The Australian World Orchestra has announced that its return season on home turf will be conducted by revered maestro Zubin Mehta.

It will be the AWO’s second series since it was launched in 2011 by British-based Australian Alexander Briger, the nephew of the late Sir Charles Mackerras and a fine conductor in his own right.

His vision – to gather Australia’s finest musicians from home and overseas performing with the world’s great orchestras – culminated in inaugural concerts at the Sydney Opera House last year.

On that occasion Briger and Hamburg-based Simone Young shared podium duties. But now, this unique symphonic undertaking has attracted the attention of Zubin Mehta, one of the elder statesmen of the conducting world, who served as music director of the New York Philharmonic and is currently Music Director for Life with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

“For many years I have worked with and developed friendships with the Australian musicians that hold major positions with the great orchestras around the world,” said Mehta. “Many of them played in the Australian World Orchestra’s highly successful inaugural season in Sydney in 2011 and when I was asked if I would return to Australia to...