From piccolo to double bass, Jackson Symphony Orchestra members emerged from the obscurity of their section chairs to perform in the spotlight on Saturday night.

It was a moment to shine, and shine they did, with an eclectic program that offered many delights and surprises.

On the surprise side, I'm not sure I'm ever going to get rid of the image of Joseph Feinberg stretched over the front of a double bass, fingers flying, as he teased filigree harmonics from the upper register of his ponderous instrument.

Feinberg took the work's considerable technical and musical challenges in his stride, and I'm grateful to him for broadening my respect for the possibilities of his instrument.

At the other end of the size spectrum was Danilo Mezzardri's piccolo, heard in a delightful performance of "Concerto for Piccolo and String Orchestra" by his fellow countryman, Brazilian composer Osvaldo Costa de Lacerda.

Here was an example from life where size doesn't matter. Mezzardi filled the auditorium with limpid sound, coaxing every ounce of lyricism from a slight but lovely work.

Beethoven's seldom performed "Triple Concerto for Piano, Violin and Cello, Op. 56" opened the evening in a robust performance by Philip Mason, the orchestra's retired concertmaster; Betsi Hodges, piano; and Brian Hodges on cello.

Stephen Foster put the French horn through its paces in the "Villanelle for Horn and

Orchestra" by Paul Dukas, 'and Ronald Douglass introduced a perky piece by Darius Mihaud, "Concertino D'Hiver for Trombone and Strings."

The undisputed highlight of the first half, however, was Anita Fobes' performance of the first movement of Rachmaninov's second piano concerto.

More usually seen in the orchestra's cello section, Fobes leaned into the Russian composer's gorgeous, big-themed music with muscular lyricism.

The audience clearly had a thirst for more, and it would be a delight to hear Fobes perform the entire concerto.

The golden spot in the concert's second half belonged to violinist Xie Min and violist Clyde McKaney, who walked us through the slow movement of Mozart's peerless "Sinfonia Concertante" with loving affection.

I also enjoyed Steve Newton's performance of the Mozart bassoon concerto, and maestro Steven Osmond wrapped up the evening with a stirring performance of "Capriccio Espagnol" by Rimsky-Korsakov.