Andre Watts, who had been scheduled for three performances of Shostakovich's 2nd piano concerto this weekend with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, has canceled his appearance because of a family medical emergency, BSO spokesman Gregory Tucker said yesterday.

Watts, 52, will be replaced by Orion Weiss, a 16-year-old prodigy from Lyndhurst, Ohio. Orion has made several orchestral performances in Ohio and has played with Pinchas Zukerman, who brought him to the BSO's attention.

Miryam Yardumian, the orchestra's artistic director, spent several hours Tuesday evening and yesterday calling around the country to find a replacement.

"She began last night and throughout the day talking to people and trying to identify a pianist who could step in at a moment's notice and perform this work," said Tucker.

The orchestra has been preparing the Shostakovich piece and rehearsed the orchestral part yesterday with guest conductor Jeffrey Tate. Orion was scheduled to arrive in Baltimore last night and have one rehearsal with the orchestra this morning.

Orion, who is in the 11th grade at Hawken High School, also is a member of the Young Artist's Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music. His teachers have included Sergei Babayan and Paul Schenly.

Orion's chance to replace Watts is remarkably similar to how Watts started his career. In January 1963, Leonard Bernstein called Watts -- then a 16-year-old prodigy -- to replace Glenn Gould in a performance at the New York Philharmonic. With only two days of preparation, Watts took the stage and made history.

Tucker said the BSO will try to reschedule Watts, perhaps for the 2000-2001 season.

Pub Date: 3/18/99