By Janelle Gelfand
The Cincinnati Enquirer

What's happening at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra this week:

On the podium: Music director Paavo Jarvi

On the program: Mozart's Symphony in No. 35 in D Major, K. 385, Haffner; Carl Nielsen's Flute Concerto and Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major.

Paavo's fave Prokofiev CDs: "Go with my father (Neeme Jarvi with the Royal Scottish Orchestra) on Chandos ($17.98) or Mariss Jansons with the Leningrad Philharmonic (Chandos; $17.98).

Emmanuel Pahud about Nielsen: Principal flutist of the Berlin Philharmonic, Pahud is one of the world's best flutists.

"It is a great flute concerto. It's decribing lots of different scenery. You can imagine the northern country - the harbor, the sea, the forest and the mountains. It basically is like great film music," says Pahud.

"Nielsen wrote his violin, clarinet and flute concertos for three musicians he knew personally very well, players of the Copenhagen Philharmonic. He (captured) the personalities of the different players."

Concerts are 7:30 p.m. today; 11 a.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday in Music Hall. Tickets: $13-$54. Today's concert includes a free dinner buffet starting at 6:15 p.m. 381-3300 or www.cincinnatisymphony.org.