Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra are set to go on tour in China.

The Philadelphia Orchestra announced that the orchestra and its music director will perform throughout Beijing, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Shanghai, with Shanghai-born pianist Haochen Zhang as soloist. It will mark the 12th time the orchestra performs in the country. The scheduled trip will also coincide with the celebration of 40 years of official U.S.-China diplomatic relations.

In a statement Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin said, “It is always thrilling to return to China, especially during this special anniversary year. What makes our journeys truly unforgettable are the ways we immerse ourselves in cultural exchange with musicians, young people, and audiences. Our 2019 tour marks the deepening of our relationship with China and its music-lovers. We look forward to forging ever more meaningful connections between our cultures and communities through the joy and excitement of music.”

The Orchestra will perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, Schubert’s Symphony in C major, Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2, Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (with Haochen Zhang), Lu Qiming’s “Hong Qi Song,” and the world premiere of a Tan Dun vocal concerto, “The Deer of Nine Colors” with soprano Lei Jia.

The tour kicks off on May 16 and goes through the 28th.