During his time as Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Music Director, Daniel Barenboim co-founded the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. The Divan brings together Israeli, Palestinian, and other Arab musicians to collaborate within the structure of the orchestra, where cooperation, interpersonal respect and understanding are required. Says Barenboim: "It is absolutely essential for people to understand what the other thinks and feels, without necessarily agreeing with it.” Intended as a one-time event, the orchestra has been performing for almost twenty years and has been designated a U.N. Global Advocate for Cultural Understanding. As part of the Chicago stop on their 2018 US tour, members of the Divan will join a conversation between Maestro Barenboim and veteran broadcaster Richard Steele.

This program is presented in partnership with the Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance and supported by the Irving Harris Foundation.