FEBRUARY 20 • 2020 | 41
Arts&Life
music
Bridging
the Divide
Michael Barenboim builds on his parents’
legacy as musical director of the
West-Eastern Divan Ensemble.
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
M
usic can go way
beyond mere cul-
tural enjoyment; it
can build cross-cultural con-
nections. Violinist Michael
Barenboim’
s parents serve as
role models for that idea.
Twenty years ago, his father,
Israeli conductor and pianist
Daniel Barenboim, started the
West-Eastern Divan Orchestra
with Palestinian academic
Edward Said. The two friends
brought together musicians
from across the Middle East for
performances and opportuni-
ties to get to know one another
across political divides.
At nearly the same time,
his mother, pianist Elena
Bashkirova, started the annu-
al Jerusalem International
Chamber Music Festival to
spotlight performers from
different countries. She later
extended that idea with the
Intonations festival at the
Jewish Museum Berlin, which
also brings together musicians
from various international
orchestras.
The 35-year-old Michael
Barenboim supports his par-
ents’
initiatives through his own
performances. He is the music
director of the West-Eastern
Divan Ensemble, leading the
chamber group of orchestra
musicians as they launch their
first tour as a string octet.
The ensemble will appear
Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the
Rackham Auditorium in Ann
Arbor as presented by the
University Musical Society.
The varied program includes
works by Brahms, Tartini,
Mendelssohn and Benjamin
Attahir, a French Lebanese
composer.
“I think [this program] gives
quite a nice overview because
it has a nice arc of string piec-
es over many centuries,
” said
Barenboim, whose selection
choices, legendary works and
a newly commissioned piece
continue family sensibilities of
combining cultures and looking
ahead.
“The Attahir piece, ‘
Jawb
(meaning ‘
Crossing’
) for String
Quartet,
’
is very different and
constantly developed. It has
quite an interesting structure by
going forward, never back.
”
Barenboim, who teaches
violin and chamber music at
TOP: West-Eastern Divan Ensemble Music Director Michael Barenboim. ABOVE:
Members of the West-Eastern Divan Ensemble, with musical director Michael
Barenboim, center.
MARCUS HÖHN
details
The West-Eastern Divan Ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb.
26, at the Rackham Auditorium, 915 E. Washington, Ann Arbor. General tick-
ets start at $30 with student discounts available. (734) 764-2538. ums.org.
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