Projects

Over the course of its 25 years of existence, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra has developed into an internationally renowned ensemble that is at home at the most prestigious concert halls and festivals. An equal number of Israeli and Arab musicians form the base of the orchestra, together with a group of Turkish and Iranian members. The orchestra represents an alternative model to the current situation in the Middle East, proving time and again that music can built bridges and break down barriers previously considered insurmountable Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon designated the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra a UN Global Advocate for Cultural Understanding in February 2016.

Through a variety of musical offerings, the organisation Barenboim-Said for Music (BSFM) in Palestine encourages and educates young Palestinians with the goal of developing their artistic talents. Barenboim-Said for Music runs the Barenboim-Said Center for Music in the heart of Ramallah, where its music conservatory and the Palestinian youth orchestra, the Filasteen Young Musicians Orchestra have found a home. While other organizations in the area also offer projects related to music, the Barenboim-Said Music Center is focused on the development of young musicians so that they can take part in an open dialogue with others around the world, based on the values of humanism, excellence in music, and mutual respect.

The Barenboim-Said Akademie’s central idea is expressed in a spirit of inclusion and diversity: through playing music and listening to each other, students learn to accept differences, to engage in discussion with an open mind and an open heart. They discover the humanistic ideals of the Enlightenment. Regular teaching activities for up to 90 students began in the fall of in the year 2016 with a four-year bachelor program that includes a stronger focus on the Humanities and musicology than is common in professional music education.