An Orchestra Beyond Borders: Voices of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

Bringing together young musicians from Palestine, Israel and other countries of the Middle East, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is both one of the most acclaimed youth orchestras in the world and a rare note of hope in a war-torn region. Founded by Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said in 1999, it aims to promote Arab-Israeli understanding through music. In An Orchestra Beyond Borders, Elena Cheah, a professional musician and assistant to Daniel Barenboim, explores the orchestra s journey through the remarkable stories of the musicians that comprise it. These youthful testimonies are a window into the life of the region. Together, they communicate the musicians ambitions and hopes, their varied and conflicting views on life and politics, and above all the orchestra s transformative ability to create an atmosphere of musical cooperation away from the implications and hardships of a world full of division and conflict.