The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced that the 7th edition of the Berkeley Pearl Program will be held in Abu Dhabi.
According to Amac News: The announcement of the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Culture and Tourism states that it will welcome musicians from the United Arab Emirates and across the Middle East in the seventh edition of the Abu Dhabi Berklee Art and Leadership Program (PEARL), which will begin on September 9.
The first-of-its-kind intensive 12-week program is organized by Berklee Abu Dhabi, the first Middle East outpost of Berklee College of Music, a leading contemporary music and performing arts institution, according to the announcement.
PEARL provides opportunities for emerging artists to hone their skills to become the region's next generation of independent musicians.
To be eligible for the PEARL program, applicants must be a singer, songwriter, band, instrumentalist, producer or DJ. They must submit demos of original songs and video live performances.
The program is open to all genres of music, including pop, rock, soul, R&B, rap, jazz, traditional Arabic music and electronic music.
Qualified students, selected from among competitive applicants, will gain in-depth knowledge of songwriting, production, marketing, music business and entrepreneurship strategies.
During the program, students will be mentored by award-winning musicians and faculty, including music producer Miklos Malek, pianist and songwriter, Roger Ryan, director of Berklee Abu Dhabi, singer-songwriter Gail Heading, and Berklee Abu Dhabi artistic director, Mayssa Kara. Many music industry experts will be mentored.
The Berklee Institute Abu Dhabi was formed in 2020 through a partnership between the world-renowned Berklee College of Music and DCT Abu Dhabi to transform arts education in the Middle East.
The PEARL program underscores Berklee Abu Dhabi and DCT Abu Dhabi's commitment to position the emirate as a hub for musical and cultural exchange while empowering students with the skills to pursue careers in the creative industry.