US orchestra to make N Korea trip /bbc
New York Philharmonic
The orchestra was recently conducted by Gustavo Dudamel
New York's Philharmonic Orchestra is to make a historic trip to North Korea in February, it has announced.

It will play in the capital, Pyongyang, on 26 February, said orchestra president Zarin Mehta - who added a formal announcement is due on Tuesday.

The reclusive communist country's Ministry of Culture sent an invitation to the orchestra in August.

The first US cultural visit to North Korea is being seen as a breakthrough in the countries' tense relationship.

Historic visits

Mr Mehta said that he spent six days in Pyongyang in October looking into concert venues and making other arrangements for the trip.

New York Philharmonic president Zarin Mehta
The orchestra's Zarin Mehta visited North Korea in October

The North Korean trip follows in the tradition of cultural visits which have played a role in US diplomacy with communist countries.

In 1973, the Philadelphia Orchestra played in Beijing shortly after President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China.

The Boston Symphony became the first US orchestra to perform in the Soviet Union in 1956.

Earlier this month, President Bush wrote to North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il urging his country to disclose its nuclear activities.

North Korea agreed to disable its nuclear facilities following an international deal reached in February.

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