Fes Festival 2011
Travel Exploration is proud to present the final music and conference schedule for the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music. The Fes Festival Of World Sacred Music’s 17th Edition will take place from June 3rd – 12th, 2011. The Fes Music Festival can be attended by taking a 13 Day/ 12 Night Morocco Tour with Music Host, Joel Davis which includes discovers of Morocco’s Imperial Cities, the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music and the Sahara region. Discovering Fes and the Fes Festival can also be done on a private journey to Fes. This immense undertaking of a Fes Festival Program in the city of Fes, Morocco is once again spearheaded by Mr. Faouzi Skali. Mr. Faouzi Skali has a Doctor in anthropology, ethnology and religion sciences. Faouzi Skali was born in Fes Morocco in 1953. Mr. Skali founded the international symposium A soul for the globalization – since 2001 – in parallel of the Festival of World Sacred Music in Fes. Those of us who know Mr. Faouzi Skali’s word and his commitment to peace and a greater Fes are pleased to have him back at the helm. The 17th Edition of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music is going to be like none other. At a time when the Muslim world is looking for reform towards democracy and peace, Morocco once again leads with a commitment to these efforts linked to culture, arts and community. The mix of musicians from around the world at the 17th annual Fes Festival within the modernized, peaceful and progressive country of Morocco is surely to be at the threshold of the world’s eyes and an opportunity for world and spiritual music to once again bridge the gaps that exist among us.
Faouzi Skali, Director of Fes Festival of World Sacred Music
Fes Festival of World Sacred Music – 17th Edition 2011 (June 3rd – 12th, 2011)
Friday, June 3rd
Bab Al Makina – 8.30 pm Creation
Opera ‘Majnun and Leila’ Armand Amar, art direction ‐ Leili Anvar, booklet (lyrics/script) With the Shanghai Percussion – Japanese Drums – Sarah Nemtanu, violin soloist with the London Symphony Orchestra ‐ Gregory Korneliu, cello ‐ Ibrahim Maalouf, trumpet ‐ Levon Minassian, duduk ‐ Seye Mohamed, ney ‐ Zaim Abdou, oud ‐ Guo Gan, erhu ‐ Mara Dubrescu, piano ‐ Mathias Duplessy, guitar ‐ Salah Aguili, Iranian singing ‐ Sandrine Piau and Adele Carlier, classical singing – Epi, Mongolian throat singing ‐ Asif Ali Khan, qawwali singing Armand Amar, a cinematic composer – from the prestigious “Amen” by Costa‐Gavras to the recent “Home” (a cult‐oriented ecological movie by Yann Arthus‐Bertrand) ‐ offers a musical and poetic journey of the great Eastern traditions, from Persia to the Arab world. The universal story of Majnun and Leila, a legend carried over time through stories, novels, poems, films and songs in Arabic, Kurdish, Pashto, Hindi, Urdu or Bengali,celebrates absolute love and represents the idea of a true mystical quest.
Saturday June 4th
Batha Museum – 4.00 pm
Elena Ledda and his quartet with polyphonic choir Su Cuncordu ‘E Su Rosario de Santu Lussurgiu ‐ Sardinia, Italy Cantendi A Deus. Surrounded by the beautiful voices of Sardinia, Elena Ledda renews the sacred songs ofan island whose pastoral society has preserved its rich oral heritage, a heritage that exudes the wild beauty of the ancient mountains and Mediterranean.
Bab Al Makina – 8.30 pm
Maria Bethânia ‐ Brazil Romances and spiritual songs / Canticos, preces e suplicas. A native of Bahia, Maria Bethânia was the spokesperson of a youth movement involved in post‐dictatorship and feminism. Today, the adored grande dame of popular song – known as Abelha‐rainha (“Queen Bee”) – plays a repertoire of homage and praise to the Virginary, full of a sensual fervor related to Brazil’s multiculturalism.
Nawah Fes Festival 2011 Performers
Sunday June 5th
Batha Museum – 4.00 pm
Nawah ‐ Morocco and Palestine Traditional Sephardic Jewish and Palestinian songs Françoise Atlan, voice Moneim Adwan, voice and oud Bijan Cheminani, zarb and daf . At the junction of the three monotheistic traditions of medieval Spain and a musical tradition evoking exile, lost homelands and purified love, Françoise Atlan and Moneim Adwan form a meeting between the musical history of the Maghreb and the Middle East.
