Moroccan musical heritage will take center stage in Brussels on October 7, when the Maghreb Orchestra of Brussels makes its public debut at Flagey.
The inaugural concert will place Moroccan traditions at the heart of a new orchestral project designed to bring Maghreb music into dialogue with symphonic writing. Rather than simply adding traditional instruments to a classical ensemble, the project seeks to reshape melodies and rhythms through a broader orchestral language.
Moroccan singer Sanaa Marahati will lead the first concert. Known for her work in Melhoun and Gharnati music, she brings to Brussels a repertoire deeply rooted in Morocco’s musical heritage.
Born in Sefrou in 1984, Marahati has performed in Morocco and internationally. She has also explored orchestral interpretations of Moroccan music through previous projects, making her a natural voice for the orchestra’s opening chapter.
The ensemble brings together musicians from different backgrounds and musical traditions. Among them is Brussels-born qanun player Mohamed-Amine El Korchi, who began studying the instrument at an early age before continuing his training with Iraqi master Souhad Najem.
El Korchi, now active as a teacher at Muziekpublique, represents a younger generation of musicians connecting traditional Arab instruments with contemporary European cultural scenes.
The orchestra also includes Algerian percussionist Karim Ziad, whose career spans chaabi, jazz and world music. Oud, qanun and violin player Ahmed El Maai adds expertise in Arab-Andalusian traditions, while ney player Tammam Ramadan brings a Syrian musical heritage to the ensemble.
Moroccan violinist Abderrahim Semlali, musical director of the Amsterdam Andalusian Orchestra, and Tetouan-born musician Mohammed Ahaddaf are also part of the project.
At the artistic helm is conductor Tom Cohen, who has spent years working on connections between Western orchestral composition and musical traditions from North Africa and the Arab world.
His previous work includes Symphonyat in Morocco and collaborations in Algeria with El Gusto, the celebrated chaabi ensemble.
Brussels provides a natural setting for such a project. The Belgian capital brings together communities with diverse cultural, linguistic and musical backgrounds, while Maghreb music already occupies an important place in its cultural landscape.
The orchestra intends to build on that diversity by bringing together musicians trained in classical music, Arab-Andalusian traditions, chaabi, jazz and other musical forms.
The first performance will also feature young singers from the Flagey Academy. Around 50 children and teenagers between the ages of 8 and 18, representing 26 Brussels schools, will join the concert.
The academy participants come from 17 nationalities and speak 16 languages, giving the inaugural performance an additional intergenerational and multicultural dimension.
The October concert is intended as the beginning of a longer artistic project rather than a one-off performance. Morocco will open the orchestra’s musical journey, with future programs expected to explore other Maghreb traditions, artists and original creations.
The Maghreb Orchestra of Brussels aims to gradually develop a new repertoire where North African musical traditions meet symphonic composition, creating a space for established artists and a younger generation of musicians to work together.
