This week’s Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra concerts feature a familiar face­ in pianist Norman Krieger, but also a new one — Shinik Hahm, conductor of the Korean Broadcasting System Symphony Orchestra, the equivalent to Korea’s national orchestra.

The program tonight and Friday will feature the great Romantic composers Brahms and Sibelius.

“That’s very Teutonic, very Nordic music,” Krieger said. “I think it reflects the highest standard of excellence of that culture of that period of middle of the 1800s to early 20th century. You’re dealing with a very large canvas of sound, not just in terms of volume, but depth and grandeur.”

Krieger, who has given solo recitals here, performed with the Honolulu Symphony and founded a music festival on Kauai, will perform Brahms’ “Piano Concerto No. 1,” a work known for its powerful trills. Krieger played it in his Carnegie Hall debut in 1979 and considers it to be “not just a musical challenge but a physical challenge.”

“The first movement in particular is really like you’re in the throes of a volcano eruption,” he said. “You almost have to be physically uncomfortable in spots … because it shouldn’t sound like you’re taking a stroll in the park.

“The piano and the orchestra are constantly weaving patterns in and out of each other. There’s a dialogue going on between the piano and the orchestra, which is kind of unique.”

The other major work on the program is Sibelius’ “Symphony No. 2.” It has been associated with Finnish nationalism, composed at a time when the nation was trying to attain independence from Russia. Hahm, however, sees a spiritual component in the work.

“It’s so religious, it’s like a resurrection theme,” he said, humming the anthem-like theme over the phone. “I try to express this sense of eternal, ultimate joy … the ultimate joy of great heaven.”

Hahm honeymooned in Hawaii 25 years ago, and since then he’s had an illustrious career. He is credited with resurrecting orchestras in Texas and Alabama and has formed lasting relationships with orchestras in China, Mexico and Germany, all while teaching conducting at Yale.

His success is such that in his native Korea, a K-drama character was said to be based on him. But while that character was a tyrant, Hahm prefers a collaborative approach.

“More than half of my time is seeing new players, new orchestras,” he said. “I like to respect who they are because they always have a certain culture and certain ensemble. I first listen to what they play and also show what I like to accomplish. They compromise and I also adapt.”