Taroudant, Morocco - Marcel Khalife, the renowned Lebanese composer, oud master and singer, is reportedly going to launch a big music institute that will bear his name in Tangier, according to Rai Al-youm.
According to the same source, the famous Arab singer, 64, has collaborated with the Moroccan Ministry of Culture and the Mayor of Tangier to run a music conservatory called "Marcel Khalife Institute for music and Art."
The Lebanese singer will be in charge of the institution and will personally, along with famous Moroccan an international music and art professionals, teach some music classes.
This institute will provide music and art classes to students free fo charge, abd it will be responsible for conducting musicological research to identify and document Morocco's traditional and folk music.
The same source said that Marcel Khalife, who left his Parisian residence, has decided to settle permanently in Tangier.
In recognition of his fervent and generous engagement in favor of musical heritage, Marcel was named Artist of the UNESCO for Peace by the Director-General of UNESCO, Koichiro Matsuura, in 2005.
The Moroccan northern city of Tangier has long ago been an attractive city of world celebrities.
Here is one of the most famous songs of Marcel Khalife, Rita, an epic love song ballad about a girl named Rita, with English subtitles.
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