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August 27, 2007

German Orchestra Makes Rare Visit to Iran
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=18FFD24:A6F02AD83191E160B19015ABDA9491849574F7DCC14957C0 Osnabrueck
Symphony Orchestra will play works by Beethoven, Brahms in Tehran
Wednesday and Thursday A German orchestra is to perform this week in
Iran in a rare visit by a European ensemble to the country.







General director of music and poetry office of Ministry of Culture and
Islamic Guidance greets German conductor Hermann Baumer, right, as
Michael Dreyer, center, art director of the Morgenland Festival
Osnabruck looks on, 27 Aug 2007The Osnabrueck Symphony Orchestra will
play works by Beethoven, Brahms, and Elgar in Tehran Wednesday and
Thursday.

The German orchestra is performing in Iran as part of an exchange that
saw the Tehran Symphony Orchestra perform last year in Osnabrueck.

As required in Iran, the female German musicians will wear
headscarves.

The visit comes at a time of tension between Iran and Western powers,
including Germany, over Tehran's controversial nuclear program.

Michael Dreyer, head of a music festival in Osnabrueck, said the visit
is a very small step in improving relations between the people in Iran
and Germany.


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