Fez– The Fez Gathering continued its celebration of culture, spirituality, and artistic exchange with the screening of “SAMA to Listen”, a film that explores the emotional and spiritual power of music across different traditions and cultures.
The screening was followed by a discussion with Peter Culshaw, the composer behind the film’s background music, who shared his personal journey through Sufi music and the experiences that shaped his connection to mystical sound and spiritual expression.
Through his travels across Morocco, Turkey, and Malaysia, Culshaw immersed himself in Sufi musical traditions centered around trance, poetry, chanting, and the search for connection with the divine.
The discussion highlighted how music can move beyond language, nationality, and religion to create a shared emotional experience capable of bringing people together.
Culshaw explained in an interview with MWN Lifestyle magazine that his fascination with spiritual music began decades ago after witnessing a performance by legendary Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
What was meant to be a one-hour concert turned into a five-hour performance where, according to Culshaw, not a single audience member left.
The experience pushed him to explore the roots, meaning, and emotional depth behind this form of music.
That curiosity later led him to work on Moroccan and Sufi music festivals in London, bringing together musicians and spiritual performers from around the world, including Gnawa musicians, Issawas, and Dervishes.
Over time, his research and experiences evolved into a deeper appreciation for the spiritual and poetic dimensions of music and its ability to affect listeners on an emotional level.
Much of the conversation also focused on Fez itself, a city Culshaw described as deeply spiritual and mysterious.
Reflecting on his experience in the old medina, he spoke about the hidden beauty of the city, its sacred atmosphere, and the feeling of discovering something meaningful behind every door and alleyway.
The discussion also explored the connection between Sufism and other spiritual traditions around the world.
Culshaw explained how he sees similarities between Sufi practices, Christianity, Buddhism, and other faiths through their shared focus on spirituality, emotion, and human connection.
“Leading with the heart is a good idea for music, relationships, and life,” Culshaw told MWN, reflecting on one of the lessons he learned through his encounters with Sufi communities and spiritual musicians.
The event offered audiences more than a film screening. It became a moment of reflection on the role of music as a universal language capable of healing, connecting, and creating understanding between cultures.
Through storytelling, spirituality, and sound, “SAMA to Listen” perfectly captured the spirit of the Fez Gathering and its mission of building bridges through art and shared human experience.