Bab Al Makina ‐ 8.30 pm
Julia Boutros – Lebanon
The consciousness of a great voice. Following the path of the illustrious Feirouz to whom she is often compared, Julia Boutros continues with intelligence a career leading her to be respected by the entire Arab world. Simple in her interpretation, serene in her appearance, Julia Boutros has all the attractions of a diva aware of the political realities surrounding her.
Monday June 6th
Batha Museum – 4.00 pm
The ‘Kinor David’ choir under the direction of Michael Abittan ‐ Casablanca, Morocco. The art of matrouz. This year, in the spirit of the spiritual dialogue that characterizes this festival, the Jewish Arabic tradition – dear to the musical heritage of Morocco – evokes the land of Andalusia, a crucible of Muslim, Hebrew and Christian cultures, where Jewish and Arab poetry are embroidered and entwined.
Night in the Medina I
Dar Mokri – 8 and 10 pm Jesús Corbacho – Andalusia‐ Spain Saetas, songs of praise
Dar Tazi – 8.30 pm Salah Aghili ‐ Iran The poetic art of Djalâl ad‐Dîn Rûmî. The Persian music and poetry of Djalâl ad‐Dîn Rûmî opens the doors of perception, lifting our imagination into the heart of ancient warriors and epic songs, before descending into deep nostalgia and mystic sadness.
Batha Museum – 9.00 pm
Prem Sanyas, “The Light of Asia” ‐ North India A masterpiece of silent film directed by Franz Osten (1925) and set to music on stage by the ‘Divana Ensemble’ ‐ manghaniyars and langas musicians from Rajasthan. Prem Sanyas evokes the early years of Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, the long‐awaited son of King Suddhodana. After growing up in a closed and protected world the young man escapes the palace and discovers another aspect of human existence: poverty, disease and death. The film, shot in Jaipur, is an opportunity to discover the sumptuous lives and traditions of the rajahs of the time.
Dar Adiyel ‐ 9 and 10.30 pm
Alèmu Aga ‐ Ethiopia
Sacred song and lyre bèguèna Since the time of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon (1000 BC), there were 3000 years of independence experienced by the Kingdom of Axum, before it became Abyssinia and Ethiopia. These countries then converted to Christianity in the 4th century at the same time as the Roman Empire. The crystalline notes of the lyre and singing recitals of Alemu Aga take us back to the chants of King David. At once meditative and therapeutic, these songs are ancient and deeply peaceful.
Dar Tazi – 11.00 pm Sheikh Taha ‐ Upper Egypt The Inshad sufiya of Luxor The Munshiddin of Upper Egypt are known for their poetic verve and stage presence. Very popular, they are accompanied by the Takht Ensemble who play melodic ancient tunes inspired by old songs such as Oum Kalthoum. Their Sufi singing ‐ inshad Sufiya ‐ is bright and accessible to all.
Gundecha Brothers Fes Festival 2011 Performers
Tuesday June 7th Batha Museum – 4.00 pm
Gundecha Brothers ‐ North India
The sacred art of dhrupad. Dhrupad singing is the oldest classical music tradition alive in the Indian subcontinent. It is rooted in the recitation of the Vedic hymns. Originally sung in the temples, the vocal technique recreates the exaltation of the loving soul.
Dar Tazi – 11.00 pm Sheikh Taha – Upper Egypt Sufi Inshad of Luxor Night in the Medina II
Dar Mokri – 8.00 pm Mohamed Amin El Akrami and his orchestra ‐ Morocco Andalusian tradition of Tetouan. Mohamed Amine Akrami carries with him the musical heritage of Andalusian Tetouan, a small town in the Rif Mountains often called “the Andalusian patio of Morocco”. The tune contains both sophisticated and bitter aspects and the music al‐âla of Tetouan is beautifully enhanced by the Mohamed Amine Akrami Ensemble. Mohamed Amine Akrami perfected his art with religious songs from madih to samâ, studying under great masters such as Mohamed Larbi Temsamani and Abdessadak Chekara.
Batha Museum – 8.00 pm Ensemble Barroco Asuncion Paraguay ‐ Latin America Alexander Chauffaud, musical direction
Jessica Bogado and Laura Delogu, sopranos. Samples of Peruvian Codes from the Andean area in the 18th century Halfway between the European Baroque universe and traditional music, the viewpoints of two civilizations meet in sacred music. These works, born of the “meeting of two worlds”, make Latin America the chosen land of a musical art that has developed in staggering proportions since the late 16th and 17th centuries. The young musicians from Paraguay ‘Barroco’ tell the story of this journey by blending indigenous and European instruments, from the harpsichord to the Paraguayan harp.
