The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) is set to welcome musicians from the UAE and across the Middle East to the seventh edition of Berklee Abu Dhabi’s Performance Artistry & Leadership (PEARL) Programme, commencing on 9th September. Applications are open until 18th August.

The first-of-its-kind 12-week intensive programme is organised by Berklee Abu Dhabi, the first Middle East outpost of Berklee College of Music, the preeminent institute of contemporary music and the performing arts.

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 programme, applicants must be singer-songwriters, bands, instrumentalists, producers or DJs. They need to submit demos of original compositions and live video performances.

The programme is open to all music genres, including pop, rock, soul, R&B, rap, jazz, Arabic traditional, and electronic music.

Eligible students, picked from a competitive pool of candidates, will gain in-depth knowledge of strategies in songwriting, production, marketing, music business and entrepreneurship.

At the end of the programme, students will write, record, and produce their own music, with the potential to make it big in the region and beyond. It offers valuable insights from industry experts and opportunities through the Berklee Abu Dhabi Fellowship Fund, which can potentially lead to joining the Berklee College across its campuses for higher music education.

During the programme, students will be mentored by multi-award-winning musicians and faculty, including music producer Miklos Malek, pianist and songwriter Roger Rayan, Berklee Abu Dhabi director Gael Hedding, singer-songwriter and Berklee Abu Dhabi’s artistic director Mayssa Karaa in addition to many music industry experts.

Berklee Abu Dhabi Institute was formed in 2020 through a partnership between the globally renowned Berklee College of Music and DCT Abu Dhabi to transform arts education in the Middle East.

The PEARL programme reaffirms Berklee Abu Dhabi and DCT Abu Dhabi’s commitment to positioning the emirate as a centre for musical and cultural exchange while empowering students with the skills to pursue careers in the creative industry.