Vusa Mkhaya is the first “Willi Resetarits” Award Winner Apr 21, 2024 Artistic work combined with civic engagement: The first Willi Resetarits Prize goes to “Cultural Activist” Vusa Mkhaya. Two years ago, on April 24, 2022, the singer, exceptional person and artist Willi Resetarits had an accident. But his memory lives on. The Willi Resetarits Prize, sponsored by the City of Vienna, was awarded for the first time at this year's Refugee Ball in Vienna City Hall. This award, worth €10,000, is given to musicians who, in their artistic life and work, are committed to integration and togetherness in Vienna. A jury made up of artists and civil society activists from Willi Resetarits' environment, led by the Integrationshaus, determined the first prize winner: the singer Vusa Mkhaya. Mkhaya comes from Bulawayo/Zimbabwe and is a musician, composer, choreographer and presenter. He lives in Vienna, studied at the Music Conservatory in Graz and is the singer of the a capella trio "Insingizi", founded in Zimbabwe, with which he came to Austria in the mid-90s. As part of the group "MoZuluArt", he and Roland Guggenbichler combine traditional Zulu sounds with classical music. He was awarded the Zimbabwe Archivers Award in 2019 for his contributions to spreading Zimbabwean music and culture. "The coming together of cultures from Zimbabwe and Austria, since both countries are parts of me, is a fact that I do not deny but embody. Music is and has always been a unifying factor all over the world, of people of different origins, races , ethnicity and of course tradition," said the award winner. Resetarits had a long-standing friendship with Mkhaya, which was celebrated above all in the joint performances and the song "Shosholoza" - most recently at the 28th Vienna Refugee Ball 2022. This was Resetarits' last stage appearance before his tragic death the next day Wisely left us. “I am very pleased that when awarding the prize for the first time, the jury chose Vusa Mkhaya, an artist who embodies exactly this power of cohesion and was also closely connected to 'our' Willi,” says City Councilor for Culture Veronica Kaup-Hasler (SPÖ) the winner. Mkhaya was and is an important musical companion of the Integrationshaus, probably even the artist who appeared most often in various formations at the refugee ball and at both "be a mensch" galas. Most recently he also directed the Integrationshaus choir. “It was a very quick and clear decision, even though it was clear to all of us that Willi Resetarits can never be replaced and that he is incredibly missing as a voice of humanity,” said project manager Nikolaus Heinelt from Integrationshaus. “May this award stand for the fact that Willis’ human and artistic work can be continued and developed at the highest level,” adds Gerald Votava, actor, musician and jury member. The late musician Willi Resetarits was posthumously honored with the Willi Resetarits Prize, donated by the City of Vienna, which is awarded to musicians who are committed to integration and togetherness in Vienna. The first prize winner is the singer Vusa Mkhaya, who comes from Zimbabwe and lives in Vienna. He was recognized for his contributions to spreading Zimbabwean music and culture and embodies the power of solidarity through his music Mkhaya was a close friend of Resetarits and is recognized as an important musical companion of the integration house.
