Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival 2026

Apply Today: 2026 Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival is now open!

The Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival program is a music intensive for professional and semi-professional musicians that provides a unique opportunity to enhance your artistic proficiency and expand your musical vocabulary. The program will take place from Monday, June 22, to Saturday, June 27, 2026, in Essaouira, Morocco.

You will engage in performances with musicians from diverse corners of the world, exposing you to various grooves, rhythms, and harmonic and improvisational concepts. Renowned Berklee faculty members will guide you on approaches to merge multicultural musical elements in both music composition and performance experiences with peers from around the world. Academic director Leo Blanco has designed the pedagogical approach for this program so that it's inclusive and enriching—and goes beyond technical skills to encompass cultural understanding and appreciation.

The program takes place in partnership with the Gnaoua and World Music Festival. The workshop is open to all musicians (see eligibility guidelines), from classical to Gnaoua, from pop and rock to jazz, and more. During the program, you will have the opportunity to absorb the atmosphere of historic Essaouira, immerse yourself in Gnaoua musical traditions, and attend main stage performances at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival.

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Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival

Applications for the 2026 Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival Program are now open through April 20, 2026.

Apply Now!

Program Details and Frequently Asked Questions

When and how do I apply?

Apply Now: 2026 Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival Application

All candidates must submit an online application and links to three videos that demonstrate their technical and musical skills on their principal instrument.

Applications will be reviewed, and decisions will be made on an ongoing basis.

Space in the program is limited. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Am I eligible?

Eligible candidates must be 18 years old or older at the start of the program and will have at least two years of performance experience on their principal instrument. This program is designed for actively performing musicians seeking to advance their skills as improvisers.

Please note: This program is open to currently enrolled Berklee students and Berklee alumni.

What are the program costs?

The tuition for the five-day program will be 4,500 MAD (approximately $490 USD)

What is the program like?

Program topics will include the following:

The Improviser as Composer

Where composition and improvisation meet
Survey of great composers and improvisers (from classical to contemporary)
Melody, harmony, and rhythm

Building Your Creative Vocabulary

Chords scales and using them to create melodies and harmonies
Survey of styles, rhythmic feel, and groove
Approaches for practicing improvisation

Styles, Grooves, and Accompaniment Labs

Survey of popular styles and how to play them
Stylistic interpretation and musical expression
Groove playing: how to listen, lock in, and support
Accompaniment skills-building

Performance classrooms are equipped with a standard drum set, guitar amplifiers, a bass amplifier, PA system, microphones, microphone cables and stands, and an electric keyboard/piano. Large lectures are supported by audio, visual, and digital presentations; support staff, and administrators meet students' individual needs. Additionally, all students will receive free passes to the main stage at the 2026 Gnaoua and World Music Festival concerts.

Review the list below, including the items next to your instrument, to be ready for the program.

Bass (Electric and Acoustic): Bring your instrument, patch cable, and tuner.
Brass: Bring your instrument and any accessories needed to keep your instrument in working order.
Drum Set: Bring sticks and stick bags (including brushes and mallets), your practice pad, a drum key, and your cymbals.
Guitar: Bring your instrument, extra sets of strings, patch cables, tuner, and any accessories needed to keep your instrument in working order.
Hand Percussion: Bring your instruments (bongos, congas, timbales, djembé, etc).
Piano: Instruments will be provided.
Strings: Bring your instrument, bow, and any accessories needed to keep your instrument in working order.
Voice: (optional) Bring your microphone and microphone cable.
Woodwinds: Bring your instrument and any accessories needed to keep your instrument in working order.

The program will be taught in English with Arabic translation.

What is the program schedule?

The workshop will take place over five consecutive days and will run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Additional evening activities and events will occur at the discretion of the program organizers and Berklee.

Who are the program instructors?

Leo Blanco '97, Professor of Piano, Academic Director of the Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival Program
Fernando Huergo, Professor of Bass, Instructor of the Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival Program
Jason Camelio MM '01, Assistant Vice President, Berklee Global
Bri Tagliaferro MM '19, Associate Director of Berklee Global Partners and Programs

Other faculty to be announced.

Where is the program located?

The program will be held in Essaouira, Morocco.

Where will I stay?

Participants are required to make their own housing arrangements.

Who can I contact for more information?

For more information, please contact:
Berklee Global Programs and Partnerships
Berklee College of Music
1140 Boylston Street, MS-855 GI
Boston, MA 02215-3693 USA

Telephone: 617-747-2700, or toll-free: 877-Berklee (US and Canada)
Email: globalprograms@berklee.edu