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Daniel Barenboim

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Conductor

The Resume

    (November 15, 1942- )
    Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
    Classical pianist and conductor
    Music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1990-2006), Berlin State Opera (1992- ) and La Scala (2011- )
    Citizen of Argentina, Spain, Israel and Palestine
    Won seven Grammys (through 2014)

Why he might be annoying:

    He was a child prodigy.
    While married to cellist Jacqueline Du Pre, he had two children with pianist (and his future second wife) Elena Bashkarova.
    He has a reputation for being aloof and arrogant.
    He ticked off a lot of Israelis when he violated the nation's ban on playing Wagner's music (July 7, 2001).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He said he decided to defy the Wagner ban after a news conference he held was interrupted by a cell phone using 'Ride of the Valkyries' as a ringtone: 'I thought if it can be heard on the ring of a telephone, why can't it be played in a concert hall?'
    In addition to classical music, he has recorded albums of tango music and a tribute to Duke Ellington.
    He said, 'I hate ivory towers and everything that is narrow.'
    He and Palestinian author Edward Said organized the East-West Divan Orchestra to bring together musicians from Israel and Palestine (1999).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 27 Votes: 62.96% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 26 Votes: 65.38% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 38 Votes: 71.05% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 135 Votes: 54.81% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 147 Votes: 52.38% Annoying