On Sept. 25, junior trombonist Ethan Shrier performed at a luncheon co-hosted by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to welcome China’s president Xi Jinping on his visit to the U.S.

Shrier, as part of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States (NYO), was invited by the U.S. State Department to play at this event. Over the summer, Shrier traveled to China to play alongside other NYO members.

“When the Chinese president came to town, the State Department thought it would be great to have a group made up of members of NYO play at this luncheon,” Shrier said. “Obviously, I accepted the invitation.”

Shrier has been playing trombone since the fifth grade.

“I was incredibly honored to have been able to play for some of the most important people involved with the diplomacy between our two countries,” Shrier said.