BUTLER TWP — The Butler County Symphony Orchestra Saturday night presented its final concert of the season. Titled "Orange," it was the last of the color coded concerts of the 2006-2007 season.

It opened with Sergei Prokofiev's "March and Scherzo" from "The Love of Three Oranges." This was followed by Camille Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals," featuring two pianists and a narrator.

The narration was spoken by Butler radio personality Larry Berg, who read Peter Schickele's whimsical poems.

Brian Helsel and Carla Osborne played on grand pianos. The pair knew a year ago they would perform "Carnival," and they rehearsed before and between church services, memorized their music, and were well-prepared to take on Saint-Saens' arpeggios.

"Hot Buttered Rhumba" by Texan Robert Xavier Rodriguez was the most recent selection in the program. Composed in 1996, it may give us a glimpse into the 21st Century and its yet-to-be heard style of music.

Bombastic throughout, it has a Latin flavor.

"Masquerade Suite" by Aram Khachaturian is composed of five movements alternating between spirited and somber. The spirited waltz with snare drum accompaniment was followed by the somber Nocturne with solo violin played by Galina Istomin, concertmistress. The sprightly Mazurka is followed by the lush Romance and the improbable Galop with passages of minor seconds.

To conclude the concert, the orchestra played Maurice Ravel's popular "Bolero."

Beginning with the establishment of the rhythm by snare drum, which continues throughout, the cello section joined with a skeletal harmony outlining the chords and then by the flute playing the first statement of the theme.

All this began quietly but built up to a loud tutti for the full orchestra.

Juliette Trudeau, who played the incessant snare drum, was joined by high school percussionists Stephanie Cicero, Dylan Essig and James Kunselman, and by symphony board member Jim Weed on snare drums.

The music was riveting and the audience responded with enormous applause.

More than one patron remarked afterward the concert was the best ever.

The orchestra performed under the direction of Elisabeth Heath-Charles.