Next month, the New York Philharmonic will be travelling to North Korea for a concert featuring Dvorak's New World Symphony and Gershwin's "New World Symphony".

Director Zarin Mehta said, ""We're not going to do any propaganda...We're going there to create some joy."

Terry Teachout's op-ed:
http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110010791

Santiago Ramos from First Things:
http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/?p=936

Interesting...

At first I thought that if only one soul was touched by the beauty to remind the person to seek it (especially since those people listening are likely embedded deeply in the regime), it could be a wonderful thing.

But, after reading the articles posted, I'm wondering if sending cds wouldn't be an acceptable alternative?

I am sure the philharmonics intentions are noble, but politically, they really have no control over how it will be used by the propaganda machines of the other side.

Idk, its hard as a musician to believe that it couldn't have a positive effect (even if unknown at the time), and yet, is it worth the risk of the potentially bad ones?