The article examines the history of Glenn Gould's 1957 concert tour of the ussr as a pivotal moment in the Cold War and the evolution of Canadian cultural diplomacy. Classical music was a disarming weapon in the conduct of foreign relations because it was understood to have universal significance that transcended politics and ideology, even though the critical rhetoric of music performance often invoked notions of artistic power and triumph. Gould was the first North American pianist to perform behind the Iron Curtain, and his visit was a spectacular success artistically and politically. Western commentators played up his individualism, national identity, and modernist repertoire, describing the impact of his performances on Soviet audiences and translating the significance of that experience back home. Privately endorsed, but not officially sponsored by the Canadian government, the tour was organized by Gould's manager, Walter Homburger. Drawing on government documents about the planning of the tour, media coverage, personal memoirs, and the lectures about culture in the ussr that Gould delivered on his return to Toronto, the article explores the role of non-state actors in advancing the interests of Canadian foreign policy both at home and abroad.