Baton at the ready

The new maestro stands ready for his debut this weekend

Excited as a kid on Christmas morning with a symphony orchestra to play with, Andreas Delfs has been busy packing up in the family's Upstate New York summer place. The new principal conductor of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra was set to move here over the weekend. Not only has he been packing up his clothes and kids for an extended stay, he's attempting to box up the usual symphonic fascination "with Beethoven and Brahms and those other Europeans."

Honolulu Symphony Opening concert series: 8 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday Place: Blaisdell Concert Hall Tickets: $21 to $74 Call: 792-2000

Hawaii's "equidistance between East and West" will certainly color future plans, says Delfs, who was born in Germany but has spent most of his professional career in the United States.

"We're certainly looking to Asia as well as America for guests and soloists. Can you imagine, let's say, an East-West music festival with the symphony at the center? It makes my imagination go wild!"

Delfs' work with the Milwaukee Symphony not only laid the groundwork for his new position in Honolulu, it also made him noticed across the nation as a young, innovative classicist. Out with the stodge.

"I just got back from Monte Carlo, and that's very high-brow. Tuxedoes and evening gowns -- you don't see that much anymore. America tends to be more casual, geared more for the product than the event. In the United States, symphonic concerts aren't the enormous social event they are in Europe. People go for the music, not to see and be seen. In Hawaii, I'll be happy as long as the musicians wear shoes!"

' And also in Hawaii, "first and foremost, I need to forge relationships with both the artists and the community," said Delfs. "To make an ensemble work together, they have to get to know you, and you to know them. In previous encounters, we got along very well ... but, you know, it's always a steep learning curve at the beginning. And I'm the one who has the most to learn."

Delfs enters the picture with the season already set, but he expects to have a "100 percent influence on the program" next year. "It's a juggling art. People you adore, pieces you love, time that's available -- a big jigsaw puzzle. Ideally, because of personal scheduling, we have to work about two years in advance."

The 2008-2009 season, like this year's, depends on the availability of Blaisdell Concert Hall (this year the symphony has been displaced for much of the season as the Blaisdell hosts a touring production of "Disney's the Lion King.")

"Hard to plan unless you have open dates," said Delfs. "Ideally, an orchestra should own and operate its own hall. Milwaukee is looking into that now. Maybe Honolulu will, too. Eventually!"

