The Daniel Barenboim Foundation Education through Music

The Daniel Barenboim Foundation promotes transcultural dialogue through musical education and performance practice. It is the umbrella organization for the West­Eastern Divan Orchestra, the Barenboim­Said Akademie with the Pierre Boulez Saal, and various music and education projects in the Middle East—such as the Barenboim­Said Center for Music in Ramallah—and other countries.

Founded by Daniel Barenboim and Palestinian literary scholar Edward W. Said, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra has been promoting dialogue between the different cultures of the Middle East through music­making and co­existence for more than two decades. It has developed into an internationally renowned ensemble that is at home at the most prestigious concert halls and festivals around the world and was designated a UN Global Advocate for Cultural Understanding in 2016. Led by the orchestra’s concertmaster Michael Barenboim, the West-Eastern Divan Ensemble brings the same musical excellence and spirit to an intimate chamber music format. daniel-barenboim-stiftung.org

The work of the West­Eastern Divan Orchestra ultimately led to the founding of the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin, which since 2015 has been offering a curriculum of music and the Humanities for up to 90 young musicians from the Middle East, North Africa, and other countries. Together with the Pierre Boulez Saal, which is housed in the same building, the Akademie is committed to the educational spirit of Edward W. Said and Daniel Barenboim and their joint initiative to overcome ideological divides.

The Barenboim-Said Center for Music in Ramallah, Palestine, encourages and educates young Palestinians through a variety of musical offerings, including an eight­year conservatory program intended to train and prepare its students to continue professional studies in music, a school/kindergarten program, and orchestral training through the Filasteen Young Musicians Orchestra.

In the Musical School in the Berlin district of Pankow, students receive a comprehensive musical education in addition to the regular curriculum, including individual lessons on a musical instrument, ensemble playing, and the interdisciplinary study of music as a central component of social education. Working with a network of associated partners, the school community is connected to the cultural life of the city. With specially trained caregivers and regular visits from members of the Staatskapelle Berlin, the Musical Kindergarten in Berlin­Mitte provides children between the ages of one and six with an environment to experience their awakening senses.

To learn more about how to support the work of the Foundation, turn to page 161.