West Point "Orange @ Eisenhower Hall" was a gala celebration Saturday night honoring community creative visual and performing arts. Walls were lined with artworks from various groups and alliances, and the big Eisenhower stage hosted some 230 musicians, singers, actors and dancers. Eight different companies took part in a program that amply demonstrated the major role the arts play in our local community, from grade-school violinists to veteran professional actor Jack Aranson.

Viktoras Prizingtas led the celebration by conducting his youthful Allegro Orchestra with a patriotic tribute followed by Vivaldi's Concerto in G major. Titled "Alla Rustica," the piece recalls the quick-paced peasant dances and slow pastoral scenes of the countryside, faithfully evoked by the strings. Well-modulated, smooth and precise, the young players never sounded better.

Six of them next joined the Hudson Valley Chamber Strings with violinists Emily Faxon and Alice Poulson, violist Valentina Charlap-Evans, bass John Feeney, cellist Karl Benion and pianist James Rensink, who transported us to a modern version of the concerto form in a performance of Ernest Bloch's Concerto Grosso for String Orchestra and Piano. Starting with the violas, the fugue movement rapidly accelerated to a sonorous climax.

The Warwick Valley Chorale, led by Stanley Curtis, sang Vaughn Williams' "Festival Te Deum," a moving hymn of worship and praise, and a Broadway medley including "Hello, Dolly!," "Tomorrow" from "Annie" and "Put on a Happy Face" from "Bye Bye Birdie." The voices came across as clear and lively with a wide range of interpretation and emphasis.

Stratus Winds next provided a further musical range with Hindemith's "Kleine Kammermusick," a dissonant discourse in four movements. William Treat, flute; Kathy Wilcox, oboe; Sam Kaestner, clarinet; Chris Eberle, bassoon; and Eric Kuper, French horn, wound their way through the winding lines of this perky, playful piece.

The Southern New York Jazz Quintet is an outstanding group of instrumentalists whose rapport with one another is sophisticated and solid. Taking turns in improvised solos, trombonist Erick Storckman, saxophonist Clifford Lyons, guitar bass Mark Egan, drummer Warren Odze and pianist Jon Werking sailed through a fast-tempo version of Kurt Weil's "Speak Low" and a slowly syncopated rendition of Storckman's own "Road to the River."

The Classic Choral Society, led by Janiece Kohler, followed with solemn, beautifully sang selections from John Rutter's "Requiem." The lyrical refrain of the "Kyrie" was haunting and the plea of Psalm 130, "Out of the Deep," heartrending, as accompanied by cello soloist Elana Myers. Soprano Jody Weatherstone sang "Pie Jesu" with high notes of compassion.

The Festival Theatre of New York was introduced by Jack Aranson with the "All the World's a Stage" speech from "As You Like It." Soprano Claudia Cummings then joined him in a comic duet, singing "I Remember It Well" from "Gigi." Selections from Mozart's "The Magic Flute" featured the melodic voices of sopranos Suzanne Clune and Lois Reese, tenor Al Reese and trio ensemble Margaret Hill, Jennifer Ponzoni and Brenda Vandervort.

The Epiphany Dance Company led by Mary Linn Shea capped the evening's festivities with a smoothly performed ballet with 15 charming children and a lovely trio of ballerinas dancing to Paul Whear's "Preludio" and accompanied by the talented and tireless Allegro Orchestra.