Sting in Morocco!

"Morocco will get the foretaste of my upcoming world tour with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra of England," British musician, singer, songwriter, activist, actor and philanthropist, Sting said on Tuesday. Omar Er-rouch reports from Rabat.

"In the Mawazine festival in Morocco, I'll be playing with the Moroccan Royal Symphony Orchestra and it will be the foretaste of my upcoming world tour," Sting announced during a live call conference from New York City.

The rock legend, whose newest passion is the orchestra, will be touring the world as of June accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. A tour that will run through Christmas.

The Moroccan symphony orchestra "have already the arrangements and they are practicing. By the time, I'll get there, everything will be working well," the Inductee on the Hollywood Walk of Fame said.

Mawazine Festival: big rendezvous, big names

The British singer said the Mawazine Festival Rhythms of the World has become an important rendezvous that attracts big names. "I know some big names will be playing there: Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder, Elton John," he underlined.

"I know I will be in a good company," he said. Other names such as Micheal Bublé, Harry Connick Jr and BB King will also be on the different stages of the festival, which will run from May 21 through 29.

The 59-year-old singer said the festival is "an opportunity for meeting music from around the world." "Modern music will be mingled with Arabic music, Rai music, so we'll get a flavour of North Africa."

“I’m very much looking forward and excited to appear before the Moroccan public,” he said, adding that the festival gives him a “very good experience to work with the Royal Symphony orchestra of Morocco. A new experience.”

Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, better known by his stage name Sting, will be playing selections from across his career, including such Police classics as “Roxanne,” “Next To You,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” “Every Breath You Take,” along with solo favourites including “Englishman In New York,” “Fragile,” “Russians,” “If I Ever Lose My Faith In You,” “Fields Of Gold,” and “Desert Rose.”

Morocco, a good setting for clip shooting

“Morocco is a good location for clip shooting,” Sting said. “light is beautiful, the weather is beautiful, the architecture is beautiful,” he added. Talking about the possibility to shoot a video clip in Morocco, Sting said that “it’s something possible. I love the country; it is picturesque and beautiful.”

“I’ve spent a lot of time in Morocco, I have been to Rabat, Marrakech and Casablanca,” the rock star said. “I’m very familiar with the people, they’re very friendly, a great audience,” he added. “I like coming to Morocco, I have been there several times, I came on holidays many times. I have many friends. I’m looking forward to it,” Sting said.

“I have a relationship with music in North Africa, it tastes greatly,” Sting said, adding that “I love Darbouka.”

Talking about Arabic music, he recalled his duo experience with Cheb Mami in “Desert Rose”, saying that it “was very successful.”

The winner of sixteen Grammy Award said that he has no other projects of duos with Arab singers for the moment, but it’s something that can happen. “You never know,” he underlined.
He also noted that the way Arab musicians sing is very interesting, adding that “it’s a difficult skill, it’s something that I want to learn, I enjoy learning things.”

Sting and Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra to tour the world

Sting will be hitting the road for a world tour this summer accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, performing his most celebrated songs re-imagined for symphonic arrangement. The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra will be conducted by Maestro Steven Mercurio.

The tour kicks off on June 2nd in Vancouver and will perform in New York, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Portland, Seattle, and Washington before returning back to Canada, with stops in Toronto and Montreal. The tour will take him also throughout the UK and Europe.

English native Sting has been at the forefront of rock and pop music for almost forty years. He started as a lead singer and bassist with rock/pop band “The Police”, and he has also achieved great success as a solo artist.

Composer, singer, actor, activist Sting has won universal acclaim in all these roles, but he defies any easy labelling. He’s best described as an adventurer, a risk-taker. As he himself said, “I love to put myself in new situations. I’m not afraid to be a beginner.”

Husband and father of six, masterful guitarist and bassist, a devoted Yoga practitioner, and now a writer who published his memoirs in 2004, Sting has made a career, in fact, of new beginnings.

Details:  9th Mawazine World Rhythms Festival, Morocco, May 21st-29th 2010