Date
24/6/2026

Four students from the singing class taught by Elisabete Matos at the Higher School of Applied Arts (ESART) of the Castelo Branco Polytechnic (IPCB) won several prizes at the third edition of the Alto Minho International Singing Competition.

The final and the winners’ concert took place on 21 June in the auditorium of the Ponte de Lima campus of the Fernandes Fão Music Academy, the organiser of the competition, which is aimed at young singing students aged up to 30 and seeks to encourage new talent.

In category E, for undergraduate students, Matilde Sousa won first prize (250 euros), followed by Ana Marta Fresco, who took second place (150 euros). In Category F, for master’s students, Beatriz Magalhães and Margarida Ribeiro secured second (200 euros) and third (140 euros) prizes, respectively. 

The three-member jury recognised the vocal excellence of the ESART-IPCB students. In the preliminary round of Category E, candidates were required to perform a song by a Portuguese-speaking composer and a piece from a specific period. In the final, the repertoire consisted of an opera aria, an oratorio aria and a song by a foreign composer. In Category F, meanwhile, the preliminary round required candidates to perform an opera aria and a piece of their own choosing. In the final, the repertoire consisted of an opera aria, an oratorio aria, a song by a foreign composer and another by a Portuguese-speaking composer.