There’s a rumor, quietly gaining momentum in classical circles, that the North Korean National Symphony Orchestra is working on an American tour that would begin in Atlanta and end in New York. The logistics behind this are, as is always the case when dealing with North Korea, sticky and intricate, and the N. Koreans are going to move heaven and earth to ensure that their entire symphony doesn’t try to defect the moment the plane touches down. Still, if they can work this out, it’d be quite a step forward for U.S./North Korean relations, one would think. Or maybe it’d just be some nice music. (David Ng, Culture Monster, Los Angeles Times)