COURTESY PHOTO

Acclaimed guitarist
in concert

Classical guitarist Christopher Parkening opens the Honolulu Symphony's Halekulani MasterWorks season with one of the most recognizable guitar concertos, Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez."

Christopher Parkening The classical guitarist performs with the Honolulu Symphony; Rossen Milanov conducts When: 8 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Sunday Where: Blaisdell Concert Hall Tickets: $22 to $73, with discounts for seniors, students and military Call: 792-2000 or Ticketmaster, (877) 750-4400 Order online: honolulusymphony.com or ticketmaster.com

Voted "Best Classical Guitarist" in the nationwide readers' poll of Guitar Player Magazine for several consecutive years, Parkening was placed in the magazine's Gallery of Greats along with Andrés Segovia, John Williams and Julian Bream.

Parkening's virtuosity, musicianship and unique sound have captivated audiences around the world. He's performed at the White House, appeared with Placido Domingo on "Live from Lincoln Center," participated in Carnegie Hall's 100th anniversary celebration and performed twice on the Grammy Awards.

He also was a featured soloist with composer/conductor John Williams on the soundtrack of "Stepmom," which had a nearly two-year run on Billboard's classical crossover chart.

Rodrigo's concerto for guitar and orchestra is likely the best known of all his works. Introduced in 1940, it propelled him into the front ranks of Spanish composers.

The work takes its name from a famous royal residence, a palace on the banks of the Tagus River. It evokes the era of the 16th-century kings Charles X and Philip I and embodies the rhythms and melodic inflections of Spanish folk music.