The idea of pricing all seats at little more than last year's least expensive rate is leaving other concert promoters shell-shocked. Filling a hall almost twice the size of any other Yorkshire concert venue has always been a stiff task, but with the much-loved Hallé fully reinstated in a city they called their second home, the task is now to fill empty seats.

The concerts lean rather heavily on the Classic FM style of programming, depending heavily on Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Dvorak, with the bicentenary of Mendelssohn's birth celebrated by his complete symphonies.

Seven Hallé appearances are supplemented by some of the major visiting orchestras including the Moscow Philharmonic, Berlin Symphony and the European Union Chamber orchestras, and from nearer home by the BBC Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata.

Featured soloists include Freddy Kempf, playing Rachmaninov's Second Piano Concerto; the much recorded cellist, Peter Wispelwey, in Haydn's concerto; Alina Pogotskina displaying her immense virtuosity in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, and the father figure among British pianists, John Lill, with Beethoven's First Piano Concerto.

The Sheffield Philharmonic is much in demand and opens the season with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Later in the season they present Mendelssohn's Elijah and Haydn's "Nelson" Mass.

Parking is £2 and there is pre-concert dining in the City Hall's Barkers restaurant.

International Concert Season, 0114 278 9789. www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk