LEWISTON — The Borromeo String Quartet, one of the most sought-after ensembles of its kind in the world, will return to Bates College for a two-day residency and concert on Tuesday, Nov. 29.

Audiences and critics alike champion the foursome’s explorations of Beethoven, Bartok, Schoenberg, Shostakovich and Golijov.

Borromeo’s trademark is its ability to make even the most challenging contemporary repertoire approachable and enlightening.

On the 29th, the audience will be invited to shape the order and content of the program.

The quartet performs at the world’s most illustrious concert halls and music festivals, and continues long-standing residencies at the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum, Tenri Cultural Institute and New England Conservatory of Music (17 years).

In April 2007, the ensemble was honored in New York with a prestigious Avery Fisher career grant. In 2006, the Aaron Copland House honored the Borromeo’s commitment to performing contemporary music by creating the Borromeo Quartet Award, an annual initiative that will premiere the work of young composers internationally.

In 2003, Borromeo made classical music history with its pioneering record label, The Living Archive, making it is possible to order on-demand DVDs and CDs of many of its concerts around the world, a feat only previously attempted in rock music.

The quartet has collaborated with composers John Cage, Gyorgy Ligeti, Gunther Schuller, Osvaldo Golijov, Steve Mackey, John Harbison, Leon Kirchner, Jennifer Higdon, Derek Bermel, Lior Navok and Lera Auerbach.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Olin Arts Center Concert Hall, 75 Russell St. General admission tickets are $6, available at www.batestickets.com. Free admission is offered to the first 100 seniors or students. Call 786-6135 or email olinarts@bates.edu.

Nichols Kitchen, left, Yeesun Kim, Mai Motobuchi and Kristopher Tong will perform on Tuesday, Nov. 29, at Bates College.

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