ARTISTS:

Honolulu Symphony Beethoven Festival 
Honolulu Symphony Orchestra 
Andreas Delfs, conductor 
John O’Conor, piano 
                          

CONCERT:

ONE NIGHT ONLY! 
Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8 p.m. at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. 
   

PROGRAM:

BEETHOVEN: Leonore Overture No. 3 
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor 
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 3 in E‐flat “Eroica” 
 

TICKETS:

$20, $34, $49, $59, $82 (including service fees) 
Tickets sold at Ticketmaster outlets (1‐877‐750‐4400), Macy’s and www.ticketmaster.com 
Call the Box Office at (808) 792‐2000 (weekdays) or (808) 524‐0815 ext. 245 (evenings) for more information. 
www.honolulusymphony.com 
 
Honolulu – Beethoven wouldn’t have missed this concert for the world! The Honolulu  Symphony Beethoven Festival opens on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at the Blaisdell Concert Hall with the dramatic and dazzling “Eroica” Symphony No. 3. Festival opening night also features the Hawaii debut of Irish pianist John O’Conor, the “Poet of the Piano,” in performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor. O’Conor, who has earned a worldwide reputation as a masterful interpreter of the Classic and early-Romantic repertoires, is the ideal pianist for this groundbreaking Beethoven masterwork. Festival tickets start from $20 and are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com. Mahalo to concert sponsor Commercial Data Systems for making this concert possible. 

The “Eroica” created uproar across Europe following its premiere in the summer of 1805 and changed the course of musical history by introducing the new concept of the Romantic style. Today, it is widely regarded as the most important symphony ever written. “Eroica” is filled with innovation that at first shocked, then thrilled, Beethoven’s audiences. Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians calls it Beethoven’s “first obviously revolutionary music.” 
 
The Honolulu Symphony Beethoven Festival concerts, conducted by Maestro Delfs, will showcase the music of Beethoven in two back‐to‐back weekends in March and April. The Festival gives local fans the rare opportunity to experience a cycle of masterworks performed live.  
 
The Festival welcomes two additional world‐renowned guest artists in their Honolulu Symphony debuts: violinist Robert McDuffie and cellist Yehuda Hanani. Violinist Ignace Jang completes the line‐up of exceptional Festival guest artists. Together with the musicians of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, they will perform such Beethoven masterpieces as the riveting Violin Concerto, dazzling Triple Concerto, and revolutionary Fifth Symphony. Visit www.honolulusymphony.com for more information. 
 
About John O’Conor 
Following initial studies in his native Dublin, John O’Conor studied in Vienna with the renowned pedagogue Dieter Weber, won First Prize at the Beethoven International Piano Competition in Vienna in 1973 and made a special study of Beethoven with the legendary German pianist Wilhelm Kempff. 
 
Since then he has toured the world in recital and concerto appearances and makes regular visits to Europe, the USA, Japan, Korea and China. His recordings on the Telarc label have brought him particular renown. “CD Review” described his box set of the complete Beethoven Sonatas as “Beethoven playing at its best;” “The New York Times” named his recording of the Beethoven Bagatelles as the best available; and his recording of the John Field Nocturnes spent many weeks on the Billboard charts.  
 
Last year, O’Conor recorded the complete Beethoven Piano Concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andreas Delfs. The CD, released in September 2008, has garnered listener reviews of the highest praise for both artists.  
 
For his services to music he has been decorated with “l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” by the French Government, the “Ehrenkreuz fur Wissenschaft und Kunst” by the Austrian Government and has received many other awards. Visit www.johnoconor.com for more information. 

BEETHOVEN FESTIVAL INCLUDES: 

THE VIOLIN CONCERTO: Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 4 p.m. 
Andreas Delfs, conductor and Robert McDuffie, violin 
Program: Overture to Fidelio, Violin Concerto in D, and Symphony No. 7 in A 
Praised for his brilliant technique and “ever‐sweet tone,” violinist Robert McDuffie performs Beethoven’s phenomenal Violin Concerto. A masterpiece of craft, invention and sensitivity, the Violin Concerto is an enthralling experience. The inspirational Seventh Symphony completes the first week of our magnificent Beethoven Festival. Abounding with irrepressible spirit and vigor, the Seventh is a thrill for musicians and music lovers alike. 
 
BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH SYMPHONY: Saturday, April 4, 2009 at 8 p.m.  
Andreas Delfs, conductor; John O’Conor, piano; Ignace Jang, violin; and Yehuda Hanani, cello 
Program: Egmont Overture, Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano in C “Triple,” Symphony No. 5 in C minor 
Greeted as a revelation, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony will set your pulse racing. Its opening motif introduces a masterpiece that surpasses musical perfection. Then savor the eloquent joys of music making as three great artists combine forces in performance of the dazzling Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano.  
 
THE PASTORAL SYMPHONY: Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 4 p.m. 
Andreas Delfs, conductor and John O’Conor, piano 
Program: Overture to The Creatures of Prometheus, Symphony No. 6 in F “Pastoral,” Piano Concerto No. 5 in E‐flat “Emperor” 
John O’Conor returns in performance of the delicate yet impassioned Fifth Piano Concerto, “Emperor.” One of music’s most popular masterworks, the “Emperor” Concerto is a spectacular triumph. Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony is a sweepingly romantic masterpiece brimming with splendid moments. One of only a handful of works that Beethoven named, he christened it the “Pastoral Symphony” or “Recollections of Country Life.” The Sixth not only expresses the beauty of the natural world, but shares a tranquil vision of a day away from it all.
Generously sponsored by Commercial Data Systems.