By Janelle Gelfand
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Paavo Jarvi, music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, will take his first bow with the Linton Chamber Music Series next season, the series' 26th.

Jarvi will conduct the Jan. 18, 2004 program (repertoire and musicians to be announced) in the First Unitarian Church in Avondale. The six-concert Sunday afternoon series, which has subscription openings for the first time in recent history, will open Oct. 12 with former CSO concertmaster Alexander Kerr.

On Nov. 23, the program will star cellist Peter Wiley, now a member of the distinguished Guarneri Quartet, who will perform with good friends violinist Ida Kavafian and violist Steven Tenenbom.

Three exceptional pianists will appear in the second half of the season: Twenty-year-old Helen Huang (Feb. 15), Stewart Goodyear (March 14) and Michael Chertock (April 18).

Four concerts will repeat on Mondays, in the Encore! Linton Music Series, held in Congregation Ohav Shalom in Montgomery. Soloists for that series are Kerr (Oct. 13), Wiley and friends (Nov. 24), Huang (Feb. 16) and Goodyear (March 15).

Sunday concerts are at 4 p.m.; Monday concerts are at 7:30 p.m. Subscriptions: $150 (Linton) if purchased before July 25 ($170 thereafter) and $100 (Encore! Linton). Brochures will be sent to subscribers soon. 381-6868 or visit www.lintonmusic.org.

E-mail jgelfand@enquirer.com