On Thursday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m. in Richardson Auditorium, the Australian Chamber Orchestra returns to Princeton University Concerts (PUC) under director Richard Tognetti, for the Charles S. Robinson Memorial Concert.

Schubert’s single movement of the Quartettsatz opens the concert, which ranges from the vast Australian geographies that inspired John Luther Adams’ latest new work for the ensemble, to Ralph Vaughan Williams’ skylark in his The Lark Ascending, and Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” quartet in a special arrangement for chamber orchestra.

The 17-member ensemble’s reinvention of classical string quartet repertoire has garnered the Australian Chamber Orchestra international acclaim and made it a fan favorite of PUC audiences.

“We are thrilled to welcome the incomparable Australian Chamber Orchestra back to Princeton,” said PUC Director Marna Seltzer. “This sublime concert is a perfect way to celebrate spring — the beauty of nature, the preciousness of life, the love of the land — conjured through the power of a world-renowned chamber orchestra.”

The Australian Chamber Orchestra was founded by cellist John Painter in November 1975. Since taking up the leadership of the ACO in 1990, Tognetti has transformed the Orchestra into a major cultural export, performing over 100 times per year in concert halls around Australia and the world.

In 2007, ACO Principal Violin Helena Rathbone opened a new ACO chapter with the creation of ACO Collective, then known as ACO2. Made up of ACO musicians mentoring some of Australia’s best young string players, ACO Collective was founded to increase access to world class music for Australians living outside metro hubs, while supporting the development of the next generation of string musicians.

Visit puc.princeton.edu or call (609) 258-9220 for tickets.