ARTISTS:       

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

CONCERT:       

Special Matinee Performance!
           
Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 4 p.m. at the Blaisdell Concert Hall
   

PROGRAM:       

BEETHOVEN: Coriolan Overture
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 in F
           
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat “Emperor”

TICKETS:       

$20, $34, $49, $59, $82 (including service fees)
Tickets sold at Ticketmaster outlets (1-800-745-3000), 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 – The grand finale of the Honolulu Symphony Beethoven Festival will feature Beethoven’s enchanting Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral,” the fascinating Coriolan Overture, and the romantic and relaxing Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Guaranteed to refresh and renew each concertgoer’s love of music, these masterpieces offer the perfect escape from the stress of everyday life. Acclaimed pianist John O’Conor joins Maestro Andreas Delfs and the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra for this incomparable concert at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Tickets start from $20 and are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com. Mahalo to concert sponsor Commercial Data Systems for making this event possible!

A work of infinite beauty, the “Emperor” Piano Concerto is a favorite among audiences today, in particular for its soothing second movement. Utterly charming in its entirety, it is the perfect companion for this Sunday matinee. Music lovers won’t want to miss O’Conor in this, his last performance at the Festival.

The Festival concludes with the “Pastoral” Symphony, which bring to life the beauties of the countryside. From the whispering breezes to the rustling leaves and the songs of birds drifting across a blue sky, concertgoers will “see” nature’s beauty in every note. Colored with lyrical warmth and sweet tones, the “Pastoral” Symphony takes the listener away from it all. Concertgoers will find magic in every movement of the “Pastoral.”

The Honolulu Symphony Beethoven Festival concerts, conducted by Maestro Delfs, showcase the music of Beethoven in two back-to-back weekends. The Festival gives local residents, as well as tourists, the rare opportunity to experience a cycle of masterworks performed live. 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.