Music Helps Heal Political Wounds

Not long ago, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra was touring in Asia and was invited to perform in North Korea. At the time, this seemed quite unusual and potentially politically healing, from what I understood about our relations with that country.President Bush had called North Korea part of the “Axis of Evil”. This of course insulted many North Koreans and the United States was subsequently identified by North Korea’s leader as evil. North Korea and the United States were technically “at war”.Knowing that Kim Jong-il, the tight-handed dictator in power in North Korea, had never allowed himself to be interviewed and had never met with any American politically higher than the U.S. Secretary of State, I was amazed that he was allowing his country to host so much American "propaganda".There is only one television channel in the country, and only 10% of the population own television sets. The Western world is effectively kept at bay.So an American orchestra being invited into North Korea had huge political implications. There is no doubt that for many people, this was their first experience of Western music.Then I learned of deeper implications, and even after-effects, of this window to the Western world. Music is very much loved in North Korean culture, but has, like everything else, been molded by the all-pervasive “cult of personality” around Kim Jong-il. The only music allowed is music which either glorifies him personally, or Communism in general.North Koreans are forbidden to perform, sing, or listen to any other music, even in the privacy of their own homes. Those who were caught doing so in the past were arrested and, in some cases, tortured and imprisoned for years.Imagine what passed through these people’s minds as they watched the Philharmonic’s performance! Should they show emotion? Would their names be taken down? Defectors from North Korea to other countries watched in amazement.The orchestra members commented on how moved they were by the audience’s reaction, saying that they are used to giving and sharing of themselves during a performance, but never before had gotten so much back. The audience’s reaction wasn’t immediate, but gradually smiles appeared. After playing the U.S. National Anthem and a beloved Korean folk tune, the audience responded and the orchestra hated to leave the stage.But even more happened after that. There have been political concessions made, there is talk of destroying a nuclear power silo in exchange for…taking back the designation of North Korea as part of the Axis of Evil.Hearts softened, minds opened, all because two angry nations took a chance on something a little less frightening than nuclear annihilation: sharing their love of music.