Andreas Delfs starts his first season as the Honolulu Symphony's new principal conductor on Saturday.

Although he's known for injecting staid repertoires with new music — such as Heiner Goebbels' "D&C" (have you heard of it?) — Honolulu audiences will have to wait until next year to experience the Delfs touch. The schedule was already in place when he was appointed to his post in March.

Still, "this is really a season that every program reflects either a highlight of repertory or of a soloist, and many times both at the same time," said Delfs, speaking from his summer home in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Delfs cites a great program of Wagner, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky, performed "with my friend Sarah Chang" on opening night Saturday. He also points to April 19 and 20 concerts with Thomas Hampson, whom Delfs calls "one of the greatest baritones alive"; and the Dec. 15 and 16 concerts featuring Brahms' 4th Symphony, one of his favorites.

Born and raised in Germany, Delfs is known for his command of the great romantic Germanic composers.

"Beethoven, Mahler and Strauss are my favorites," Delfs said. So expect rousing performances when they pop up in the program.

What he's looking forward to this season is deepening his relationship with the symphony's musicians and "getting to know the new audience. I conduct all over the world, and normally I bond very quickly with the audience," said the father of four.

"(Hawai'i has) such an interesting mix of people and backgrounds and nationalities."

As musical director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for the past decade (he will end his tenure there in 2009, becoming conductor laureate), he saw the orchestra become the first in America to offer live recordings through outlets such as iTunes. He also took the symphony to Cuba in 1999.

As principal conductor, "artistically the buck stops with me," Delfs said. "I am 100 percent completely responsible for everything that is artistic — personnel, what music we play, who we play it with and also when I'm not conducting, who else conducts. Of course, in cooperation with the administration and players."

HONOLULU SYMPHONY SEASON OPENER

8 p.m. Saturday; 4 p.m. Sunday

Blaisdell Concert Hall

With violin soloist Sarah Chang

Program: Wagner — Prelude to "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg; Sibelius — Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Op. 47; Tchaikovsky — Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64

$21, $28, $44, $55, $74

792-2000, www.honolulusymphony.com

2007-08 SEASON

Oct. 13-14: Haydn & Beethoven: Great Masters

Oct. 20-21: Mozart's Flute & Harp Concerto

Nov. 3-4: Pachelbel Canon

Nov. 10-11: Chopin's Second Piano Concerto

Nov. 18-19: Magnificent Mozart

Dec. 1-2: Great Composers: Copland & Dvorák

Dec. 15-16: Brahms, Beethoven & Smetana

March 22-23: A Salute to Russian Masters

March 29-30: Symphonie Fantastique

April 11-12: French Choral Masterpieces

April 19-20: Thomas Hampson: Heroes & Lovers

May 3-4: Spring Symphony

May 15-16: Mozart & Saint-Sa•ens

Editor's note: The Honolulu Symphony has altered its schedule this season, and that means a change in our concert review procedure.

Most performances will be on Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Reviews of these concerts will be posted online Sundays. Print reviews will appear on Mondays in Island Life.

Reach Lesa Griffith at lgriffith@honoluluadvertiser.com.