Michael Barenboim

In Arabic, »Nasmé« means »a breeze of fresh air«. This inspiring ensemble brings together five exceptional Palestinian musicians who present their own interpretations of European classical works. They hail from different parts of historic Palestine – a symbol of unity and harmony in the face of all adversity. They have succeeded in a collaboration that often seems impossible due to political restrictions: they have founded an ensemble and realised their dream of performing their favourite classical pieces for audiences across Europe. Ahead of their guest performance at Beethovenfest, we asked artistic director Michael Barenboim what »home« means in the context of this unique ensemble.

The theme of the 2026 Beethovenfest centres on home. What does this term mean to you and the musicians in your ensemble?

The concept of home inspires our ensemble, because in a sense we represent a lost homeland – a place where safety and security are a myth rather than a guaranteed right. Palestine should be a homeland for Palestinians, where they can live and flourish, yet at present it is the very opposite of that.

We lend our voice to the children in Gaza who are freezing in their tents, who have endured hunger and bombardments, many of whom have lost family members and must now adapt to life without a home, warmth or security.

What does making music together in the Nasmé Ensemble mean to you?

As we come from historic Palestine, we do not always have the opportunity to make music with other Palestinians. Palestinian existence is usually characterised by a fragmentation that is politically imposed – without any say in the matter. That is why this is a special opportunity for us – as is the repertoire, which does not consist solely of classical pieces. Sometimes it’s simply lovely to play music with other Palestinians who share the same values and principles.

To what extent does your programme at the Beethovenfest – featuring works by Salvador Arnita and Kareem Roustom alongside two classical pieces (Bottesini/Mozart) – explore the theme of home and homeland?

The life story of Arnita, who was born in Palestine in 1914 and settled in Lebanon, amongst other places, after 1948, imbues this music with a strong sense of a lost homeland and a longing for it. As a Syrian, Roustom pays homage to Palestinian culture and, as a contemporary Arab, makes a fraternal contribution against the cultural erasure of Palestinians in an increasingly hostile political environment. Although this work is inspired by folk songs and rhythms, it is not merely an adaptation of this source material. Rather, the piece aims to reimagine these folkloric elements within a new context, so that we may hear, experience and understand them – and the culture from which they sprang – from a different perspective.

As for Bottesini and Mozart, it is the music that we, as classical musicians, play – the other side of our identity.

Why did you choose to combine precisely these works in your programme?

We are performing music by Palestinian composers as well as other European classics – in our interpretation as Palestinian classical musicians. Mozart wrote his Clarinet Quintet for his friend Anton Stadler. Bottesini, too, wrote his string quintet for a friend (Saverio Mercadante, an Italian composer). In the same way, we’ve come together here as friends who make music together and support one another. We hope the audience will appreciate our friendship and our shared music-making.