including the Barcelona Jazz Festival and Spain’s Festival de Jazz de San Javier.
“Over the past two weeks of intense and competitive showcasing, the finalists have proven their artistry to the juries through meeting rigorous criteria specified for each of the given rounds, and in addition, they have demonstrated their maturity and originality as artists,” shares Artistic Director of the Unisa International Music Competition, Prof Thomas Pooley.
The Unisa International Voice Competition forms part of the broader Unisa International Music Competition, established in 1982. Alongside voice, Unisa also hosts piano, strings and wind competitions in rotating years.
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