"From Mozart to the Movies," the Las Vegas Philharmonic's first family concert since 2000, catered to younger tastes with a rollicking "Lord of the Rings, Selections" from the film "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," as well as a winsome "Adventures on Earth" from "E.T."

The orchestra, under the direction of associate conductor Richard McGee, complemented those pieces with classical selections that were generally bright, emotional and fairly short. The last movement of Mozart's "Symphony No. 41 in C, K. 551 (Jupiter)," was precise and smooth, allowing the strings and horns to shine.

That was followed by Hector Berlioz's "March to the Scaffold" from "Symphonie Fantastique." Here and throughout the evening, McGee provided informative, entertaining and often witty commentary. In this instance, his introduction more easily allowed audience members to imagine the piece's subject matter: the lovesick musician who is dreaming that he has just killed his girlfriend and is on his way to the guillotine. The philharmonic captured each emotion, from the bravado in the walk to the gallows to the climactic drop of the blade.

After intermission, Mayor Oscar Goodman joined the orchestra as the narrator for "Las Vegas Rhapsody." McGee wrote the piece, which premiered during the summer, in honor of the city's centennial. Goodman read what amounted to a brief history of the city with accompaniment by the orchestra. Both were good, but the musicians sometimes drowned out the mayor.

The overall effect was still strong. The mayor's description of railroads in the early years came with passages that suggested locomotives on the move, while his words about the '50s and '60s were presented along with a jazzy section that could double for theme music for the Rat Pack.

Earlier in the evening, guest pianist Alexandria Le also suffered from the intensity of the orchestra. Several times during Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23" it was impossible to hear her playing. However, most of the time the young artist, a graduate of the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Visual and Performing Arts, was able to show the audience her grace and skill. She presented difficult passages with aplomb and earned a standing ovation from the crowd.

The 16 members of the Nevada School of the Arts Advanced Violin Ensemble also offered Tchaikovsky, performing the allegro vivacissimo from "Violin Concert in D, Op. 35." Before they began, McGee said the music is "extremely difficult," yet the group captured each change in tempo and timbre, working with the orchestra for a strong offering.