Daniel Barenboim leads the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra.
In Thursday’s (2/6) BBC Music, Mark Savage writes, “One of the world’s most pre-eminent conductors, Daniel Barenboim, has announced he has Parkinson’s Disease. The 82-year-old has served as music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin State Opera and La Scala in Milan, but is equally well known for his efforts to promote peace through music in the Middle East. In 2022, he cut back his performance schedule after developing a ‘serious neurological condition.’ In a statement on Thursday, he confirmed the long-suspected diagnosis of Parkinson’s…. The musician said he was not retiring altogether, and planned to ‘maintain as many of my professional commitments as my health permits.’ He added that his priority was to ensure the future of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra , which he co-founded in 1999. The ensemble is intended to promote co-operation among young musicians from Israel and Arab nations…. In 2011, he received an honorary knighthood—the highest honour for foreign citizens—in recognition of his work towards reconciliation in the Middle East through music. As well as having Israeli citizenship, he accepted honorary Palestinian citizenship in 2008—making him the first person to hold both Israeli and Palestinian passports.”
