The West-Eastern Divan Ensemble consists of members of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, which was created in 1999 by Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian literary scholar Edward W. Said with the goal of facilitating dialogue between the different cultures of the Middle East through the experience of making music and living together. Founded by its concertmaster, Michael Barenboim, in celebration of the orchestra’s 20th anniversary in 2019, the West-Eastern Divan Ensemble brings the musical excellence as well as the spirit of the orchestra to an intimate chamber music format. It aims to promote the orchestra’s mission and to give audiences the opportunity to experience the artistic achievements of its individual members up close in different combinations of instruments. The group undertook its first tour in 2020, performing in the United States; it has since appeared in many European cities and most recently in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay in the spring of 2026. The West-Eastern Divan Ensemble made its Pierre Boulez Saal debut in the fall of 2021.