Classical chamber music was in the air the night of Friday, Oct. 29, as the Southeastern Chamber Orchestra performed for a crowd at the Columbia Theatre in downtown Hammond. The performance, which was conducted by Dr. Yakov Voldman, displayed the talents of some of the most gifted musicians of the university.

“Concerto in D Major, Op.1” by Karl Stamitz, a piece composed for the strings, opened the evening’s performance. Afterwards, the remainder of the orchestra joined in for the rest of the night. Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67,” Bizet’s “Toreador Song” from “Carmen” and “Anything You Can Do” from Irving Berlin’s “Annie Get Your Gun” were among the evening’s most recognizable and popular pieces.

By the final performance, the audience, urged on by Voldman, clapped in enthusiastic time to the fast-paced and familiar melody from Rosinni’s “Overture from William Tell.” Once the overture’s final strains came to an end, thunderous applause ensued.

The night’s performance, although a group effort, also allowed for personal demonstrations of talent to complement the overall skill of the orchestra. David Bernard, a baritone vocalist, sang in three separate pieces and was accompanied by Bridget Lyons, also a soprano, in the penultimate “Anything You Can Do.” Violinist Aleski Gamov and violist Jivka Jeleva were also featured musicians who stood to play their leading parts in “Zigeunerweisen” by Sarasate and “Concerto in D Major,” respectively.

“Like always, music, it’s a lot of work,” said Voldman. “For it to be perfect and everything, you have to work a lot.”

Audience members were thrilled with the performance and noted the gathering momentum within Southeastern’s music department.

“Everything professor Voldman does in this theatre is a joy to hear, and I’m thrilled with the string players that he’s bringing over from Eastern Europe to work at Southeastern,” said Howard Nichols, a retired history professor from Southeastern. “It’s just been marvelous. I can remember when we had two or three string students in the music department, and now we have so many. It’s been a marvelous blossoming.”