The opening ceremony of the festival, organised by the Association of Lovers and Enthusiasts of Andalusian Music in Tetouan in partnership with the Tetouan Commune and in coordination with the Provincial Delegation of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication - Culture Department, was marked by the presence of the Governor of Tetouan Province, Abdelrazak El Mansouri, the President of the Tetouan Commune, Mustapha El Bakouri, and several cultural, artistic, and elected officials.
During this ceremony, which celebrated the cultural diversity and artistic creativity of the city of Tetouan, an Andalusian musical group composed of several musicians led by artist Hicham Zoubeir, artist Mohamed El Amine El Akrami, artist Fahd Benkirane, and artist Ayatollah Mortada Chqara, performed selections from the Mizan El Bassit and Qoudam El Istihlal.
The orchestra of Professor Artist Mohamed Abrioul of Andalusian Music from Fez also presented a refined musical performance, igniting the audience's enthusiasm, who enjoyed following the segments of this magnificent concert.
The opening ceremony was marked by the honouring of one of the prominent figures of Andalusian music in northern Morocco, the late artist Mokhtar El Mofrej, in recognition of his contributions to Moroccan and Tetouani Andalusian music in particular.
On this occasion, the President of the Association of Lovers and Enthusiasts of Andalusian Music in Tetouan, Hicham Zoubeir, highlighted that the first edition of the Moroccan Andalusian Music Festival is an exceptional milestone, hosting three musical schools in the art of Al-Ala: the Tetouani school, which presented the first performance; the Fassi school, through the orchestra of Professor Mohamed Abrioul; and the Tangier school, through the orchestra of the group Rawafid Moussiqiya, led by artist Omar El Metioui.
Zoubeir added, in a statement to the Maghreb Arab Press Agency, that this edition will feature three musical evenings, one of which will be held outdoors in the large Al-Garsa square, to bring this musical art closer to the general public.
For his part, the Provincial Director of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication - Culture Department, Mohamed Larbi El Mesbahi, confirmed that this artistic celebration is an addition to the cultural and artistic events that Tetouan has witnessed in recent years.
El Mesbahi noted that Tetouan's history shows that it has contributed to the consolidation, development, and preservation of this artistic and musical heritage that characterises Morocco, and therefore this festival is a cultural moment to consolidate and preserve this heritage.
In a similar statement, the Vice-President of the Tetouan Commune, Hamid Damoun, indicated that the Commune's presidency believes in the role that culture can play in development and influence, especially since the Commune's action plan gives special attention to culture.
The organisers of this festival aim to contribute to the promotion of this ancient music, especially among young people, through playing, listening, and honouring the great figures of this art, as well as contributing to the cultural influence of the city of Tetouan.
