HONOLULU – August 26, 2008. Halekulani Corporation, sponsor of the Honolulu Symphony’s Halekulani Masterworks, is pleased to announce the inaugural presentation of its “Lifetime Achievement Legend Award” recognizing exceptional contributions to the arts by unrivaled masters in their field. The newly-designated annual award is a testament to the luxury hotel’s dedicated support and celebration of arts and culture in Hawaii, and will be presented to the distinguished honoree at a private reception celebrating the opening of the much anticipated 2008 Honolulu Symphony Season and Halekulani Masterworks series. 
 
Halekulani Corporation is pleased to announce ANDRÉ WATTS as its inaugural recipient of its first annual Halekulani “Lifetime Achievement Legend Award.” Watts, a world-renowned classical pianist, is set to open the Honolulu Symphony season and the Masterworks series with “Watts plays Brahms.”
 
“Since his stunning New York debut with Leonard Bernstein over forty years ago, Andre Watts has been consistently recognized as one of the greatest pianists in musical history,” said Peter Shaindlin, Chief Operating Officer, Halekulani Corporation. “His repeated interest in performing in Hawaii coupled with the vision and support of the Honolulu Symphony’s leadership allows Watts to return to us yet again, this time with a breathtaking Brahms repertoire of staggering proportions. As a committed supporter of fine arts in Hawaii, Halekulani Corporation is delighted to recognize Mr. Watts for his contributions to art in Hawaii. Opening night of the 2008 Halekulani Masterworks series promises to be an explosive, awe-inspiring evening that no one should miss!”
 
ANDRÉ WATTS will be presented with the “Lifetime Achievement Legend Award” on Friday, September 5, 2008 at Halekulani. The award will be presented by Peter Shaindlin, Chief Operating Officer of Halekulani Corporation and Tom Gulick, Executive Director of the Honolulu Symphony. The awards reception will feature an all Brahms musical theme, paying tribute to the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 which Watts will perform the opening night of the season, Saturday, September 6, 2008.
 

About André Watts:

André Watts burst upon the music world at the age of 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to debut with the New York Philharmonic in their Young People's Concerts, broadcast nationwide on CBS-TV.  Only two weeks later, Bernstein asked him to substitute at the last minute for the ailing Glenn Gould in performances of Liszt's E-flat Concerto with the New York Philharmonic, thus launching his career in storybook fashion.  More than 45 years later, André Watts remains one of today's most celebrated and beloved superstars.
 
A perennial favorite with orchestras throughout the US, Mr. Watts is also a regular guest at the major summer music festivals. Recent and upcoming orchestral engagements include appearances with the Philadelphia and Minnesota Orchestras, New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, and the St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Detroit, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Milwaukee,
Dallas, Seattle and National symphonies. Mr. Watts also made an eleven city East Coast tour with the Bergen Philharmonic which included a performance at Carnegie Hall and was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his debut (with the Philadelphia Orchestra).

André Watts has had a long and frequent association with television, having appeared on numerous programs produced by PBS, the BBC and the Arts and Entertainment Network, performing with the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center among others.  His 1976 New York recital, aired on the program Live From Lincoln Center, was the first full length
recital broadcast in the history of television and his performance at the 38th Casals Festival in Puerto Rico was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cultural Programming. Mr. Watts’ most recent television appearances are with the Philadelphia Orchestra on the occasion of the orchestra’s 100th Anniversary Gala and a performance of the Brahms Concerto No.2 with the Seattle Symphony, Gerard Schwarz
conducting, for PBS.
 
Mr. Watts’ extensive discography includes recordings of works by Gershwin, Chopin, Liszt and Tchaikovsky for CBS Masterworks; recital CD’s of works by Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt and Chopin for Angel/EMI; and recordings featuring the concertos of Liszt, MacDowell, Tchaikovsky and Saint-Saens on the Telarc label. He is also included in the Great Pianists of the 20th Century
series for Philips.
 
A much-honored artist who has played before royalty in Europe and heads of government in nations all over the world, André Watts was selected to receive the Avery Fisher Prize in 1988. At age 26 he was the youngest person ever to receive an Honorary Doctorate from Yale University and he has since received numerous such honors from highly respected schools including the University of Pennsylvania, Brandeis University, Trinity College and The Juilliard School of Music.  In 1984, his Alma Mater, the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins
University, honored Mr. Watts with its Distinguished Alumni Award and in May, 1997 Peabody again recognized his accomplishments by presenting him with an Honorary Doctorate degree. Previously Artist-in-Residence at the University of Maryland, Mr. Watts was appointed to the newly created Jack I. and Dora B. Hamlin Endowed Chair in Music at Indiana University in May, 2004.
 
MEDIA NOTE:
André Watt’s biography and headshot are available upon request; please contact Erika Kauffman, Director of Public Relations for Hotels & Resorts of Halekulani at (808) 535-0623 or via erika.kauffman@halekulanicorp.com. Media event attendance at the reception is welcome.
 
 

About Halekulani 

Halekulani is home to several of the world’s most acclaimed artists. For more than a decade, Halekulani has held exclusive alliances with the arts and cultural communities of Oahu. From its title sponsorship of the Honolulu Symphony to its popular “For You, Everything” program, offering guests VIP access to Hawaii’s leading historical establishments such as The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Shangri-La, Bishop Museum and Iolani Palace, Halekulani is synonymous with Masterworks of every genre.  Consistently ranked among the world’s best hotels, Halekulani is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World and Okura Hotels & Resorts, two exclusive organizations pursuing service excellence and standards of the highest quality. Travel + Leisure ranked Halekulani as #1 hotel in Oahu and #19 worldwide in 2007; while naming the Vera Wang Suite at Halekulani one of the 50 most romantic destinations in the world. Also in 2006, the three year-old SpaHalekulani was named a “Leading Spa of the World” and the #2 best resort spa in North America by Conde Nast Traveler. Halekulani is managed by the Hotels and
Resorts of Halekulani, a brand management division of the Honolulu-based Halekulani Corporation, which also manages Waikiki Parc Hotel. For reservations and information contact your travel planner or the hotel at (800) 367-2343 or (808) 923-2311. Reservations can also be made through Halekulani’s website at www.halekulani.com. 

About the Honolulu Symphony

Honolulu – The Honolulu Symphony Halekulani MasterWorks 2008-2009 season begins with a journey into the passionate world of Brahms as Maestro Andreas Delfs opens the concert series with world-renowned pianist André Watts on Saturday, September 6 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, September 7 at 4 p.m. at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. One of today’s most celebrated and beloved superstars of music, Watts will perform Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2. The Concerto is a perpetual favorite in concert halls around the world that is cherished for its spirit of vitality, stirring passages and truly distinctive character. Newcomers to classical music who experience the Concerto for the first time will delight in this mesmerizing masterpiece. Tickets start from only $19 and are for sale at all Ticketmaster outlets (1-877-750-4400) and Times Supermarkets. Seniors, students and military receive a 20% discount. Groups of 10 people or more are eligible to participate in the new group sales program featuring $10 flat rate tickets and premium seating. Please call the Box Office at (808) 792-2000 or visit www.honolulusymphony.com for more information.