Concertmaster and director chamber music Margaret Batjer will lead “Masterworks for String Orchestra,” performing on May 6. (photo courtesy of LACO)

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra caps its popular chamber series with “Masterworks for String Orchestra,” featuring a selection of rich and varied compositions for string orchestra spanning more than 800 years on Saturday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills.

Concertmaster and director of chamber music Margaret Batjer leads the program, which includes 12th century German Saint Hildegard Von Bingen’s “O Virtus Sapientiae”; Britten’s “Simple Symphony,” an enchanting work rife with sophisticated orchestration; and the compact and lively “Symphony No. 10 in B minor” composed by a teenaged Mendelssohn. LACO also presents Hindemith’s compelling “Five Pieces for Strings,” and Grieg’s popular “Holberg Suite,” which blends baroque-style dance rhythms with melodic Nordic harmonies.

LACO’s chamber series showcases smaller groups of the orchestra’s musicians on different facets of the diverse chamber repertoire from the 12th century and early Baroque schools through the 20th century.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd. For The Wallis engagement, Classical California KUSC’s Brian Lauritzen will host a pre-concert talk with the artists at 6:30 p.m.

For tickets (priced $79, $59, $39 and $29, The Wallis) and information, visit laco.org or call (213)221-3920.