People of all ages shuffled in from the cold to the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall Wednesday night to see NIU’s Philharmonic orchestra.

Precisely at 8 p.m., the performers took the stage. After being seated, a sound like no other came from the talented orchestra.

The sound produced was full and encompassing, filling the entire concert hall with an almost whimsical sound that one would hear from “Snow White.” There was not a moment throughout the performance when the orchestra was lacking in any given area.

There was noticeably an immense amount of talent among the performers. The concentration on their faces was intense as their fingers glided up and down the necks of their instruments.

Millikin University graduate Emily Sites added vocals to the performance. Her opera-like sound was strong, and although the piece was performed in a foreign language, one could understand what the lyrics were simply by the tone of her voice.

NIU graduate Haerim Yoo joined the orchestra for amazing piano accompaniment. She, like the performers behind her, possessed great talent, and it’s obvious she has been performing for many years as her hands gracefully touched the keys, playing so melodically.

In the end, the audience seemed to be pleased with the performance as the longer length of the pieces did not bring boredom, but rather brought intense happiness.