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Rabat – Gnaoua and World Music Festival of Essaouira and Berklee College of Music have opened applications for the third edition of the “Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival” program, scheduled to take place in Essaouira from June 22- 27.
Applicants must submit an online application and provide three video recordings demonstrating their musical and technical skills.
The application deadline is April 20, with program tuition set at $450 (4500 MAD), excluding travel and accommodation.
The six-day immersive program targets professional and semi-professional musicians aged 18 and above seeking to deepen their artistic practice in a cross-cultural learning environment.
Open to instrumentalists and vocalists working across classical, Gnaoua, and contemporary genres, including jazz, pop, rock, and global music traditions, the initiative emphasizes collaboration, experimentation, and artistic exchange.
According to Neila Tazi, president of A3 Communication and producer of the festival, the third edition confirms the long-term vision behind the collaboration.
In a press release, she said that the partnership contributes to strengthening Essaouira’s position as a global hub for musical creation and intercultural dialogue, while reinforcing the festival’s role as a platform for artistic transmission.
The 2026 program will be led academically by Leo Blanco, professor of piano and Africana Studies at Berklee.
Under the theme “Listening with a Global Ear – Playing with a Global Concept,” the curriculum will focus on deep listening practices and a broader understanding of global rhythmic and harmonic structures, encouraging participants to integrate these influences into their own musical identity.
Blanco emphasized that the setting of Essaouira offers a unique learning environment where musicians engage directly with the festival’s energy and collaborate with artists from different traditions.
The faculty will also include Fernando Huergo, Nadia Washington, Jason Camelio, and Bri Tagliaferro.
Courses will be delivered in English, with Arabic and French interpretation provided.
The program will conclude with a final showcase performance, and selected participants will receive access to concerts during the 2026 Gnaoua and World Music Festival, taking place from June 25-27.
Since its launch in 2024, the program has welcomed 118 musicians from 30 countries, including 29 Moroccan artists and participants from across Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
The expanding participation reflects the program’s growing international reach and its role in connecting musicians from diverse musical backgrounds.
