An American in Pyongyang

Tonight (early this morning after my work shift) I am watching Lorin Maazel conduct the New York Philharmonic Orchestra performing in Pyongyang, North Korea (at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater) in a CNN Live historic live broadcast concert.

It is already 1:50 a.m. here in Vancouver and so the early entry.

This is the largest U.S. Cultural group ever to perform in North Korea. They are playing Wagner, Dvorak, and Gershwin.

CNN reports that for this concert North Korea opened the door to over 400 Americans. The national anthems for both countries were played.

Maazel introduced the Gershwin piece “An American in Paris” with the comment, “Sometime someone might introduce An American in Pyongyang” and his comment was greeted with huge applause.

As I listened to the familiar strains of the Gershwin opus I could not help wonder how the Koreans would react to these ultra North American classical folk melodies but the faces of the listeners betrayed only joyous admiration.

And then maestro Maazel went on to conduct music by American icon Leonard Bernstein.

I was almost in tears as I watched the rapt expressions in the faces of many of the Korean audience. This beats CNN covering the bombing of Baghdad by a trillion country miles.

Then the orchestra launched into a Korean folk song Arirang. The entire audience respectfully rose to their feet.

The conductor was then presented with many floral bouquets. They said it was the first ever presentation by an American orchestra in this country.

A local commentator then stated that the Pyongyang Symphony Orchestra would be going to the UK in the New Year and Eric Clapton would be visiting to perform in North Korea.

I pray that this is the harbinger of a new era of peaceful relations between the two countries.

Let’s dismantle the bombs and pick up the fiddles!