Thomaston — The DaPonte String Quartet, which will be moving into Portland’s arts district for the first time during its 2012-2013 season, begin its fall tour Thursday, Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of St. John Baptist, 200 Main St./Route 1.

The first program in the 2012-13 series is titled The Austro-Hungarian Invasion. It features works by three vastly influential composers whose impact on the music world was similar to the impact of The Beatles on the pop music world during the British Invasion: Haydn’s Quartet in D Major (“The Lark”); Mozart’s Quartet in D Minor; and Bartok’s String Quartet No. 6.

The DaPonte String Quartet moved to Maine 20 years ago from Philadelphia, after receiving an NEA rural arts grant. The musicians fell in love with the state and decided to stay. Until this season, they have performed primarily in small Midcoast communities, where The New York Times described the experience of hearing them play as “like watching the Boston Celtics play in your local gym.”

In addition to the Thomaston concert, the series will be performed Friday, Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at Damariscotta’s Lincoln Theater; Saturday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Portland Public Library’s Rines Auditorium; and Sunday, Oct. 28 at 3 p.m. at Bowdoin College’s Studzinski Recital Hall in Brunswick. The Portland concert will be followed by a special reception in the library’s Lewis Gallery. DaPonte will be in residence for four concerts at the library between October and May.

“We have long wanted to find a space to perform in the Arts District,” said executive director Amy MacDonald. “It’s an ideal spot for us and a chance to showcase the auditorium’s greatly improved acoustics.”

Tickets are $20. For reservations and more information, call 529-4555 or visit DaPonte.org.

Courier Publications’ A&E Editor Dagney C. Ernest can be reached at (207) 594-4401, ext. 115 or dernest@courierpublicationsllc.com.