New York Philharmonic visits North Korea

[Karajan]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23330636/

Pretty interesting, especially since this is my profession. Apparently the largest American group to visit North Korea since the Korean War.

As crazy as it sounds I'd love to be a part of something like that. Just to be able to see North Korea with my own eyes, even though you know they've censored the hell out of it and torn down most if not all of the anti-American propaganda.

[American Infidel]

You're in an orchestra? That's cool.

I saw this earlier, advertised on PBS, who is going to air it. I'm just shocked that Kimmy would agree to let them in. Maybe I'll start warming up to all the popular keywords that have been floating around, lately, like change and hope.

[Karajan]

Well like Maazel said, they're not there for political reasons, they were invited by the North Korean government, apparently.

I wonder how the program is going to go over. 1 piece written by an American and another inspired by a trip to America. Probably better than one might think.

And yes. My job is the coolest job in the world. Fucking pain in the ass to get a job though...I'm 28 and just got my first steady job having finished school almost 5 years ago.

[American Infidel]

Understood. Yet, it's still amazing that Kim Jong Ill would still allow any westerners into his country. I'm sure they'll be highly guarded from seeing the real suffering, as a result of communism, but the mere acceptance from a group of Americans is baffling to me, especially those carrying cameras.

So, who do you play with? And I just noticed our join dates are the same...

[Karajan]

Memphis Symphony at the moment. Started this past September.

And yeah, they obviously have a media entourage following them around, but I think they're being controlled more by where they go and the routes they take going there. I remember reading somewhere that a bunch of ant-American posters were taken down before they arrived. It does make you think what's really behind all of this.

One can hope that it's a step in the right direction...but it'll probably be forgotten soon enough. Certainly can't hurt though. Classical music doesn't really use it's stage to express political concerns. Especially not a group like the New York Phil. Honestly can't really think of a way that an orchestra could pull some political stunt.

[American Infidel]

That's great! My father-in-law moved to Tennessee about a year ago. We went to visit him a few months ago and had a great time.

Anyway, yeah. It's automatically assumed that the path to the venue will be "cleaned up", in order to remain un-anti-American to the photographers.

It's a huge step, I think, to allow Americans into the communist state that denies their own people access to information to the rest of the world.

That, in my mind, is HOPE! Baby steps, perhaps, but hope, nonetheless.

[theC]

They've been showing the concert live on CNN for the past hour or two and apparently one of the stipulations for the NY Philharmonic to play in NK was that their concert would also be broadcast across NK, which I suppose is pretty 'amazing'.

It does make you think what's really behind all of this.

I'll venture a guess. North Korea is strapped for cash. The super-secretive, closed-off-from-the-rest-of-the-world policy that the DPRK took up after the 'end' of the Korean war drained the economy dry. Trade with the Soviets and Chinese could only prop up their economy so much, but with lack of any substantial foreign investment from the west combined with wasteful military spending and frivolous projects (ex. Ryugyong Hotel), the country could only survive for so long. The North Korean government is desperate to find new sources of income while at the same time maintain their totalitarian state. Only recently has a rail route opened up between North and South Korea for trade purposes and hopefully increase the amount of South Korean tourists to the North. Inviting the Philharmonic is probably North Korea's way of showing potential investors that tensions have eased since their nuclear test and that the country is safe to dump money in.

[American Infidel]

They've been showing the concert live on CNN for the past hour or two and apparently one of the stipulations for the NY Philharmonic to play in NK was that their concert would also be broadcast across NK, which I suppose is pretty 'amazing'.

Wow.

The New York Philharmonic Orchestra performed its historic concert in Pyongyang, North Korea Tuesday night, the first-ever performance by a U.S. orchestra in that country.

In a country where music -- like most aspects of life -- is tightly controlled, the performance carried heavy symbolism. The program opened with the North Korean national anthem, followed immediately by the U.S. national anthem, and also includes Antonin Dvorak's "New World" Symphony and George Gershwin's "An American in Paris."

Source (http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/26/nyphilharmonic.nkorea/index.html)

Unbelievable!

[drahkcorjc]

After seeing a few documentaries on NK, this is amazing. Especially that link you posted, heather, with the U.S. anthem playing.
I wonder if this is the start of something big.

[No0n3]

Read this this morning:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/25/pingpong.diplomacy/index.html
About how ping pong eased US-China tensions, and hoping that perhaps music will do it for NK.

[_Joe]

They've been showing the concert live on CNN for the past hour or two and apparently one of the stipulations for the NY Philharmonic to play in NK was that their concert would also be broadcast across NK, which I suppose is pretty 'amazing'.

It is really amazing. While it's a step in the right direction for them, it's a baby step, and I don't even know if most NK citizens have enough energy to turn on a television, if they have one (starvation, poverty)

[Fungus Amungus]

It's funny that the only place in North Korea a tourist can visit is the capital. You get killed anywhere else.

