PYONGYANG, North Korea

QUOTE:

Members of the New York Philharmonic orchestra pose for a photo after
arriving at Pyongyang airport Monday.

In a country where music -- like most aspects of life -- is tightly
controlled, the performance carries 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."
Tuesday night's concert was being broadcast live on North Korean
television and radio.
The concert is the highlight of a 48-hour visit that includes with
master classes and an open rehearsal for North Korean music students,
according to the orchestra.

On Thursday, the Philharmonic will perform in Seoul, South Korea,
before returning to the United States.
The Pyongyang concert comes as the secretive communist nation is in
the process of dismantling its nuclear program.