Fez — Moroccan Andalusian music will take the spotlight in Paris from May 29 to June 3, as the Arab World Institute hosts “Andaloussiyat,” a festival dedicated this year to Morocco’s arabo-Andalusian musical heritage.
The program, organized in partnership with the Association des Amateurs de la Musique Andalouse du Maroc, will bring together concerts, initiation workshops, and a conference on the “Anthology of Moroccan Arabo-Andalusian Music Al Ala.”
A Moroccan week in Paris
The festival will open on May 29 with a concert by Ali Rebbahi, accompanied by musicians performing a repertoire rooted in Moroccan arabo-Andalusian traditions. The following days will feature the Ambassadors of Moroccan Andalusian Music in France, as well as Rhoum El Bakkali and her “Hadra Chefchaounia” ensemble.
The program will continue on June 2 with the Rabat Orchestra under the direction of Mohamed Amine Debbi, with the participation of Moroccan singer Bahaa Ronda. The festival will close with a conference and a concert by the Rawafid Mousiquiya Orchestra of Tangier, led by Omar Metioui.
Beyond the stage, “Andaloussiyat” will also offer workshops for adults, teenagers, and families, giving audiences in Paris a practical introduction to Moroccan arabo-Andalusian singing and percussion.
Preserving a living heritage
The Association des Amateurs de la Musique Andalouse du Maroc, founded in 1958, has long worked to preserve and promote the Moroccan “Al Ala” repertoire.
Its participation in the Paris event reflects a broader effort to keep the tradition visible beyond Morocco, while transmitting it to younger generations and international audiences.
One of the major highlights will be the presentation of the “Anthology of Moroccan Arabo-Andalusian Music Al Ala,” a large-scale preservation project bringing together recordings, musical notation, and texts linked to the repertoire.
The conference, scheduled for June 3, will be moderated by Kaoutar Guessous and will include figures associated with the anthology and the Moroccan Andalusian music scene.
