The new piece, from Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer Tan Dun, and will be a 'Choral Concerto' to partner Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which of course was also commissioned by the Philharmonic Society in 1824. Taking texts from ancient Chinese poetry by Qu Yuan 'The Nine' will be Tan Dun's creative response to the issues of history, peace, harmony and human existence.

The work will form part of the Beethoven 2020 celebrations in London and Bonn, after receiving its premiere in Shanghai at the 20th CSPAF in 2018.

RPS Executive Director, Rosemary Johnson, was invited to attend the Shanghai International Arts Festival in October 2017, with support from the British Council's China-UK Connections through Culture, and to sign the collaboration agreement.