Anne-Sophie Mutter, Yo-Yo Ma, Daniel Barenboim

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra celebrates its 20th anniversary by giving a concert at the Berlin Philharmonie with world-renowned artists: Anne-Sophie Mutter and Yo-Yo Ma perform Beethoven’s Triple Concerto together with Maestro Barenboim and the young musicians. Yo-Yo Ma, who played with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra at their first

concert 20 years ago, and Anne-Sophie Mutter, who made her debut with the orchestra only this year, were named as honorary members of the orchestra on the occasion of this event. “It is fascinating to experience how brilliant, concentrated and at the same time relaxed these three world stars make music together and listen to each other. A masterpiece of harmony“ (RBB24). The second part of the concert features Bruckner’s 9th Symphony, transcendental music which the composer himself dedicated to “the dear God“. The symphony is unfinished not only because Bruckner died during the process of composition, but especially because it seems to perish in nothingness. The musicians of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra are excellently prepared and play technically and tonal flawlessly. A magic moment.

Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim at Salzburg Festival

Acclaimed by critics as an evening of superlative, Martha Argerich – arguably the greatest living pianist – joins Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra for an unforgettable interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto. Argerich’s playing is full of astonishing virtuosity and uncompromising, alternating with breakneck passages and tender tones: “Martha Argerich is and remains unique” (Die Presse). In addition to Tchaikovsky’s brilliant piece, Schubert’s Symphony “Unfinished” is played, a work that has never been performed during the composer’s lifetime. “Martha Argerich, Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra provide an exceptional atmosphere in the Festspielhaus.” (Salzburger Nachrichten)

Salzburg Festival Concert Box

A Box Set releasing 6 Concerts from the Salzburg Festival recorded between 2007 and 2013, featuring the Wiener Philharmoniker, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, the National Children´s Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela under the batons of Pierre Boulez, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Daniel Barenboim and Sir Simon Rattle.

Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra – The Salzburg Concerts

The idea of uniting young musicians from Israel, Palestine and various Arab countries still seems incredible today. Yet the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra has been flourishing since 1999, when it was founded by Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said. In 2007 the ensemble took a highly acclaimed residency at the Salzburg Festival. The major orchestral concert comprises a Beethoven overture, an intricate and multilayered piece by Schoenberg, and Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony, the Pathétique, in which Barenboim pulls out all the stops and coaxes rarely heard instrumental lines and accents from his musicians.

Thomas Guggeis conducts Smetana

The Prague Spring Festival opens annually with Bedrich Smet ana’s cycle Má vlast (My Fatherland), always on 12 May, the anniversary of the composer’s death. It is one of the national monuments of Czech music: a musical foray through the world of the Czech mythical character Šárka, through the history and landscape of the Bohemian Basin in the heart of Europe and the old Prague castle of Vyšehrad. The most famous movement, “Vltava” describes the river Moldau and its course through the country. It is therefore a special honour to be invited to play the opening concert. Only the best orchestras are asked, but for probably no other orchestra the theme of Má vlast has such significance as for the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. At the rostrum is Thomas Guggeis, a former assistant of Daniel Barenboim, who has – as many scholars of the great maestro before – made his own career and has been appointed general music director of the Frankfurt Opera.

Lucerne Festival 2013: Daniel Barenboim & West Eastern Divan Orchestra at Lucerne Festival

Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra performing works by the Jordanian composer Saed Haddad (*1972) and the Israel-based “composer-in-residence” of Lucerne Festival 2013, Chaya Czernowin (*1957). The two world premieres were contrasted by works of the two great composers celebrating their 200th anniversary: Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner. —– PROGRAM: G. Verdi: Overture to Les Vêpres siciliennes; S. Haddad (*1972): Que la lumière soit (world premiere); G. Verdi: La traviata, preludes to act 1 and 3, Overture to La forza del destino; R. Wagner: Prelude to Parsifal; Ch. Czernowin (*1957): At the Fringe of Our Gaze (world premiere); R. Wagner: Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Barenboim conducts Mozart

In order to celebrate the declaration of the “Human Rights” Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra perform an all-Mozart programme at the heart of the United Nations in Geneva in the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon. The performance under the title Concert for the Understanding of Civilizations and Human Rights featured W.A. Mozart’s last three Symphonies, No. 39, No. 40 and No. 41 (Jupiter). The imposing setting of the Human Rights Hall at the Palace of Nations, which houses the Miquel Barceló dome, provides a stunning backdrop for the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in this concert that aimes at promoting peace efforts around the world and highlights the principles contained in the Universal Declaration.

WEDO and Barenboim: The Human Rights Concert

In order to celebrate the declaration of the “Human Rights” Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra perform at the heart of the United Nations in Geneva. The Orchestra, which was just recently designated as United Nations Global Advocate for Cultural Understanding by the UN is joined by rising cello virtuoso Kian Soltani in order to perform Joseph Haydn’s Concerto for Violoncello No. 1. This first part is followed by the Sinfonia Concertante for four winds by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, featuring four young soloists from Spain, Germany, Turkey and Israel. The imposing setting of the Human Rights Hall at the Palace of Nations, which houses the Miquel Barceló dome, provides a stunning backdrop for this concert highlighting the principles contained in the Universal Declaration.

Barenboim conducts Strauss & Tchaikovsky

On the occasion of the Festival de Música y Reflexión at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Daniel Barenboim returns to his native city to perform with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra who regularly “exceed all expectations” (FAZ) with their festival programme. During their Summer Residency at the magnificent theatre, they play Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 and Richard Strauss’s Don Quixote, enlisting the help of Kian Soltani and Miriam Manasherov. The soloists unite effortlessly with Barenboim’s orchestra which famously brings together young Israeli and Arab players from the warring states of the Middle East in a model of peaceful harmony. PROGRAM Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5; Strauss: Don Quixote