The NYP’s Conductor, Alan Gilbert, told a press briefing in Hanoi on October 14 that the performances of the 106-strong orchestra will be an opportunity for music exchange and a bridge of friendship between the US and Vietnam.

Before the shows at the Hanoi Opera House, the Philharmonic will also lecture instructors and students of the Vietnam Music Academy on October 15.

During its Asia tour the Philharmonic will also visit Japan, the Republic of Korea, Adu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates.

Founded in 1842, the orchestra is older than any other American symphonic institution in existence by nearly four decades. It has played in 59 countries and 425 cities across the world, the most notable being Pyongyang in 2008.