The opening ceremony of this event, organized by the Association of Al Ala Music Enthusiasts of Tetouan, in partnership with the Tetouan commune and in coordination with the provincial delegation of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication - Culture Department -, took place in the presence of the Governor of the Tetouan province, Abderzak El Manssouri, the President of the Tetouan commune, Mustapha El Bakkouri, elected officials, and several personalities from the world of culture and arts.
It was marked by an Andalusian music concert given by an orchestra composed of several musicians, and conducted by artists Hicham Zoubairi, Mohamed Amine Akrami, Fahd Benkirane, and Ayatollah Mortada Chakara.
This ceremony was also enlivened by the Fez Andalusian Music Orchestra, under the direction of Mohamed Brioul, which captivated the audience with its exceptional performance, putting Andalusian music in the spotlight.
Furthermore, this ceremony was punctuated by a posthumous tribute paid to one of the prominent figures of Andalusian music in the Northern region, the late Mokhtar Mfarej, in recognition of his contribution to Moroccan Andalusian music, particularly that of Tetouan.
On this occasion, the President of the Association of Al Ala Music Enthusiasts of Tetouan, Hicham Zoubairi, indicated that this 1st edition of the Festival is marked by the presentation of three musical schools of "Tarab Al Ala", namely the Tetouan school, which performed the first part of the show, the Fez school through Mohamed Brioul's orchestra, and the Tangier school through the "Confluences musicales" orchestra, under the direction of artist Omar Metioui.
“This edition will see the organization of three concerts, including one outdoors at the large 'Ghersa Kbira' square, with a view to bringing this musical art closer to the general public”, he added in a statement to MAP.
For his part, the provincial director of culture in Tetouan, Larbi El Mesbahi, noted that this cultural and artistic meeting adds to the cultural events hosted by the city of Tetouan in recent years.
"History testifies to Tetouan's contribution to the development and preservation of Moroccan artistic and musical heritage", he continued, adding that this festival also helps to consolidate and preserve this heritage.
As for the Vice-President of the Tetouan commune, Hamid Damoun, he stated that the Communal Council is aware of the role that culture can play in the development and influence of the city, recalling, in this sense, that the commune's action plan gives particular attention to culture.
The festival organizers aim for this cultural event to contribute to the promotion of this musical genre, particularly among young people, and to the cultural influence of the city of Tetouan.
The 1st edition of the Moroccan Andalusian Music Festival opened on Tuesday evening at the Español cinema in Tetouan, in a musical atmosphere celebrating the heritage and diversity of Moroccan musical rhythms.
