Variety also spices up the classical season, in the music of the incomparable soprano RenŽe Fleming, violinist Christopher Parkening, and the formidable family act The Ahn Trio, also starting in September.

The classical season, announced last month, "will shuttle you between centuries, layer cultural traditions, and offer exciting new musical worlds," said maestro JoAnn Falletta, Honolulu Symphony artistic advisor, providing a foundation for the musical talent. She is serving in the special capacity because Samuel Wong, resident maestro for the orchestra, is winding up this season as music director but is scheduled to conduct one concert in 2006.

All concerts will be in the Blaisdell Concert Hall.

THE POPS SEASON

• Sept. 2, 3 — "The Righteous Brothers: A Celebration by Bill Medley." Medley created this tribute to his late "brother" in song, Bobby Hatfield, who died in 2003. The Righteous Brothers, known for their "blue-eyed soul," has graced the pop charts with such indelible hits as "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration," "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," "Rock and Roll Heaven," and "Unchained Melody" (which was a hit twice, originally in 1964, and in 1990, when it provided an augmented memorable moment in the movie, "Ghost.")

• Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 — "Monica Mancini and the Music of Henry Mancini." Monica is the daughter of the late composer-recording artist Henry Mancini, whose compositions ranged from "Moon River" to "The Pink Panther Theme" to "The Days of Wine and Roses." Monica, a sought-after vocal talent, was a member of the Henry Mancini Chorus featured on such film soundtracks as "Armageddon," "Edward Scissorshand," "City Slickers" and "Batman."

• Nov. 4 and 5 — "Israel Kamakawiao'ole: A Tribute." Bruddah Iz will be remembered through his lingering music, with Matt Catingub arranging many of his signature songs for the Symphony Pops.

• Nov. 25 and 26 — "Contemporary Jazz with Trumpeter Chris Botti." Botti, hailed as "the sexiest trumpeter since Chet Baker," will breathe fresh life into some classic pop tunes by Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, and Ira and George Gershwin. Botti also made the cut in 2004 as one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People."

• Dec. 9 and 10 — "Christmas Pops with The Brothers Cazimero." Robert and Roland Cazimero continue their Christmas tradition in the annual yuletide pops concert with the orchestra, conducted by Catingub. The Honolulu Symphony Chorus, directed by Karen Kennedy, also perform, in a celebration heralding the joyous season.

• March 31 and April 1 — Elvis Costello. Costello, whose 25-year career has embraced new wave, pop, soul and the classics, is a Grammy winner for his 1998 collaboration with Burt Bacharach of "I Still Have That Other Girl." A Best Song Oscar nomination, for "The Scarlet Tide" (from "Cold Mountain"), followed in 2004. He is the spouse of jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall.

• April 28 and 29 — Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom. Grammy nominee (with Willie K) this year, Gilliom is no stranger to winning — her past four albums have earned her a cluster or Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, for Song of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Hawaiian Album of the Year and Group of the Year. Her debut CD, "Hawaiian Tradition," was charted on Billboard's World Music Charts. She is best known for her "Hale'iwa Hula" recording.

THE CLASSICAL SEASON:

• Sept. 9 and 11 — "Depth and Passion," with Christopher Parkening, guitarist; Rossen Milanov, conductor. Featuring Ravel's "Rhapsodie Espagnole," Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez" and Mussorgsky/Ravel's "Pictures at an Exhibition."

• Sept. 16 and 18 — "Joyful Moments," with Mark Votapek, cellist; Alexander Mickelthwate, conductor. Featuring Shostakovich's "Cello concerto no. 1 in E-flat major, op. 107" and Sibelius' "Symphony No.2 in D major, op. 43."

• Sept. 23 and 25 — "Musical Revolution," with Anthony Newman, organist, and Robert Minczuk, conductor. Featuring Jongen's "Symphonie Concertante, op. 81" and Beethoven's "Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)"

• Oct. 14 and 16 — "Journey Through Imagination," with the Ahn Trio (violinist Angella, pianist Lucia and cellist Maria) and Samuel Wong, conductor. Featuring Berlioz' "La Roi Lear (King Lear)," Kenji Bunch's "Hardware Concerto" and Dvoràk's "Symphony No. 6, op. 60."

• Oct. 21 and 23 — "Fantastic Intensity," with Jennifer Koh, violinist, and JoAnn Falletta, conductor. Featuring Chen Yi's "Ge Xu (Antiphony)," Bruch's "Scottish Fantasy, op. 46" and Mahler's "Symphony no. 1 in D major, 'Titan.'"

• Oct. 28 and 30 — "Rhythmic Mysteries," with Fabio Bidini, pianist, and Heiichiro Ohyama, conductor. Featuring Dohnanyi's "Variations on a Nursery Theme" and Elgar's "Enigma Variations, op. 36."

• Nov. 11 and 13 — "Power and Exhilaration," with Norichika Iimori, conductor; Honolulu Symphony Chorus, conducted by Karen Kennedy; Margaret Alexander, mezzo-soprano. Featuring Prokofiev's "Alexander Nervsky, op. 78."

• Nov. 18 and 20 — "Exotic and Impulsive," with Karen Gomyo, violinist, and Jacques Lacombe, conductor. Featuring Lalo's "Symphonie Espagnole" and Shostakovich's "Symphony No. 5 in D major, op. 47."

• Jan. 6 and 8 — "Tribute and Remembrance," with Naoto Otomo, conductor; Reiko Kimura, koto player; Seizan Sakata, shakuhachi player; and the Roppongi Men's Choir. Featuring Womack's "Koto Shakuhachi Concerto" and Saegusa's "Cantata Tengai."

• March 24 and 26 — "The Incomparable Renée Fleming," featuring Renée Fleming, soprano, and Samuel Wong, conductor.

• April 7 and 9 — "An Homage to Mozart," with Joan Landry, conductor; the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, conducted by Karen Kennedy. Featuring Stravinsky's "Symphony in C" (Landry conducting) and Mozart's "Requiem" (Kennedy conducting).

• April 14 and 16 — "Sublime Escape," with JoAnn Falletta, conductor, and Chee-Yun, violin. Featuring Bartûk's "Dance Suite," Saint-Saens's "Violin Concerto no. 3 in B minor, op. 61" and Ravel's "Daphnis and Chloe, Suites 1 and 2."

• April 21 and 23 — "Agony and Ecstacy," with Samuel Wong, conductor, and Ignace Jang, violin. Featuring Stravinsky's "Symphony of Wind Instruments," Prokoviev's "Violin concerto no. 2 in G minor, op. 19" and Nielsen's "Symphony no. 3, op. 27 'Sinfonia espansiva'."

• May 26 and 28 — "Festival of Sounds," with JoAnn Falletta, conductor, and William Wolfram, piano. Featuring Elgar's "In the South," Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," Debussy's "Iberia from 'Images'" and Respighi's "Pines of Rome."