"In the past 10 years there has been a massive increase in the number of foreign orchestras visiting China, and Chinese musicians going out in the world," he said.

Named as the "Young Artist of the Year" in 2007 by a major European classical music magazine, Petrenko arrived in Liverpool to take over the famous orchestra six years ago.

The orchestra boasts a 170-year-old history and world famous musicians, such like Briton Sir Charles Halle, Polish maestro Libor Pesek and American conductor Gerard Schwarz.

Petrenko's musical education began in St Petersburg's Capella Boys Music School and later he attended the city's Conservatoire. Up to 1997 he was resident conductor at the St Petersburg State Opera and has since performanced in cities like Barcelona, Gothenburg and Moscow.

As soon as Liverpool's presence at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo was confirmed, "it made sense that we should be there there," he said.

City Councillor Joe Anderson said: "The orchestra is one of the jewels of Liverpool's cultural crown and it is important it will be flying the flag for us at this prestigious event."

The orchestra will perform two concerts in the Shanghai Concert Hall: Elgar's "Cockaigne" and Shostakovich's "Symphony No 15".

The concert "Liverpool Wondrous Place" in the Shanghai Expo, from Oct.15 to 18, will be the gala day's keynote event.

The philharmonic will also perform a piece composed for a new Chinese stringed instrument called the "dahu," which was created by Li Kui Hsuing who worked on the sound track for the famous film "The Last Emperor",biopic of Pu Yi.

In Beijing, the orchestra will perform as part of the Beijing Music Festival and their concerts, on Oct. 19-20, will take place in the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Zhongshan Park.

"It is great honour to perform in Beijing at such a venue," said Petrenko who confided that he had been to China's capital before, but only at the Beijing airport for a flight change. "This time I will be able to get a proper flavor of China," he quipped.