Washington — The US National Symphony Orchestra will tour through Latin America this summer in its first international tour under music director Christoph Eschenbach according to an announcement by the group on Tuesday.

The "America’s Tour" will begin June 13, 2012 in Mexico City and will also include concerts in Trinidad, Tobago, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. The tour, which will run through June 27, will include eight concerts across five countries.

The US National Symphony Orchestra's music director Christoph Eschenbach

According to Executive Director Rita Shapiro, the National Symphony began touring internationally about 50 years ago, with a tour of 19 Latin and South American countries in 1959. More recently, the orchestra returned to the region to perform in 1980 and 1984.

"The orchestra, has relationships with musicians south of the border that it seeks to continue and expand," Sapiro stated, "particularly Eschenbach, who has a history of touring as a solo pianist and conductor throughout South America."

Mexico City's Palacio de Bellas Artes and Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires are considered to be two of the world's great performance venues. "As cultural ambassadors, we feel it's important for us to bring our music making to other great musical capitals," Shapiro said.

In Brazil, the orchestra will perform in both Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The performance in Port of Spain will be in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of independence for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Just before departing, the orchestra will perform much of its tour repertoire at the Kennedy Center, its home base.

In recent years such international tours have become more rare among US orchestras due to financial obstacles. The 100-member National Symphony Orchestra will fund its 2012 Latin American tour through concert fees and sponsorships at an estimated cost of $2.1 million. The plans are to break even.