"This journey is a manifestation of the power of music to unite people. It is our sincere hope that this visit will aid in the beginning of a new era between the peoples of our nations," said Zarin Mehat.
The oldest existing U.S. symphony orchestra is to perform at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater on February 26 during a 48-hour visit to the secretive Communist state. It will become the first American orchestra to perform in North Korea.
The orchestra is to perform the U.S. and North Korean anthems, as well as Gershwin's 'An American in Paris' and Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, 'From the New World.'
After the historic North Korea performance the orchestra is to give a companion concert on February 28 in Seoul.
The orchestra's president was also quoted as saying the visit comes "at an exciting time" when the countries "are at the cusp of normalizing relations."
The 1950-53 Korean War saw the U.S and China back the south and the north of the country respectively. North and South Korea are still technically at war.
North Korea's U.N. Ambassador Pak Gil Yon told a joint news conference with Mehta that it was not clear whether the country's leader, Kim Jong-il, would attend the performance, adding that, "The scheduled visit will surely strengthen the understanding and cultural relations between the people of the two countries."
The visit comes as North Korea, once described by U.S. President George Bush as part of "an axis of evil" begins to make tentative and painful steps towards relative integration into the world community.
It has recently shown a willingness to cooperate with international mediators over its controversial nuclear program, and, in return, the U.S. has promised to begin a process to remove the country from its blacklist of countries suspected of aiding terrorism.
In further encouraging signs of a thaw in tensions, a regular train service between North and South Korea was launched on Tuesday after a hiatus of more than half a century, in a step hailed by Seoul as a major breakthrough in rebuilding economic ties.
