Frequent Bush Administration protestations to the contrary, things have been getting worse in Baghdad for some time, and many of the niceties of everyday life (electricity, safety, clean water) have become unimaginable luxuries for the city’s residents. And yet, somehow, the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra, which became a symbol of the country’s resilience in the aftermath of the American invasion, has continued to play. “But orchestra members are finding that while art can sometimes provide a brief respite from grim reality, it cannot stand forever as a bulwark against the maelstrom of conflict.”