TAMPA - The area's largest performing arts group turns 40 this year and plans a birthday bash lasting throughout a new season beginning in September.

The Florida Orchestra has released most of the details on the lineup, with music director Stefan Sanderling leading the way with eight works never before performed by the orchestra. Lovers of the traditional classics need not fret: The season is loaded with chestnuts designed to fill concert halls. As usual, the mix is a careful balance that must draw new audiences while appeasing - and maybe even challenging - the old guard.

"Our anniversary season offers a variety of familiar music together with some lesser-known but fascinating music," Sanderling says.

The must-hear programs include Bruckner's Ninth Symphony, Bartok's Suite from "The Wooden Prince," the Shostakovich 15th Symphony, Messiaen's "L'Ascension," Villa-Lobos' Guitar Concerto and two works by Tampa composers: the Horn Concerto of David Rogers and the Second Symphony by the late Robert Helps.

The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay joins the orchestra in Orff's "Carmina Burana" and the Faure Requiem.

Evergreen classics are plentiful: Grieg's Piano Concerto; Tchaikovsky's Fifth and Mozart's 41st symphonies; Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto; and the First Symphony, Violin Concerto and First Piano Concerto of Brahms.

Guest conductors on the list are Pinchas Zukerman, Pedro Halffter and Gunther Herbig, among others. Young soloists dominate, such as guitarist Jason Vieaux, pianist Jean Steueman, violinist Baiba Skride and cellist Xavier Phillips. Soloists from within the orchestra will be bassist Dee Moses and principal horn James Wilson.

Here's a look at the new season. Concerts are at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Tampa, Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg and Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. For specifics about times and prices, call the orchestra box office at (813) 286-2403.

•Oct. 4-7 - Grieg: Piano Concerto; Mahler: Symphony No. 1; Louis Lortie, soloist; Sanderling, conductor

•Oct. 19-21 - Strauss: "A Hero's Life"; Mozart: work and soloist to be announced; Sanderling, conductor

•Nov. 10-11 - Faure: Requiem; Robert Helps: Symphonoy No. 2; Master Chorale of Tampa Bay; Sanderling, conductor

•Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 - Glazunov: Violin Concerto; Mussorgsky: "Night on Bald Mountain"; Rachmaninoff: "Symphonic Dances"; Baiba Skride, soloist; Sanderling, conductor

•Jan. 4-6 - Mozart: Symphony No. 41; Sibelius: Symphony No. 1; Gunther Herbig, conductor

•Jan. 19-20 - Bruckner: Symphony No. 9; Messiaen: "L'Ascension"; Sanderling, conductor

•Jan. 25-27 - Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5; Dutilleux: "A Whole World Distant"; Sanderling, conductor.

•Feb. 8-10 - Orff: "Carmina Burana"; Harbison: Bass Concerto"; Master Chorale of Tampa Bay; Dee Moses, soloist; Christoph Campestrini, conductor

•Feb. 29 to March 2 - Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1; Bartok: "The Wooden Prince"; Jean Steuerman, soloist; Sanderling, conductor

•March 7-9 - Rimsky-Korsakov: "Scheherazade"; Rogers: Horn Concerto; James Wilson, soloist; Sanderling, conductor

•March 15-17 - Shostakovich: Symphony No. 15; Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2; soloist to be announced; Sanderling, conductor

•March 28-30 - Berlioz: "Symphonie Fantastique"; Falla: "La Vida Breve"; Villa-Lobos: Guitar Concerto; Jason Vieaux, soloist; Pedro Halffter, conductor

•April 12-14 - Special concert featuring Pinchas Zukerman conducting Schubert, Elgar and Mozart

•May 17-18 - Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 2; Prokofiev: Suite from "Romeo and Juliet"; Stephen Hough, soloist; Sanderling, conductor

•May 29-30 - Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Brahms: Symphony No. 1; James Ehnes, soloist; Sanderling, conductor

The orchestra also has announced its upcoming Pops series, under the baton of Pops director Richard Kaufman.

•Sept. 28-30 - "A Salute to the Duke: John Wayne"

•Oct. 26-28 - "A Broadway Hit Parade"

•Nov. 16-18 - "A Latin Explosion With Tito Puente"

•Dec. 7-9 - "A Jingle Bell Pops"

•Jan. 10-13 - Gatlin Brothers

•Feb. 1-3 - "By George! By Ira! By Gershwin!"

•Feb. 22-24 - "Motown Magic With the Contours"

•May 23-25 - "A Star-Spangled Pops"