PRIZES to win! PROMOTIONS
ELENA CHEAH was principal cellist of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Staatskapelle Berlin, before becoming professor of cello at the Academy for Orchestral Studies for the Barenboim-Said Foundation, Seville, Spain. Elena plays in the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra and runs workshops for its members. Born in Pittsburgh, Elena currently lives in Berlin.
Moving and illuminating. Morning Star The music in Barenboim's life never stops - it shares the limelight with political activism. He sees the orchestra as a model for dialogue in the Middle East - an example of how to break the wall of hatred between peoples. Its members are drawn not just from Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, but also Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Iran. They share accommodation, food, transport and music desks. Andrew Clark, Financial Times Barenboim believes that music should be not an alternative to living, but a model for livingA . By that he means not simply that people making music have to learn to co-operate, allow different voices to lead in turn, and relish the rich harmonies that are possible when everyone agrees to move together. Richard Morrison, The Times Elena Cheah's invaluable - and rather inspiring - insider's book about the West-Eastern Divan project. Boyd Tonkin, independent This is a sad and timely demonstration of how the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra can be enlisted to demobilise meaningful solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians. Raymonde Deane, Irish Left Review
