Where can I hear Andalusian music in Morocco?

Andalusian music, called al-Ala, is Morocco's most refined classical tradition, carried across the strait by Muslims and Jews exiled from medieval Spain. It is an orchestral, suite-based music built on intricate modes called nubat, performed by ensembles of oud, violin, rebab, qanun and percussion with layered vocals. If you have an ear for something elegant and historic rather than trance-driven, this is the music to seek out.

The heartlands are the northern imperial and Andalusi cities: Fes above all, plus Rabat, Tetouan, Chefchaouen and Tangier, where families and conservatories have preserved the repertoire for generations. In Fes I arrange evenings at palace-style restaurants in the medina where a full Andalusian orchestra accompanies a traditional dinner, which is the most accessible way to experience it with a meal.

For something deeper, time your trip to a festival. The Fes Festival of Sacred Music each summer is world-renowned and regularly programmes Andalusian ensembles alongside Sufi and global sacred traditions, often in spectacular open-air settings beneath the city walls. Conservatories and cultural centres in Fes, Rabat and Tetouan also hold recitals that are more formal and authentic than the dinner shows.

My favourite way to give guests this experience is intimate: a private Andalusian trio or quartet in a riad courtyard, lanterns lit, no crowd, just the music filling the tiled space. It is utterly different from the raucous fun of Jemaa el-Fna or a Gnawa night, and couples and serious music lovers tend to treasure it. Tell me a few days ahead and I can usually arrange the right ensemble in Fes or Rabat.