Peace through Music in the Middle East
an article by Robin

Here's a wonderful, ongoing story about peace-making in the Middle East - through music.

The famous conductor Daniel Barenboim has started an orchestra with musicians from Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and the Lebanon. The orchestra, dedicated to peace in the Middle East, was conceived along with Edward Said, who has since died. Said is known to CPNN readers from an article on his work in the United States on behalf of justice the Middle East.

At the end of their concert at Royal Albert Hall in London, the orchestra got a half-hour standing ovation from the audience.

The orchestra has played several concert tours including a tour in England, France and Morocco in August 2003 and a special concert in Chicago in October 2003. After searching the Internet, I found reference to an upcoming concert planned for London August 4, 2004.

Barenboim says that the orchestra is a symbol of democracy. "Music says everything about unity and harmony. The musicians in the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra work together toward a common goal. That in itself is a revolutionary concept,"

He calls the orchestra "a musical version of what I think about the Middle East, a vision I can have of the Middle East where everyone is able to contribute and where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts".

Information for this story comes from an article on the British on-line newspaper, the Independent.

DISCUSSION

Question(s) related to this article:

What place does music have in the peace movement?


As a reader, you are invited to join in the discussion of this article based on any of the above question(s): just click on the question, read the previous comments and add a new reply. You may also enter a new discussion topic on this article - see bottom of this page.

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THE ARTS AND A CULTURE OF PEACE

LATEST READER COMMENT:

This is a response to curious...

I think it is great that you hear unique music.  I really enjoy seeing live shows myself.

In response to your comments I thought about the current paradigm that exists in the western world that promotes pop music which has many messages in its lyrics and presentations that are not in accord with the 8 keys.  I think if that already established system could be used to promote the 8 keys youth would really respond.  
The difficulty arises when people are taugh and pressured or uninformed about acting in accordance with the keys.  So they get drunk, and eat junk food, instead of respecting their own body.  But if a positive and truthful message could be put out I think the generation that grows up on that music will have a lot of common sense.

So folk music communities like the ones you may participate in are great.. . ...more.

This report was posted on June 7, 2004. The moderator is Helen.

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