In the popular series of Academy Concerts, students of the Barenboim-­Said Akademie introduce themselves to their audiences as part of their curriculum. Once again, the series includes several performances of the Akademie’s orchestra.

We regret that Daniel Barenboim had to cancel his participation in this concert for health reasons. In his stead, Nabil Shehata will conduct the performance.

“As much as I regret having to withdraw from this concert, it makes me very happy that Nabil Shehata will be leading the orchestra. I have known and highly appreciated him and his work for a long time, not only as principal double bassist with the Staatsoper Unter den Linden early in his career, but particularly through our collaboration in the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, of which he was a member for more than ten years. He has since made a name for himself as a conductor on the international stage, and I am very grateful to Nabil for agreeing to lead this concert.”
—Daniel Barenboim

Born into a German-Egyptian family, Nabil Shehata began his musical education as a double bass player, winning awards at several international competitions, including the ARD Music Competition in Munich. After performing as principal double bass with the Staatskapelle Berlin from 2003 to 2004, he held the same position with the Berliner Philharmoniker until 2008. He served as principal double bass with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra for more than ten years. Encouraged by Daniel Barenboim, among others, he began his career as a conductor in 2006, which has since led him to major orchestras, including the Berlin Radio Symphony, the Munich Radio Orchestra, and Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg. After leading the Munich Chamber Opera as music director for several years, he held the same position with the Philharmonie Südwestfalen from 2019 to 2024. Nabil Shehata has been closely associated with the Barenboim-Said Akademie as professor of double bass since 2019; in 2023, he led the Filasteen Young Musicians Orchestra at the Pierre Boulez Saal.