Biography

Zainab Afailal, a Moroccan singer born and raised in Tetouan before moving to Tangier in order to join the university and then moved to Zaragoza, Spain, to pursue her higher studies where she is working on her doctoral thesis in industrial chemistry.

During her childhood, everyone around her sensed a great love for music, as she loved to sing classical Arab songs. Zainab’s parents registered her at the National Institute of Music in the city of Tetouan, where she studied solmization and then joined the choir of Mohammed Larbi Tamsamani headed by Mr. Mohamed El Amine El Akrami who was and still considered as her artistic Godfather. For generations the Andalusian music was considered an exclusive domain for men, which made it Zainab’s mission more complicated. However, with her talent and perseverance, she was able to become the main singer of the band and to make her name prominent and associated with the Andalusian culture.

The Mohamed Larbi Temsamani orchestra of the Tetouan National Music Conservatory, was founded in 1956 by the professor and the grandmaster Mohamed Larbi Temsamani.

He worked on the unification of the "sanna" and the phrases of Andalusian music, as well as the introduction of female voices and young talents.

In 1968, little Mohamed Amine El Akrami was discovered by Maitre Temsamani during a Moroccan television evening, and he invited him to study with him at the Tetouan conservatory. 6 years later, El Akrami became part of the orchestra alongside great masters like Abdessadak Chkara, Ahmed Chentouf, Mokhtar Mfarej and others.

This orchestra, which represented the Tetouan school of Andalusian music, participated in festivities and cultural events in Morocco, France, England, Spain, Russia, and several Arab countries.

In 1995, Mohamed Amine El Akrami obtained the certificate of excellence in Andalusian music from his master which enabled him to be the first person in charge of the orchestra.

In 2001, Maitre El Akrami became Official Director of the orchestra after the death of his teacher Mohamed Larbi Temsamani.

Maitre El Akrami continues the same path of his teacher by introducing young elements into the orchestra as well as the creation of a chorale composed of several students from the conservatory and female voices which gave a unique charm among the other orchestras.