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Halekulani Masterworks Season The Honolulu Symphony's normal performance dates of Friday nights and Sunday afternoons have changed this season, with most concert series set for Saturdays and Sundays (there are exceptions, however -- check the schedule before planning your night out). Venues also vary this season, as the touring production of "The Lion King" will be using the Blaisdell Concert Hall for much of the symphony season. Concert tickets are $21 to $74, with discounts available for military, seniors, students and groups of 15 or more. (Lowest prices might no longer be available for some concerts.) Season tickets range from $229 to $867. Call 792-2000 (days) or 524-0815, ext. 245 (evenings); or visit www.honolulusymphony.com. 'Opening Night with Sarah Chang' » On stage: 8 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday, Blaisdell Concert Hall » Featuring: Andreas Delfs, conductor; Sarah Chang, violin » Program: Wagner Prelude to the "Meistersinger," Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor, Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 'Great Masters' » On stage: 8 p.m. Oct. 13 and 4 p.m. Oct. 14, Hawaii Theatre » Featuring: Julian Wachner, conductor; featuring the Honolulu Symphony Chorus » Program: Beethoven "Egmont Overture," Haydn "London" Symphony No. 104, Beethoven Mass in C 'Mozart's Flute & Harp Concerto' » On stage: 8 p.m. Oct. 20 and 4 p.m. Oct. 21, Mamiya Theatre » Featuring: Wade Butin, horn; Susan McGinn, flute; Constance Uejio, harp » Program: J.S. Bach "Brandenburg" Concerto No. 3, Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto, Mozart Horn Concerto, Grieg "Holberg Suite" 'Pachelbel Canon' » On stage: 8 p.m. Nov. 3 and 4 p.m. Nov. 4, Mamiya Theatre » Featuring: Claire Sakai Hazzard, violin; Scott Janusch, oboe; Mark Votapek, cello » Program: J.S. Bach Violin and Oboe Concerto, Boccherini Cello Concerto, Pachelbel "Canon," Dvorak "String Serenade" 'Chopin's Second Piano Concerto' » On stage: 8 p.m. Nov. 10 and 4 p.m. Nov. 11, Hawaii Theatre » Featuring: Andreas Delfs, conductor; Cecile Licad, piano » Program: Schumann Overture, Scherzo and Finale, Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2, Beethoven Symphony No. 1 'Magnificent Mozart' » On stage: 8 p.m. Nov. 17 and 4 p.m. Nov. 18, Hawaii Theatre » Featuring: Heiichiro Ohyama, conductor » Program: Mozart's Symphony No. 25, "Sinfonia Concertante" and Symphony No. 39. 'Great Composers' » On stage: 8 p.m. Dec. 1 and 4 p.m. Dec. 2, Hawaii Theatre » Featuring: Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor; Vadim Gluzman, violin » Program: Copland "Fanfare for the Common Man," Beethoven Violin Concerto, Dvorak Symphony No. 8 'Brahms, Beethoven & Smetana' » On stage: 8 p.m. Dec. 15 and 4 p.m. Dec. 16, Blaisdell Concert Hall » Featuring: Andreas Delfs, conductor; Benedetto Lupo, piano » Program: Smetana "Vlatava" ("The Moldau"), Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4, Brahms Symphony No. 4 New Year's Special Event » On stage: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 29 and 4 p.m. Dec. 30 » Featuring: Andreas Delfs, conductor; with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus » Program: Beethoven Symphony No. 9. This concert is not part of the season ticket package. 'A Salute to Russian Masters' » On stage: 8 p.m. March 22 and 4 p.m. March 23, Blaisdell Concert Hall » Featuring: Andreas Delfs, conductor; Zuill Bailey, cello » Program: Borodin "Prince Igor" Overture, Tchaikovsky "Rococo Variations," Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 'Symphonie Fantastique' » On stage: 8 p.m. March 29, 4 p.m. March 30, Blaisdell Concert Hall » Featuring: Andreas Delfs, conductor; Pascal Rogé, piano » Program: Dukas "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," Ravel Piano Concerto, Berlioz "Symphonie Fantastique" 'French Choral Masterpieces' » On stage: 8 p.m. April 11 and 12, Blaisdell Concert Hall » Featuring: Karen Kennedy, conductor; with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus » Program: Fauré "Requiem," Duruflé "Requiem" 'Heroes & Lovers' » On stage: 8 p.m. April 19 and 4 p.m. April 20, Blaisdell Concert Hall » Featuring: Andreas Delfs, conductor; Thomas Hampson, baritone » Program: To be announced 'Spring Symphony' » On stage: 8 p.m. May 3, 4 p.m. May 4, Blaisdell Concert Hall » Featuring: Carlos Miguel Pietro, conductor; Dubravka Tomsic, piano » Program: Parsifal "Good Friday Spell," Schumann "Spring" Symphony No. 1, Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 Season Finale » On stage: 8 p.m. May 15 and 4 p.m. May 18, Blaisdell Concert Hall » Featuring: Naoto Otomo, conductor; Ignace Jang, violin » Program: Der Freischütz Overture, Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3, Saint-Saëns "Organ" Symphony No. 3

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Honolulu Symphony Pops The Pops orchestra is conducted by Matt Catingub. Tickets are $14 to $79, with discounts for military, seniors, students and groups of 15 or more. (Cheapest tickets might no longer be available for some concerts.) Season tickets are $211 to $494. Call 792-2000 (days) or 524-0815, ext. 245 (evenings); or visit www.honolulusymphony.com. Three Dog Night » On stage: 8 p.m. Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, and 3 p.m. Sept. 2, Blaisdell Concert Hall The 'LOST' Symphony » On stage: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22, Waikiki Shell » Featuring: Michael Giacchino, composer of the musical score for ABC's "Lost." 'A Motown Christmas' » On stage: 8 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8, Blaisdell Arena » Featuring: The Four Tops and the Spinners Burt Bacharach » On stage: 8 p.m. Jan. 4 and 5, and 3 p.m. Jan. 6, Blaisdell Concert Hall Kenny G » On stage: 8 p.m. March 15 and 3 p.m. March 16, Blaisdell Concert Hall 'The Golden Age of Hawaii' » On stage: 8 p.m. April 4 and 5, Blaisdell Concert Hall » Featuring: Music of R. Alex Anderson and Charles E. King, Alfred Apaka, Kaiser's Hawaiian Village; first half conducted by Aaron Mahi. Keali'i Reichel » On stage: 8 p.m. April 25 and 26, 3 p.m. April 27, Blaisdell Concert Hall

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