U.S. orchestra to play in N. Korea

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The New York Philharmonic will step up its role in cultural diplomacy next year by becoming the first U.S. orchestra to play in North Korea.

The February 26 concert in the capital, Pyongyang, will crown a 48-hour visit that will include master classes and a rehearsal open to music students, the orchestra announced on Tuesday.

It will then give a companion concert in Seoul, South Korea, on February 28.

The concerts in the two Koreas will follow a series of performances in China.

The invitation for the Philharmonic to perform came from North Korea in August, said Zarin Mehta, the Philharmonic president and executive director, in a statement. He said he then traveled to Pyongyang in October with a seven-person delegation, including a member of the orchestra, a U.S. State Department official, and a representative of The Korea Society.

The three major questions they faced, Mehta said, were, "Would our government wish us to pursue this invitation?" "Could a New York Philharmonic concert in Pyongyang contribute, in some way, to the growing success of the multi-nation talks?" and "If so, what conditions would we face in Pyongyang?"

If the orchestra were to come, he said, its musicians would want to engage directly with local music students and professional musicians, and an international press corps would come along.

The Pyongyang program, to be led by music director Lorin Maazel, will include George Gershwin's "An American in Paris" and Antonin Dvorak's "New World" symphony, Mehta said. The concert will begin with the national anthems of North Korea and the United States.

Mehta singled out U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, the chief U.S. negotiator in nuclear talks with North Korea, and the U.S. State Department for their help.

The United States and North Korea in October said they would increase cultural exchanges as part of an agreement on dismantling North Korea's nuclear program.

"This journey is a manifestation of the power of music to unite people. It is our sincere hope that this visit will aid in the beginning of a new era between the peoples of our nations," Mehta said. E-mail to a friend

CNN's Sarah B. Boxer and Elise Labott contributed to this report.

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