Berklee College of Music and the Festival Gnaoua et Musiques du Monde d’Essaouira have opened applications for the third edition of their collaborative program, Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival.
The six-day intensive workshop will run from 22 to 27 June 2026, ahead of the festival’s 27th anniversary.
The programme is open to instrumentalists and singers aged 18 and over across genres including classical, Gnaoua, jazz, pop, and rock. Applications close on 20 April 2026, with a participation fee of 450 USD (4,500 MAD). Applicants must submit an online form and three performance videos.
The 2026 edition, led academically by Berklee professor Leo Blanco, focuses on “Listening with a Global Ear – Playing with a Global Concept”. Musicians will develop skills in active listening, integrating global influences, and experimenting within the festival’s dynamic environment. Faculty members include Fernando Huergo, Nadia Washington, Jason Camelio, and Bri Tagliaferro.
Sessions will be conducted in English with live Arabic and French translations.
Since 2024, the programme has welcomed 118 musicians from 30 countries, offering a platform for professional and semi-professional artists to explore intercultural music exchange. Essaouira, a UNESCO Creative City of Music, continues to position itself as a hub for global musical dialogue.
Neila Tazi, president of A3 Communication and festival producer, said the partnership “reinforces the event’s role as a laboratory for creation” by uniting talent from Morocco, Africa and beyond.
Selected participants will also attend festival concerts from 25 to 27 June.