Homayoun Sakhi Fes Festival 2011 Performers
Batha Museum – 10.00 pm Homayoun Sakhi – Afganistan Art of Rubâb
Afghanistan, formerly at the crossroads of the Persian, Indian and Asian civilizations, remains a country of proud mountain warriors, who are today faced with the game of international powers. Homayoun Sakhi, a musical revelation in recent years, has devoted his existence to rubâb, an Afghan lute, which sounds volatile and cutting.
Dar Mokri – 10.30 pm Nahal Tajddod and Jean‐Claude Carrière
“The Conference of the Birds” by Farid Eddin Attar Jean‐Claude Carrière and Nahal Tajaddod revive the Sufi tale of Farid Eddin Attar during areading punctuated by music. All the birds, known and unknown, met one day and discovered that they lacked a king. They decided to go in search of the bird‐king Simorg, a symbol of Truth in the Persiamystical tradition. This famous story of initiation, interspersed with stories and anecdotes, remains forever a jewel of Muslim spirituality. The great Rumi, Persian mystic and poet, said of its author, Attar (c. 1140 ‐ c. 1230): “He was the soul of Sufism, I am only following his trail.”
Dar Adiyel – 9.30 pm Ensemble Wajd – Morocco and Syria. Songs with existential and spiritual dimension, between tradition and modernity Naziha Meftah, songs Ghaïs Jasser, composition and piano Khaled Roumo, poetry
Dar Tazi – 11.00 pm Divana ‐ Rajasthan, North India Sufi songs of the Thar Deser A raw voice capable of shaping a myriad of songs, in perfect harmony with the amanchiya and sarangui fiddles, is the image of these nomadic societies that cultivate ahigh poetic refinement. In the poetic paradise that is the ancient land of Rajas (Rajasthan,meaning ‘Land of Princes’ in Sanskrit), the poet’s voice rises, sinuous and warm, and illuminates our soul like “the expanse of stars in the night”.
Abd Al Malik Fes Festival 2011 Performer
Wednesday June 8th Batha Museum – 4.00 pm
Urban Phileas – Reunion Island, France Reunion Island is a microcosm of intersecting African, Asian, Indian, Arab and Europeanpopulations, a symbol of multiculturalism where all faiths and communities live together.The spirit of this special island is expressed through maloya, between Dravidian India,Malagasy possession rituals (servis kabaré) and the legacies of African slavery. UrbanPhileas, belonging to the family Lele, practices this ritual, which has been passed downthrough generations of ancestors.
Bab Al Makina – 8.30 pm Abd Al Malik ‐ France Rapper, slammer and composer, Abd Al Malik is the media figure of a new culture that has built itself out of the search for another life, another language, while managing the ups and downs of existence in an urban jungle. Abd Al Malik is inspired by, amongst other ideas, the Sufi philosophy of spiritual and intellectual resources and the great texts of Western thought.
Thursday June 9th Batha Museum – 4.00 pm
Ensemble baroque “Il Concerto di Arianna” – Italy Musical performance of Alessandro Stradella, Alessandro Scarlatti and Antonio Vivaldi The illustrious Roman Ducci Foundation, which works for peace and dialogue between cultures, offers a repertoire focused on sacred music under the direction of the great conductor Marcello Panni.
Bab Al Makina – 8.30 pm Youssou N’Dour and the Super Star of Dakar ‐ Senegal Tribute to Sheikh Sidi Ahmed al‐Tijani Youssou N’dour, a true icon of West African music, has not forgotten his spiritual roots. In front of the symbolic door of Fez he will pay tribute to the great master of the Brotherhood Tijaniyya, founded around 1780 by Ahmad al‐Tijani. Ahmad al‐Tijani’s mausoleum ‐ a place of pilgrimage for the worldwide Tijani brotherhood ‐ is in Blida, in the heart of Fez Medina.
Doudou Ndiaye Rose Fes Festival 2011 Performer
Friday June 10th Batha Museum – 4.00 pm
Creation Doudou Ndiaye Rose and his sabar drum ensemble With the choir of St Joseph Medina led by Ambouras ‐ Senegal The sabar drums of Doudou Ndiaye Rose and his sons, give a new dimension to this polyrhythmic percussion and chorus, which is animated by the spiritual conviction to own the soul of Africa. This also occurs when Muslim and Christian traditions are absorbed by the traditional culture of the Fefer community.
