From Dec 25, 2016 to Jan 16, 2017, cellist Gabriel Schwabe did an extensive tour of China, comprising 16 cities, including Wuhan, Chongqing, Shanghai and Beijing. Together with Chinese pianist Zhao Yinyin and Robert Oberaigner, the principal clarinet at the Staatskapelle Dresden, he performed works by Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms.

It was Schwabe's first trip to China and he was fascinated by the immense cultural richness of the country "with each region having its own climate, traditions, way of life and cuisine".

On March 10, the cellist will return to the capital and perform with the China NCPA Orchestra under the baton of Chinese conductor Zhang Guoyong at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. It will be his first collaboration with the orchestra and maestro Zhang.

The repertoire will feature Joseph Haydn's Cello Concerto No 1 in C major and Concerto No 2 in D Major for cello and orchestra.

"These two concertos are an important part of any cellists' repertoire and have been done by me for many years," says Schwabe.