While Ms Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, interacted with the Chinese leaders about the nuclear disarmament in North Korea, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra held a historic concert in the heart of North Korea — a nation still considered as an enemy by the US. The East Pyongyang Grand Theatre echoed with the strains of North Korean national anthem ‘Patriotic Song’, and followed by America’s ‘Star Spangled Banner” The concert was beamed live on the North Korean television.
The visit entailed the largest US presence in the reclusive state since the end of the Korean war, says the BBC. “The audience – made up of North Korea’s elite, as well as musicians and foreign guests – stood throughout both anthems, while the countries’ flags were displayed on the stage.
“Conductor Lorin Maazel said he and his colleagues were ‘pleased to play in this fine hall’ and told the audience in Korean to ‘have a good time’. The orchestra then played an opera prelude by Wagner followed by Dvorak’s Symphony Number Nine – known as the New World Symphony – and George Gershwin’s An American in Paris. The orchestra finished by playing the much-loved Korean folk song Arirang, and received a lengthy standing ovation.
“Mr Maazel told the audience that there might one day be a piece called An American in Pyongyang…”
Ms Rice, herself a classical pianist, struck a discordant note in China: “I don’t think we should get carried away with what listening to Dvorak is going to do in North Korea.” Well, if music diplomacy is not your cuppa tea then the other option is to start cleaning your guns!!! In any case the invitation to the New York Philharmonic Orchestra was extended by North Korea…and that certainly is a diplomatic triumph for a nation steeped in poverty and remains a closed society.
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.