The National Festival of Andalusian Music currently being held in Fès is blowing out its 20th candle, a major cultural event initiated by the urban commune of Fès. This year, it is taking place under the theme “Moroccan Andalusian music: an authentic Arab heritage”. An edition marked by the exceptional participation of the Arab Academy of Music, an institution from the Arab League, which works for the safeguarding and development of music in Arab countries.

“The highlight of this edition, which ends on 7 March, is the participation of the Arab Academy of Music. This academy intends to ensure the influence that this music enjoys. For this, it responded to our invitation to celebrate Moroccan Andalusian music together, to immerse ourselves in it, to know its particularities, to learn about its specificities, to discover its assets and therefore to participate in its dissemination through its channels, in the Arab world,” indicates Essaïd Ben Amar Amrani, head of the cultural division and international relations at the urban commune of Fès. He adds: “It is a particular attention paid to Andalusian music, a centuries-old heritage characterised by great richness, which encourages, among other things, the academy to come and attend and participate in this event, a sign of interest and admiration for Andalusian music which is part of our identity and our authenticity”.

These are great moments of delight for the public who savour with pleasure the music, but also the songs of talented artists belonging to renowned orchestras from all regions of Morocco. At the Al Houria Cultural Complex, at the Al Manbhi Palace or even at the large hall of Fès Medina, various orchestras mentioned in this year's programme are performing, notably the Chefchaouen orchestra, the orchestra of the Association of Andalusian Music Lovers of Casablanca and the Al Assala orchestra of Meknès. Since last Wednesday, the public has been attending the great evenings hosted by the Mohamed Amine Dobbi orchestra of Rabat, the Fès Conservatory orchestra, the late Labrihi orchestra of Fès, the Mohamed Otmani orchestra of Fès and the late Mohamed Laarbi Tamsamani orchestra of Tétouan.

In closing, three orchestras, namely the Rawafid Association orchestra of Tangier, the Arab Andalusian Music orchestra of Fès and the late Abdelkarim Raïs orchestra of Fès will perform at the large hall of Fès Medina on Saturday 7 March.

The programme for this edition also includes masterclass courses for Andalusian music lovers, and scientific meetings on the poetry and music of this ancestral heritage.