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The third edition of the Berklee at Gnaoua and World Music Festival is set to unfold from June 22 to 27, 2026, in Essaouira, preceding the 27th edition of the Gnaoua and World Music Festival. Aspiring participants have until April 20, 2026, to submit their applications. This immersive six-day program will be spearheaded by Leo Blanco, a Berklee professor specializing in piano and African music studies. This year's theme is «Listening with a Global Ear – Playing with a Global Concept», as highlighted in a press release.
The initiative targets professional and semi-professional musicians aged 18 and above, regardless of where they are in their artistic journey. It aims to help them «deepen their practice within the context of a challenging intercultural dialogue». The program welcomes «instrumentalists and singers from classical, Gnaoua, or contemporary backgrounds – including jazz, pop, rock, and modern music», according to the source.
To support this endeavor, the program will feature pedagogical guidance from Fernando Huergo (bass professor), Nadia Washington (assistant professor in ear training), Jason Camelio (associate vice president of Berklee Global), and Bri Tagliaferro (associate director of partnerships and international programs).
Since the program's launch in 2024, «118 accomplished musicians from 30 countries have participated in Berklee at the Gnaoua and World Music Festival». This includes 29 Moroccan musicians and artists from «various African nations, such as Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Zambia, as well as from Europe, the Americas, and Asia».
The organizers express satisfaction with the «notable progress between the first two editions», observing a «rising appeal» and diversity of talent. This third edition is evidently part of a «sustainable momentum, positioning Essaouira, a UNESCO Creative City of Music, as a hub for transmission and creation, bridging living heritage with contemporary world music».
