A music column on foreign relations? Isn't that a bit odd? Good questions. This column presents two answers.

1. Our relations for other countries dominate the news even if we limit ourselves to travels of President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and others. It is about working for fuller understanding, respect, and cooperation between nations.

2. The other possible answer is that some significant achievements to those ends have been dramatically achieved with the help of classical music.

Music is often cited as having emotional and even physical benefits to the listener. A good is from Old Testament wherein young David played his harp for Saul and the result was that ",,,Saul was refreshed and was well..." (1 Samuel 16:23).

For many it is the most memorable recorded event of "music therapy." Some may say it was mostly spiritual and cannot be proved scientifically. Today, centuries later, however, there are numerous national associations and organizations whose practitioners must have a master's degree or doctorate in music therapy. Not everyone buys into this, but it is a burgeoning field.

There is evidence in recent history how classical music helped achieve the aims of foreign relations. It can be summarized as "music instead of guns."

Can music, almost instantaneously transform acrimony, suspicion, enmity? This writer points to dramatically healed relations with former enemy Russia and closed-off China.

Two events burn in this writer's memory.

Number One is the incident of a young and lanky Texan named Van Cliburn.

His adult training at The Julliard School [of Music] plus his winning the very prestigious Leventritt Award, followed by a debut at Carnegie Hall led him to the First International Tchaikovsky Competition, the Soviet event in 1958 was to show the superior culture of Russia at that time.

It definitely was not a good time for America. Russia had successfully launched Sputnik, the world's first space satellite.

When Cliburn concluded the finale of Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto, accompanied by a Russian orchestra, the predominantly Russian audience gave him an eight-minute standing ovation. There were not many standing ovations at the time and certainly not between enemies.

The judges were in a very bad spot. How could an American be awarded first prize? They consulted with Premier Nikita Krushchev who barked "Is he the best?" When the judges responded "Yes," Krushchev came back with, "Give him the prize!"

Cliburn was greeted with a tickertape parade in New York, the only time it has been for a classical musician. Time magazine declared Cliburn as "The Texan who conquered Russia." He did it with a classical concerto of all things.

We have political leaders doing foreign relations things full time. Here, however, was an example of reaching most stunningly to the people -- not just heads of state -- in a spectacular way to find common ground with an enemy.

Number two of classical music transforming a foreign enemy nation peacefully was Isaac Stern.

As a virtuoso violinist in his day, he was very highly regarded in the United States. His visit, performances, and "master classes" in China gave a boost to classical music. One of the pieces her performed in China was the very demanding Franck Sonata in A, which this month was performed by the Nevelson Duo at Smith Music Hall at Marshall.

It was Stern's export of classical music that led to increased exchange with China. Further, it sparked a great emergence of classical music there -- so much so that now we see Chinese musicians performing with every major orchestra.

Another memorable achievement by Stern was here in America. He was the prime leader in saving Carnegie Hall in New York from the wrecking ball. Those who have had the experience to attend a music performance there are taken by its superb acoustics.

Both these music ambassadors have performed in the Marshall Artist Series. Cliburn was here in 1965, Stern in 1989.

Louis Capaldini is a retired businessman who recently completed studies for a Master's Degree in Music.

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