After months of planning and preparation, Muscatine will host a special group of international visitors this week. On Tuesday, the China Broadcasting Chinese Orchestra will arrive in the city - to perform a concert and spend two days with American families.
One of the organizers, and a member of the Muscatine Symphony board, Kristine Conlon, helped find homes for the 47 Chinese musicians.
After arriving Tuesday night, on Wednesday the orchestra will visit the library and Muscatine city hall, then rehearse, and play a concert that night. Thursday will include shopping, and a potluck dinner at the Art Center.
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The orchestra's visit to Muscatine will follow concerts in Chicago and Detroit. And it follows by four years (2012) the visit to the city by Chinese vice president Xi Jinping- who has since become president of China.
Xi originally came to the city in the 1980's to study American agriculture.
The concert begins at 7 pm Wednesday at Central Middle School auditorium.