[appleb]

This means nothing for the North Koreans.

The show will only be accessible by a select group of people. Specifically those who agree with the government and hate America for everything it is.

Watch these two videos of South Korean pop bands performing in North Korea, and you'll see how cherry picked and brainwashed the audience will be. Watch the audience carefully:

Shinwa in North Korea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM1avYwLC6I

Baby Vox in North Korea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo7liYi1kA8

I don't think the philharmonic will make as much of an impact as these pop bands, since I'm sure NK is already familiar with classical music.

[kevinsmith]

Read this this morning:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/25/pingpong.diplomacy/index.html
About how ping pong eased US-China tensions, and hoping that perhaps music will do it for NK.

Who is Ping Pong? I've never heard of that guy.

;)

[osiris]

Read this this morning:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/25/pingpong.diplomacy/index.html
About how ping pong eased US-China tensions, and hoping that perhaps music will do it for NK.

*cough* forrest gump. *cough*

[appleb]

It looks like North Korea wants Eric Clapton now!

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hGYvRdWJfWDNfi22AV8soQzIz4AgD8V28IDO0

LONDON (AP) — North Korean officials have invited rock guitarist Eric Clapton to play a concert in the communist state, a diplomat at the country's embassy in London said.

The diplomat confirmed reports in the British media that Clapton had been officially invited to Pyongyang — the first such invitation to a Western rock star to the isolated nation.

"Eric Clapton is a well-known musician and guitarist, famous throughout the world," said the official, who declined to give his name, Tuesday. "It will be a good opportunity for Western music to be understood better by Koreans."

Clapton's North Korean debut may not be imminent, however.

Spokeswoman Kristen Foster said the 62-year-old musician had not agreed to play any dates in the country.

"Eric Clapton receives numerous offers to play in countries around the world," she said. "There is no agreement whatsoever for him to play in North Korea, nor any planned shows there."

North Korean authorities have long shunned rock and pop music, although Kim Jong Chol, the Swiss-educated son of national leader Kim Jong Il, is reportedly a Clapton fan.

Recently North Korea has begun to build tentative cultural ties with the West. The New York Philharmonic played in Pyongyang on Tuesday, and North Korean State Symphony Orchestra is due to perform in London and the English city of Middlesbrough in September.

The Financial Times reported the invitation to Clapton was in return for the Korean orchestra's British tour.

Clapton is regarded as one of rock's greatest guitarists, with a string of hits since the 1960s including include "Layla," "Cocaine" and "Tears in Heaven."

[Stanky105]

And yes. My job is the coolest job in the world. Fucking pain in the ass to get a job though...I'm 28 and just got my first steady job having finished school almost 5 years ago.

Haha I know the feeling, my undergrad was in music performance, which is why I am now finishing up a degree in computer networking. :p

This news is cool though, my old teacher made it into the new york phil a few years ago, Ill be interested to hear how the trip went. Very scripted I am sure, little kimmy tends to brush his starving populance under the rug more than usual when any foreigners visit.

[Karajan]

Haha I know the feeling, my undergrad was in music performance, which is why I am now finishing up a degree in computer networking. :p

I went back to school for computer science...only lasted a semester before I realized that I had to do music (ie: I failed miserably) :dunce:

Glad I did it though, reaffirmed what I ultimately decided to do.

Who was your teacher and what do you play?

[viepr149]

if the states really wanted to free those people they can do it in a second. The amount of weapons they have ridiculous. There navy alone would fuck them up, not to mention the air force.

[Fungus Amungus]

If we invaded we would have chaos if we toppled the government. The areas outside of the capital are so distrot it would be difficult to control, feed, build government, etc. If you thought Iraq is "taking to long" think again when looking at North Korea.

[appleb]

I believe rebuilding would be a gradual and positive process unlike Iraq, which appears to be going nowhere.

There is no religion in NK, except for the brainwashed who may or may not sincerely believe Kim Jong-Il is god. Imagine how the progress in Iraq would be if there was no religion dividing the people.

[chalupa]

I've always wondered who this Phil Harmonic guy was and why people make such a big deal every time he comes to town. I tried wikipedia and google...I thought they might mean that Phil Collins, but why would he go to North Korea? I just don't get it.

[kevinsmith]

. Imagine how the progress in Iraq would be if there was no religion dividing the people.

Thank you John Lennon.
;)

I've always wondered who this Phil Harmonic guy was and why people make such a big deal every time he comes to town. I tried wikipedia and google...I thought they might mean that Phil Collins, but why would he go to North Korea? I just don't get it.

lol...I will compliment your joke if you compliment my Ping Pong joke that no one seemed to appreciate. ...Ingrates.