The Honolulu Symphony today announced the magnificent new 2009-2010 Halekulani MasterWorks season with new patrons getting 50 percent off season tickets and no increase in price ($198) for customer renewals for the third straight year.

Ticket packages for new season ticket holders start at $99 for 12 concerts. So far, 1,200 season-ticket holders have renewed subscriptions.The lower pricing is in part to make the symphony more affordable for families. To that end, Sunday concerts start at 4 p.m. to make them more appealing as family events.

The Halekulani MasterWorks 2009-2010 season:

— Maestro Andreas Delfs, in his third season as principal conductor, opens the season with new music that is taking the country by storm: the Fleck-Meyer-Hussain Triple Concerto.

— Throughout the season, light and entertaining classics are in the spotlight with Debussy's Clair de lune and La mer, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake Suite, Poulenc's The Story of Babar, Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Bach's Suite No. 3 in D "Air on the G String," a special evening of songs from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, and more.

— Superstar violinist Anne Akiko Meyers joins the orchestra for a violin double-bill featuring Vaughan William's Lark Ascending and Ravel's Tzigane.

— Celebrated pianist Arnaldo Cohen shares the poetry of Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 2.

— International celebrity guest conductors Gerard Schwarz, John Nelson, Jorge Mester and Naoto Otomo join the Symphony for four exclusive concert weekends.

— Jennifer Frautschi introduces audiences to the beauty of Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 2.

— Renowned pianist and NPR "From the Top" host Christopher O'Riley performs Beethoven's dramatic Piano Concerto No. 1.

— Maestro Delfs leads the orchestra in the new Mostly Mozart festival, featuring Mozart's final four symphonies including the "Prague" and "Jupiter."

As a s season ticket holder you can also enjoy benefits such as ticket exchanges, invitations to exclusive backstage events and priority seating.

Season tickets are sold at the Symphony Box Office. Call (808) 792-2000 (weekdays) or (808) 524-0815 ext. 245 (evenings) for more information. Visit www.honolulusymphony.com for more information.