“There is too much employer-employee relationship in America. I wish the musicians would feel that many decisions have to do with them and not delegate everything to management or to the board or to the committee. This is why you get a sense of pride in some of the European orchestras: because they are part of the decision-making.”

Argentinian-born classical pianist and conductor

Daniel Barenboim is an Argentinian-born classical pianist and conductor, born in 1942. He holds Spanish, Israeli and Palestinian citizenship, and is known for his long career at the center of classical music. From 1992 until January 2023, he served as general music director of the Berlin State Opera and as Staatskapellmeister of its orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin. His public voice is shaped by a life spent in performance and musical leadership.