The newly organized Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra seems poised for a delayed but well-planned debut in Honolulu’s arts community. The guest spot in March’s opening performance will be taken by isle concert pianist Lisa Nakamichi, featured in Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D Minor. The hope is that, like the famous piece, the new organization begins modestly and builds in strength.

This renaissance is being welcomed by many who felt bereft by the 2009 closure of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, after years of fiscal instability. A firm foundation is still being constructed for the successor; core organizers say that the next few weeks will be crucial to that process. In the meantime, symphony fans should be part of the rebuilding by purchasing season-ticket packages available, starting today, for the Masterworks Series, March 4-May 20.

Having a symphony orchestra is important to Hawaii as a bedrock artistic resource. Residents of this state ought to have the opportunity to hear professional productions of the world’s great music without having to shell out mainland airfare to get to the concert hall.

In addition, employing an orchestra, even at the rate of $30,000 for 30 performances in the current contract, gives the musicians baseline support to keep them here, income they can supplement by giving private lessons and other engagements. Without it, most musicians will have to seek opportunities elsewhere, depriving many young music students of access to professional-level instrumental instruction.

In order to make this more than a short-term relationship, however, both the organization and the community have to come to terms on some key points.

The HSO must avoid the hand-to-mouth existence of its predecessor through a robust, ongoing fundraising program and a realistic budget. Initial plans seem to be headed in that direction. When plans last summer to launch a fall season did not bear fruit, the organization lined up enough funding resources to feel confident embarking on a scaled-back first season and budget, which organizers estimate at a minimum of $3 million.

They also forged links with industry talents, including: Steven Monder, the retired president of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, serving as administrative and business consultant; and JoAnn Falletta, a frequent guest conductor in the past and now the HSO artistic consultant. They certainly could draw on wider experience to provide some important national perspective on the way forward.

Locally, input has come from business leaders such as Vicky Cayetano and Oz Stender, who both underscore the importance of a solid business plan. Specifically, the organization wants the symphony to cater to broader constituencies, becoming a draw for tourists as well as reaching out more effectively to neighbor islanders (there was a rationale for the new symphony’s name referencing the whole state rather than just its capital city). It will be interesting to learn more about this strategy in the coming months.

Finally, if Hawaii values an asset such as a symphony orchestra as it should, there needs to be a commitment from its host city. A good long-term plan for a symphony orchestra should include establishing a permanent venue. But for the immediate future, the city will need to carve out enough dates for the symphony at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, which has both the capacity and parking needed for a successful concert series.

The municipal facility should offer a variety of entertainments, to be sure, but long-running bookings that force out the symphony for an entire season ("The Lion King" comes to mind) will only add to its challenges. Closer collaboration is necessary for a sensible balance to be struck.

The arrival of the Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra is a sign of the community’s resolve. Here’s hoping a healthy partnership is taking shape to sustain the music, now that the baton has been raised again.