West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra has been a significant presence on the international music scene for 25 years. In 1999, Daniel Barenboim and the Palestinian literary scholar Edward W. Said created an orchestra to promote co-existence and intercultural dialogue. They named the Orchestra and workshop after Goethe’s West-östlicher Divan, a central work for the development of the concept of world culture.

An equal number of Israeli and Arab musicians form the base of the Orchestra, together with a group of Turkish, Iranian and Spanish members. They meet each summer for rehearsals followed by an international concert tour.

Since its founding, the Orchestra has repeatedly proved that apparently insurmountable barriers can be broken down. The only political aspect that prevails in the work of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is the conviction that there is no military solution to the Middle East conflict and that the destinies of Israelis and Palestinians are inextricably linked. Through its work and existence, the orchestra demonstrates that it is possible to build bridges, which encourage people to listen to each other’s stories. Music alone cannot solve the Arab-Israeli conflict, but it gives all individuals the right and obligation to express themselves fully and to listen to their neighbours. Based on this notion of equality, co-operation and justice, the Orchestra presents an alternative model to the current situation in the Middle East.

The repertory of the orchestra comprises not only symphonic works but also opera and chamber music. One of the orchestra’s goals is to perform in all the countries from which its members come. Concerts in Rabat, Doha, Abu Dhabi and the emblematic concert in Ramallah in 2005 have been steps towards fulfilling this aspiration. Other important appearances have included a farewell concert in honour of the then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at the UN General Assembly in New York in 2006 and a concert at the UN Headquarters in Geneva in October 2015.

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra performs at the world’s most renowned music venues, including the Berlin Philharmonie, La Scala, Milan, the Vienna Musikverein, Carnegie Hall in New York, the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, the Hagia Irene in Istanbul, the Salle Pleyel in Paris and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, and has played on the Plaza Mayor in Madrid. It also appears regularly at the BBC Proms, the Lucerne Festival and the Salzburg Festival.

It has worked with internationally sought-after soloists, including Martha Argerich, Yo-Yo Ma, Waltraud Meier and Anne-Sophie Mutter, who have been made honorary members.

The Orchestra has featured in international television broadcasts and on various critically acclaimed CDs and DVDs, including award-winning documentaries.

Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appointed Daniel Barenboim a UN Messenger of Peace in 2007 and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra a UN Global Advocate for Cultural Understanding in 2016.