Mimi Coertse Scholarship Competition

The Mimi Coertse Scholarship Competition originated at the University of Pretoria in 1959 to give recognition to the remarkable achievements of Kammersängerin Mimi Coertse as an opera singer. 

The current purpose of the scholarship is to provide financial aid to singers from the Gauteng and North West regions who are no older than 30 years of age to further their studies. The University of Pretoria’s School of the Arts awards this scholarship in the form of a singing competition as part of the annual UP Music Enrichment Festival.

A panel of professional adjudicators will adjudicate the singers. Past recipients of the scholarship include soprano, Goitsemang Lehobye and tenor, Levy Sekgapane, who are fast making names for themselves on international and South African stages. The value of the first prize for 2019 is R12, 000 (twelve thousand rand) for one year. A further prize may be awarded to a finalist who is a singing student at the University of Pretoria. 

The winner of the R12, 000 prize of the 2019 Mimi Coertse Singing Competition will be announced after the Final Round (Tuesday, 13 August- 12:30) of the competition at the Musaion Concert Hall of the University of Pretoria.

CONDITIONS FOR ENTERING

Candidates are not to be older than 30 years at the time of application.

NB - Only classical singers who at present reside in Gauteng and North West Province may enter.

The scholarship is available for one year only.

The winner of the scholarship may be expected to present a public concert without remuneration, the profit of which will be added to the Scholarship Fund.

Previous winners of the Mimi Coertse Singing Competition are not allowed to enter again.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 31 July 2019

Programme requirements:

First round: 

20 minute programme consisting of the following minimum requirements:

• 3 Arts songs (1 Afrikaans, 1 Indigenous, 1 European)
• 2 Opera arias (sung in the original language and key)
• 1 Operetta aria 

Final round:

Finalists will be expected to perform a 20 minute programme (it is compulsory to include both an operetta aria and an opera aria) of their own choice with piano accompaniment. Repertoire sung in the first round may be repeated.

The winner of the 2019 Mimi Coertse Singing Competition will be announced at the end of the concert.

Candidates are to provide and pay their own accompanists.

Click on the following link to enter for the 2019 Mimi Coertse Competition.