INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) -- The new music director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will make his official debut this weekend with help from one of the most beloved composers of all time: Ludwig von Beethoven.

Jun Märkl, who was announced as the ISO's eighth music director in September, will conduct Beethoven's 7th Symphony on Saturday and Sunday at Hilbert Circle Theatre.

"This is a really high energy music, and it's built around the idea of dance and strong energy driving forward. And that's what we need in the city, especially downtown. We need to develop things forward and...maybe this is a good start," Märkl said Friday on Daybreak.

Märkl is new to the role of music director, but he's not new to the city of Indianapolis -- or the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. In fact, he spent the last 21 years as a guest conductor.

"Guest conductor means you come for a week, meet the orchestra, make a nice concert, leave. Now I'm the music director, so I have to take the responsibility to build a program, a season, to find good artists to bring here," Märkl explained.

The maestro's first "nice concerts" will also be the first in a new series of free concerts called "Into the Music."

Märkl says some people are hesitant about coming to a classical music concert, and "Into the Music" gives the ISO the opportunity to "take those people by the hand and guide them."

"We have a beautiful piece of music, and then we explain, 'What is it? What is the message behind the piece? Why would the composer write it? What is, how to listen for?' Then we play some examples with the orchestra. And then, after all of this, then we play the whole piece."

In addition to Beethoven's 7th Symphony, the free concert series also includes the works of Bartók, Strauss, and Berlioz.

Click here to learn more about upcoming "Into the Music" events.

More information on the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is available at indianapolissymphony.org.