The Fes Festival of World Sacred Music is widely acclaimed as one of the world’s great musical events. Now in its 15th year, it brings together performers from every corner of our planet for a week of artistic excellence in Morocco’s ancient holy city. It represents the spiritual heart of Islam – peaceful, pluralistic, generous and cheerful. It honours all the world’s spiritual traditions and it dissolves musical boundaries.

Provisional Programme World Sacred Music 2010

Friday 4 June 2010

Bab Makina 20h30: Royal Ballet of Cambodia (Cambodia) The Legend of the Creation of the Khmer Kingdom

Saturday 5 June 2010

Batha Museum 16h00: The Young Gotipuras Dancers (India) Ritual acrobatic dance from the temples of Orissa

Bab Makina 20h30: Ben Harper (USA) The roots of popular American music, from gospel to blues, from reggae to folk OR Al Green (USA) Gospel (to be confirmed)

Sunday 6 June 2010

Batha Museum 16h30: Shakila Saidi & the Rajab Suleiman Trio (Tanzania) The art of taraab in Swahili tradition

Bab Makina 20h30: Africa Spirit: The Sufi Ensemble Mtendeni Maulid (Zanzibar) and Les Maîtres Tambours (Burundi) Sufi ritual and sacred rhythm

Monday 7 June 2010

Batha Museum 16h30: Ahmed Essyad and the Accroche Note Ensemble (Morocco) Forbidden Voices: mystical poems of Hussain Mansour Al-Hallaj

A Night in the Medina 20h30: Various locations including the Bouanania Medersa, Riad Sheherazade, Dar Jnan Sbil, Dar Adiyel Conservatoire and Dar Ba Mohamed Chergui:

· The Constantinople Ensemble and Barbara Furtuna (Iran & France) Canti di a Terra

· Parvathy Baul (India) The poetry of God's fools

· Poets and musicians from Kabul (Afghanistan) (in partnership with the Aga Khan Initiative)

· Epi (Mongolia) Songs of the Steppe Nomads

· Gülay Haçer Toruk (Turkey) Songs of Anatolia

Raïs Qenawi Bakhit Qenawi and the Mizmar Ensemble (Egypt) Songs of Luxor

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Batha Museum 16h30: SamulNori Hanullim Ensemble (South Korea) Percussion and Sacred Dance of Korea

Bab Makina 20h30: Shahram Nazeri (Iran) with Mohamed Bajeddoud (Morocco) and the Arabo-Andalusian Orchestra of Fez The poetry of Jalâl ud Dîn Rûmî

Wednesday 9 June 2010

Batha Museum 16h30: Camille (France) Sacred songs

Bab Makina 20h30: Jordi Savall and the Hesperion XXI Ensemble (Spain) with guests from Morocco, Iraq, Greece, Israel, Galilee and Armenia Jerusalem, City of Heavenly Peace and Earthly Peace

Thursday 10 June 2010

Batha Museum 08h00: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia (India) Morning ragas on a bansuri flute

Batha Museum 16h30: Bagdad-Jerusalem Ensemble (Israel & Iraq) Music of the Jewish tradition of Baghdad

Bab Makina 20h30: Sizero Tabla Experience (India & United Kingdom) Rhythmic India

Friday 11 June 2010

Batha Museum 16h30: Dhafer Youssef and his Ensemble (Tunisia) Sufi Songs revisited

Bab Makina 20h30: Sabah Fakri and the Aleppo Singers (Syria)

Saturday 12 June 2010

Batha Museum 16h30: David Murray and the Gwo Ka Masters invite Archie Shepp (USA & Caribbean)

Bab Makina 20h30: Gospel Voices: 1st part: Sista Kee (USA) & 2nd part: The Blind Boys of Alabama (USA)

FEZ MEETINGS & FESTIVAL IN THE CITY (Programme to be announced soon)