Daniel Barenboim receives an honorary knighthood

Daniel Barenboim has received an honorary knighthood for his work towards reconciliation in the Middle East through music. The 68-year-old received the KBE – the highest honour for foreign citizens – from the British ambassador to Berlin at a gala dinner in the German capital. Barenboim was praised for his tireless campaigning for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Last month, he led an orchestra in a “peace concert” in Gaza.

“Daniel Barenboim is a staunch advocate of the unifying power of music,” British ambassador Simon McDonald said. “He certainly has become an inspirational figure, not least of all for the next generation of musicians.”

Gramilano( Editor )

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano’) about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.

His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia’ column for Dancing Times magazine.