Happy Birthday, Daniel Barenboim!

Today is piano virtuoso and conductor Daniel Barenboim’s 82nd birthday

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to professional piano players, Barenboim made his public debut at age seven and his international debut at age 10. He went on to become an acclaimed concert pianist and conductor. In 1991, Barenboim became music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, succeeding Sir Georg Solti, and a year later, his tenure with the Berlin State Opera bolstered his global influence as he completed international tours and made award-winning recordings.

Barenboim played a significant role in German culture, including raising the Berlin State Opera to international prominence after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Additionally, in 2017, he pushed for a costly renovation of the opera house, which now has over 500 employees and a budget of over €81.4 million.

Barenboim co-founded the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in 1999 with Edward Said, which provides musical collaboration between young Arab and Israeli musicians, and in 2016, co-founded the Barenboim-Said Akademie music conservatory. He also became the leading figure behind the building and opening of its Pierre Boulez Saal concert hall.

He has also held musical Directorships at La Scala and the Staatskapelle Berlin.

A recipient of innumerable awards and prizes, Barenboim has also been honored by having a minor planet named after him: Planet 7163 Barenboim, which is an asteroid that orbits the Sun.

Barenboim holds citizenship in Argentina, Israel, Palestine, and Spain. He is the first person to hold Palestinian and Israeli citizenship simultaneously.

DANIEL BARENBOIM | DEBUSSY | CLAIR DE LUNE