MBABANE – Imisebe Publishing has reaffirmed its commitment to the development of local arts by announcing a renewed and increased sponsorship for the Standard Bank Choral Music Competition.
For the second consecutive year, the publishing house will serve as a key partner for the event, which is scheduled to take place on May 24, 2026 at Esibayeni Lodge.
This year, Imisebe Publishing has contributed E55 000 towards the competition. This figure represents an increase of E5 000 from the sponsorship package provided in the previous year. This announcement was made at the Imisebe Publishing offices in Manzini during the launch of the sponsorship.
Beyond the monetary contribution, the company is integrating its educational mission into the competition. Imisebe has donated 20 ‘Umphanza’ Siswati dictionaries, which will be distributed to winning participants by the Eswatini National Choral Music Association (ENCMA). The inclusion of these dictionaries is part of a broader initiative by Imisebe Publishing to promote ‘Umphanza’, a comprehensive siswati dictionary designed to preserve and elevate the national language.
The Managing Director of Imisebe Publishing, Hlobsile Stromvig, mentioned during her speech at the launch that the sponsorship is directed towards a category titled Imisebe Choice Piece Category.
Ahead of the main stage event at Esibayeni Lodge, the competition will begin with the Solo Eliminations on May 10 at The George Hotel. A total of 40 soloists will compete for a spot in the finals. The talent pool is evenly distributed across four vocal ranges, with 10 competitors slated for each of the following categories including Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass.
The President of the Eswatini National Choral Music Association Sihle Gumbi appreciated the continued support from Imisebe Publishing. “We are so glad that you have again this year decided to come back, making it big and bold,” he said.
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