Bab Al Makina – 8.30 pm Farid Ayyaz & Party and the great voices of moroccan samâ, accompanied by the Arab‐ Andalusian Orchestra of Fez, led by Mohammed Briouel ‐ Pakistan and Morocco The expression qaûl in Sufi speech, becomes qawwalî in Indo‐Pakistani music and meets the Arab‐Andalusian al‐âla tradition from Fes and the vocal art of samâ. In a common spirit of poetic recitation, with the same rhythmic frenzy and equal wealth of ornamentation, the powerful vocals of qawwalî by Farid Ayyaz intersect with those of samâ and their voices fill the sky with chanting.
Saturday June 11th Batha Museum – 4.00 pm
Syubbanul Akhyar Esemble ‐ Java, Indonesia Songs and music Hajir Marawi of Cirebon The first centuries of Islamization in Southeast Asia coincided with the heyday of medieval Sufism and developed around the 12th and 13th centuries, during which time the Sufi brotherhood tarîqat emerged. In Indonesia, Yemeni Arab traders from the Hadramout Valley were among the first to transmit a true and popular Sufism. The musical style hajir marawis, legacy of the Yemeni Sufi culture, refers to a set of hajir percussion drums (double membrane) and marawis (small tambourines) to which are added the oud, lute and Yemeni gambus.
Bab Al Makina – 8.30 pm Kazem El Saher and Asma Lmnawar, with the artistic collaboration of Aziz Lachhab ‐ Iraq and Morocco Kazem El Saher, a prestigious and big‐hearted Arabic singer, will be in Fez alongside the singer Asma Lmnawar from Casablanca, with whom he recently collaborated to create a masterpiece. This largely spiritual concert is being shown for the first time in a repertoire especially created for, and dedicated to, Fez.
Sunday June 12th Bab Al Makina – 8.30 pm
Ben Harper ‐ USA Ben Harper expresses the roots of an America that, through its nomadic troubadours and minstrels, has brought the essence of spirituality from memories of a lost Arica, through the struggles of slavery and the hopes of the early settlers.
FES FORUM: “Giving a Soul to Globalization” 4th‐ 8th June 2011
Batha Museum – 9 am to 12 noon 2011 Forum Theme: Dialogue about wisdom: inspired by Farid al‐Din Attar’s The
Conference of the Birds – “The problems we face cannot be solved with the same level of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, surely we agree that the world’s fate no longer depends on a balance of power that sees mounting tensions between a western culture dominated by reason, creativity, and technology and other cultures driven by new, irrational, and dogmatic ideologies that draw solely on identity or religious affiliation? Not to deny these tensions, we must understand that what is happening is far more complex and deeply rooted. Whether our resources draw on ancient or new philosophies, from the North or South, East or West is not what matters. What is essential is that, by virtue of their encounter, they can nourish our relationship with the world. The impact of this encounter makes possible the emergence not simply of a plethora of ideas ‐ regardless of cultural relativis but a genuinely unknown relationship among cultures; a genuine diversity tha challenges and enriches thought, concepts of society, and our ideas of who we are and can be. Thus the Persian mystic poet of the 13th century, Attar, in his The Conference of the Birds, recounted how the birds, through an intensive dialogue, were able to discover the true significance of their existence and of their common destiny.
Faouzi Skali – The Fes Forum, whose overarching theme is “Giving A Soul To Globalization” will address topics ranging from “Islam and the West” : towards a new civilization,” “New horizons for the Maghreb», «What future lies ahead for the Middle East?, “The roots of the financial crisis”, “Contemporary dilemmas”, and more…Leading figures who will attend include: Rajmohan Gandhi, Katherine Marshall, Salamatou Sow, Edgar Morin, Majid Rahnema, Wim Wenders, Leila Shahid, André Azoulay, Karen Amstrong, Bariza Khiari, Jacques Attali, Siddhartha, Yann Arthus‐Bertrand, Michel Thao Chan, Michael Barry, Leili Anvar, Katia Légeret, Mohamed Valsan, Assia Alaoui Bensalah, Marie Miran‐Guyon, Mohamed Ghalmi, Kamal Oudghiri, Xavier‐Simon Guerrand‐Hermes, Xavier de Catheu, Patrick Busquet, Henri Joyeux, Patrick Viveret, Jean‐Claude Carrière, Amal Arfaoui, Saad Khiari, Nahal Tajddod, Abd Al Malik, , Setsuko Klossowska de Rola, Adel Rifaat, Bahgat Elnadi, Joseph Mail, Zeyba Rahman, Gunnar Stalsett and more.
Festival in the City – Everyday- Place Boujloud at 6.30 pm – Dar Tazi at 11.00 pm
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