Daniel Barenboim awarded SOAS’s first Honorary DMus degree
Left to right: Professor Keith Howard (SOAS Music Department), Professor Paul Webley (SOAS Director and Principal), Baroness Helena Kennedy, QC (SOAS President) and Daniel Barenboim
8 February 2008
Only a crowded schedule of engagements prevents piano virtuoso Daniel Barenboim from enrolling at SOAS – as a student.
It was a confession one of the world’s leading classical musicians let slip during a visit to accept the award of SOAS’s first Honorary DMus degree in a ceremony at Russell Square campus. It is also only the fifth honorary degree the School has ever awarded.
The multi-recorded conductor and performer is currently in London for a series of eight recitals during which he is playing all 32 Beethoven Piano Sonatas entirely from memory.
Daniel Barenboim is being presented with his honorary degree by the SOAS President, Baroness Helena Kennedy, QC
But he is increasingly dividing his time between music and diplomacy as a cultural ambassador working for reconciliation and tolerance in the Middle East. And so committed is he that the Israeli virtuoso has adopted joint Palestinian citizenship and regularly visits the West Bank to promote musical education.
Geraldine Auerbach, MBE, Director of the Jewish Music Institute at SOAS said Barenboim was the perfect choice to embody the SOAS spirit of building bridges and creating dialogue. “He remarked that if he were not so busy professionally, he would like to come and study here,” she said.
Barenboim’s work across the Middle-Eastern divide mirrors the long-standing scholarly endeavours of SOAS itself, which has always provided a unique pedagogic forum for staff and students from different backgrounds, in its wide range of courses covering culture, music and language studies from across the region.
SOAS students Sabina Rakcheyeva, Ben Sellers and Khyam Allani providing a musical interlude during the award ceremony
The musician’s 2006 Reith Lectures have been an inspiration to staff and students at SOAS, which now runs the largest ethnomusicology programme in Europe. For Barenboim music “provides the possibility on the one hand, to escape from life but, on the other hand, to understand life much better. It is one of the best ways to learn about human nature.”
And his honorary doctorate reflects SOAS’s recognition of the work of the Barenboim-Said Foundation and, in particular, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra which is made up of equal numbers of Israeli and Arab musicians. The orchestra has been doing groundbreaking work promoting cross-cultural musical training in Ramallah, Nazareth and beyond.
The award was conferred by SOAS President and leading human rights lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy, and a congratulatory oration was given by Professor Keith Howard of the School’s Music Department.
A musical interlude was provided by three SOAS students – the Juilliard-trained Azerbaijani Sabina Rakcheyeva (violin), Chinese-British improviser and fusionist Ben Sellers (clarinet) and Iraqi-British Khyam Allani (oud and drum).
Barenboim made a strong impression on his short visit on February 1. As he left campus, one student ran over to greet him excitedly: “Maestro, I was in the audience at your concert in Ramallah three weeks ago. How wonderful it is to welcome you here to SOAS!”
