Ibrahim Maalouf partners with Beyond Music Vol.5 for U.S. Open Call
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Marco Gandolfi
Beyond Music, the nonprofit global music community established by the Swiss Beyond Foundation with the support of Tina Turner, is inviting professional musicians across the United States to join its international open call for Beyond Music Vol.5. With two-time Grammy-nominated trumpeter, composer and producer Ibrahim Maalouf serving as Guest Artist & Curator, the project brings artists together across cultures to create original music for consideration for its fifth album. Participation is free, all genres are welcome, and submissions close November 23rd at 9am CET.
Twelve winning collaborations will be selected for the album. One Grand Prize team will travel to Miami in March 2027 to develop and professionally re-record its winning song as the album’s official lead single with Maalouf, and film an accompanying music video. Through Beyond Music’s partnership with Montreux Jazz Festival Miami, the team will also receive a 30-minute performance slot at one of the festival’s Jam Sessions, alongside Maalouf and special guests. Beyond Music covers the Grand Prize experience’s travel, accommodation, recording and video production costs.
The other eleven winning collaborations will receive $1,000 per artist for up to six artists, with a maximum award of $6,000 per collaboration, shared equally for larger teams. Their tracks will receive professional mastering and, where required, mixing, and will join the Grand Prize song on the internationally promoted Beyond Music Vol.5 album.
“Few instruments have brought people together across cultures and generations quite like the trumpet. Its sound has accompanied moments of celebration, unity and hope throughout history,” says Konstanze Wiedemann, CEO & Co-Founder of Beyond Music. “At a time when so much seems to divide us, we wanted to take this powerful symbol of connection and make it the shared creative starting point for Beyond Music Vol.5. One instrument, countless musical traditions, and endless possibilities for what we can create together.”
For Vol.5, the trumpet serves as a shared creative starting point and a symbol of celebration, unity and connection across cultures. Every submission must incorporate the instrument, while artists remain free to explore their own sounds and ideas, with room for vocal and instrumental music across jazz, pop, classical, folk, electronic, hip-hop and other musical traditions. Singers, songwriters, composers, producers and instrumentalists can all participate, bringing their own approaches to a shared composition.
Maalouf’s work embodies that exchange. Born in Beirut and raised in France, he has developed a distinctive musical voice connecting jazz, Arabic traditions, classical music and contemporary sounds. His quarter-tone trumpet, invented by his father Nassim Maalouf, allows him to move between musical languages. His collaborators have included Sting, Angélique Kidjo, Jon Batiste and the Kronos Quartet. As curator, he will select twelve collaborations for the album, considering originality, musicality, emotional impact and the creative exchange between artists.
Beyond Music gives that exchange a practical home. Its community spans 171 countries, with 642 international collaborations and over $1.9 million awarded to artists. Members can discover one another by instrument, genre and cultural background, share ideas and recordings, and develop projects together online. Registration and participation are free, with no subscription or artist-matchmaking fees.
Previous albums have connected participating artists with Larry Klein, Michael League and Bill Laurance, while the fourth volume, Social Change, featured collaborations with Angélique Kidjo, Pheelz and Wiyaala. The community also supports independent collaborations between members, allowing connections made through the platform to develop into further recordings and creative partnerships.
Artists can explore the project at beyondmusic.org/vol5 and request an invitation to join the community. Existing members can begin connecting with collaborators through the platform. Form a team: Each submission must involve at least four artists from at least two different cultural backgrounds. All participating artists must be registered Beyond Music members. Create an original collaboration: Every submission must include trumpet. Vocal and instrumental works across all genres are welcome. Record and submit: Entries must be previously unreleased and meet a professional or semi-professional recording standard. A commercial studio is not required. Submissions must be created by the participating artists without AI-generated material. Meet the deadline: Complete submissions are due November 23rd at 9am CET, equivalent to 3amEST / 12amPST. Artists may participate in multiple collaborations; the same team may submit up to six songs. Full eligibility, submission and rights requirements are available in the FAQ and Conditions of Participation.
About Ibrahim Maalouf Ibrahim Maalouf is an internationally acclaimed trumpeter, composer and producer, with two Grammy nominations. He has released more than 20 albums, composed over 20 film scores and sold more than one million albums worldwide. Known for his distinctive sound and artistic versatility, he has performed at iconic venues including the Royal Albert Hall and Lincoln Center and collaborated with artists such as Sting, Christina Aguilera, Arturo Sandoval, A$AP Rocky, J Balvin, Jon Batiste and many more.
About Beyond Music Beyond Music is a nonprofit global music community that connects professional musicians, singers, songwriters, composers and producers across cultures. Established by the Swiss Beyond Foundation, founded by Regula and Beat Curti, with the support of Tina Turner, it provides a free platform for artists to meet, collaborate and create original music. Through its album projects and ongoing community, Beyond Music supports artistic exchange, intercultural understanding and lasting creative relationships.
