Henry Drangel Wins Sherrill Milnes VOICE Scholarship Competition

The Milnes VOICE Programs hosted its 20th annual Sherrill Milnes VOICE Scholarship Competition on May 7 at the National Opera Center and named Henry Drangel as this year's grand prize winner and scholarship recipient. In this master class competition, singers work with opera legend Sherrill Milnes in front of a live audience to win a full scholarship to attend and study in the Milnes VOICE Studio in Savannah, Georgia this summer.

Sponsored by the Tom Lysaught Scholarship Fund, this national search gives artists a chance to continue refining their vocal talents with opera mentors. The judging panel included president and co-founder of the Milnes VOICE Programs Maria Zouves, stage director Fabrizio Melano, and composer Michael Ching. Finalists sang in front of a live audience with strong selections. Marc Cioffi, a bass-baritone, performed “Vi ravviso” from “La sonnambula” by Vincenzo Bellini; Carlee Carpenter, a mezzo-soprano, performed “There is a Garden” from “Trouble in Tahiti” by Leonard Bernstein; and Drangel, a tenor, performed “L'ultima canzone” by F. Paolo Tosti.

“This 20th anniversary of the Sherrill Milnes VOICE Scholarship Competition is a truly meaningful milestone for all of us,” said Zouves. “Over the past two decades, we've had the privilege of discovering and nurturing extraordinary young artists, and each year the level of talent continues to inspire and impress us.”

Chad Sonka, education and outreach director for the Milnes VOICE Programs agreed.

“Working with this year's participants has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” said Sonka. “Each singer brought a unique voice and perspective, and I'm excited to work with all three of these singers as part of the Milnes VOICE Studio this summer. These singers, especially Henry, are deserving of support and we are honored to help develop the next generation of exceptional artists.”

Past scholarship winners include:

• Ethel Trujillo (2025)
• Congcong Wang (2024)
• Benjamin Sokol (2021) who was recently awarded the 2026 Carlisle Floyd Centennial Prize, recognizing his talents as a promising young vocalist.

Milnes VOICE Programs serve artists and patrons locally and globally, always embracing the ideals of a diverse community. VOICExperience is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established by world-renowned baritone Sherrill Milnes and soprano Maria Zouves. Its mission is to pass on the traditions of great singing and develop new audiences for opera. Since 2001, VOICExperience has helped thousands of singers find their career path through educational programs and workshops, where emerging artists work with the best names in opera, musical theatre and song.